SUCCESSFUL?
February 6, 2024
What really defines true success? Are we to consider a person who has and gives successful? Not always.
Real success is, setting a goal, pursuing it, never giving up and accomplishing it. Keeping our word and doing what we say we will do. Being reliable and accountable for our actions. Having a noble living standard and sticking to it, come what may. Practicing and respecting our moral, ethical and religious values. Saying what we mean and meaning what we say.
There are people who may have obtained wealth through unscrupulous means and dishonorable transactions. They may contribute generously to worthy causes, but can hardly be considered successful. Easy come, easy go. They may appear philanthropic and successful from the outside, but in reality are soiled and impoverished in the inside.
People who are faithful in their dealings and have developed a reputation of trustworthiness, have truly achieved one of the greatest levels of success.
Success is not measured by the wealth one has accumulated in this world. Rather it is by what he has shared with the world. Contributing to people’s success and helping them become successful, is another measure of our own success.
Generally, instantaneous success never lasts. It’s the continuous daily struggle of climbing the ladder, and eventually achieving the goal previously set, that defines success. Oh, if we could only achieve every day that which we set out to accomplish at the start of the day, how fulfilled we would be. That would provide the necessary energy for continuing the following day enthusiastically.
As long as a person is making daily progress, heading in a positive direction, he is successful. Success is not just the final result. It is starting at point A and arriving at point B, as planned. Just because one may have experienced a bump or fall on the way doesn’t mean they have failed, so long as they pick themselves up and continue to march forward. It’s overpowering one’s temptation to give up when facing defeat that’s living success. There is a saying that when the going gets tough, the tough get going. Giving up is never an option. Every successful person will acknowledge that there is no gain without pain.
Not repeating the same errors over and over again and learning from one’s mistakes is successful living. Not staying stuck in the same place, being able to dust oneself off and start a new, is success.
Taking care of ones wife and children respectfully and properly, is one of the greatest successes a man can achieve in his lifetime. He has fulfilled his sacred responsibility of providing for the family gifted to him by Hashem. It is to him Hashem entrusted His precious children. How pleasing that is to Hashem.
Living outside one’s self and focusing on the needs of others. Helping improve their lives with the wisdom and means Hashem bestowed upon you is success.
We are used to thinking that success is determined by a person’s wealth, fame and popularity. Truth be told, that is not Hashem’s measuring stick. Hashem looks at how honest a person is and how much a person tries. The effort put in to overcome a challenge. How a person uses his full potential and doesn’t slack off with laziness. How he uses all his inborn talents gifted to him by Hashem. Puts in an honest day, truthful to Hashem and his fellow man. These are great successes everyone can hope to accomplish and attain.
So our goal must constantly be, to push forward with positivity. Not to focus much on our past experiences and failures. Learn from them and move on, since the future is where we are headed to. Trying to make progress with every single new day gifted by Hashem, whether in our Torah study, our Prayer, our kindness, or simply trying to support our family.
As long as we are moving in the right direction and making progress, we are successful. Life is not a race. Just need to move forward at a healthy consistent pace.
If we are honorably putting in a full truthful day of effort, we are pleasing our Creator. Ultimately it is He whom we need to please and come to terms with. If we live according to His dictates, principles and values, that He revealed to us at Sinia through His Holy Torah, we have achieved a milestone and major success in life.
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