The definition of success states, the accomplishment of an aim or purpose. It also mentions, there is a thin line between success and failure. I’ve been thinking about this topic for a couple of days. I saw a house listing recently that had everything I wanted, however the price was out of my range. My first thought was have I let me family down not being able to provide them with something I’ve promised them. Then I look around the house we’re in and think how lucky we are to have it. Often we take for granted the things we have for the things we think we want.
I grew up poor, there’s no beating around the bush on that. We were on food stamps and WIC at times in my youth. But we also never stopped working, learning and improving. My parents gave me everything they could, the three biggest things were love, my last name and my work ethic. They never pushed anything on me, but if I started something than I was to see it through. The same with a promise, if you give your word on something then you should honor it. My sister and I were the first ones from our family, which on both sides is rather large, to go and finish college. Both of us did it without our parents having to pay a dime. We both worked throughout college. It was a great life lesson about multitasking and seeing things through. We both lived at home with Mom and Dad throughout college. Yes, living on college would have made some things easier but it also continued to show how hard my parents continued to work to be able to be there for us.
Success for many is measured on wealth, trophies or “fancy” things. I look at success as not letting failure stop you from obtaining a task you set out to achieve. Alto often you hear someone say, I wish I could go back and change this or change that. For many we become fixated on past events and wanting to change a result thinking it will change our path to something we think we’re chasing. By constantly dwelling on past events we miss things in the here and now. This leads to us going back to the previous thought, I wish I could go back and change that. Being present for so many is a challenge.
Jealousy often rears his ugly head when someone becomes successful. Others see the end result and make judgements on how that person got there. They don’t see the hard work, the failures and struggles overcome along the way. Supporting, helping and challenging a person on their journey is often a leaping board to their success. Another issue that impacts other’s success is our expectation of what we feel another should do. I have heard it several times over the years, ‘I thought you would be doing something else.’ ‘Why did you choose this path?’ Judgement, negativity and lack of support often diminish a person’s dream and success.
My success and your success may not be what others envisioned. But if it makes you happy, keeps you excited and pushes you each day then take pride in what you’ve done. Many don’t wake up and their successful. It takes time, it takes patience, it takes struggle and it involves some failing along the way. Remember there’s a thin line between success and failure. Your next try may be the one that gives you the end result you’re searching for.
One of, if not the hardest things for many to find success is to ask for help. It’s a struggle I face, I feel like I can do everything myself. I feel like I will burden others when I ask or seek help, yet there are so many that have been in my corner along my journey that will drop anything to help. Seek out those people in your corner! Thank them for their support as they have played a role in your success. If you need someone in your corner, I’ll be your Mickey.
Enjoy your day and keep going!
TCB