Success: Changing Interpretations

The average city dweller in these times suffers from what I refer to as the monotony syndrome. Despite all the modern wonders the struggle for existence and the urge to stay ahead of the pack leaves little, if any, room for people to relax and explore what the world has to offer. We do roughly the same things everyday and what aggravates the situation further is that we end up doing the same recreational activities every single time we feel the urge to relax and pause a bit. We spend most of our weekends visiting malls, watching movies or going on short drives which we fondly refer to as “long drives” chiefly to satisfy our own egos.

In our bid to remain competitive(read relevant) we have twisted and even corrupted the meaning of simple words such as “success” and “winning”. Success is no longer used in the absolute sense. In fact it is increasingly being used in a relative sense. We compare others with ourselves and ourselves with all and sundry in order to rate our achievements. Many of our moments of success lose their significance because of this urge to beat the rest. Success no longer stands for satisfaction, pride and happiness. Success has become a mirage that looms at the distant horizon and in approaching which we spend our entire lives. And I do not know many , if any , people who have managed to catch up with the horizon in their own opinions. Surprisingly we see success in all individuals except ourselves.

Success and contentment have escaped many because of raw ambitions being allowed to run amok. It is like the lone elephant that destroys everything in its path. Adrenaline rushes cause everything from stock market crashes to road rage. Success is increasingly being identified with material assets. The modus operandi being adopted to reach to this “success” has become irrelevant. Excellence and diligence are no longer the companions on the path to success. Several short cuts are available to success and their acceptability factor in society is rising a lot faster than the average sea level.

People who take an absolute view of success and refuse to be taken in by comparions are quickly dismissed as demotivated losers. Go getters is the new world term for successful people. People are literally feeding themselves to this fire burning at the altar of the gods of success. Capability has largely been replaced by an indivdual’s ability to sell himself as proactive. Projection has taken the place of reality. Take a look at the following example which would stand out as shining example of success:

Positive Approach
Father : I want you to marry a girl of my choice.
Son : “I will choose my own bride!”
Father : “But the girl is Bill Gates’ s daughter.”
Son : “Well, in that case…OK”

Next Day

Father approaches Bill Gates.
Father : “I have a husband for your daughter.”
Bill Gates : “But my daughter is too young to marry!”
Father : “But this young man i s a vice-president of the World Bank.”
Bill Gates : “Ah, in that case… OK”

Finally Father goes to see the president of the World Bank.

Father: “I have a young man to be recommended a s a vice-president. “
President : “But I already have more vice- presidents than I need!”
Father : “But this young man is Bill Gates’ s son-in-law.”
President : “Ah, in that case… OK”

This is how business is done!!

Moral: Even if you have nothing, you can get anything. But your attitude & approach should be positive

Increasingly we are losing the things considered not long ago as the measures of success(satisfaction, happiness, etc) in order to be perceived successful by others. Moments of joy and success today are fleeting and short as the race never stops only the candidates drop out. Is success really meant to be so fleeting ? Is something really worth giving everything up for if it is so short lived that it cannot be experienced and if it does not inspire a sense of achievement and satisfaction. If you have the answers please enlighten.