What Dreams Are Made Of

Everyone wants to be successful. But what is it to begin with? How do you measure success?

According to the dictionary, success is the attainment of a goal desired. And basing on popular sentiment those goals include great wealth, expensive cars, mansions, etc. But is success really just vain materialism? Let’s take into account the story of John and Mike.

John and Mike are two friends with very different point of views. While both wanted to be successful, their goals ran in opposite directions. John wanted to be financially rich. Mike, on the other hand, wanted stability in a family. In a short time, John became the president of his own company. He achieved his fame and fortune. And Mike, though just an employee, is happy with his family, enjoying the love and support his wife and children provide.

While some would disagree, both of them are actually successful by achieving what they desired. Success must not just be measured in terms of monetary value only. It must also include emotional and spiritual satisfaction. Admittedly, a lot of people work very hard for earthly possessions. There’s nothing wrong with that. But when they find themselves wanting more and more, there’s a problem. For this reason, goals should be guided by positive attitude and moral principles. Consider the time when you first learned to ride a bike. Success wasn’t when you owned the bike, but when you were able to ride it. It was the sense of accomplishment. It was the execution of a feat to perfection.

So when you create goals for yourself, think hard. Will this satisfy me materially, emotionally and spiritually? Am I doing this because I really want it? Or am I just following a consumerist way of thinking?

Try not to become a man of success but rather to become a man of value.

Albert Einstein