Success/Happiness
It’s been said that most people want two things out of life; Success and Happiness. I found that in Jerry Acuff’s book; The Relationship Edge In Business. To place this in context, I was teaching a Sales Development class where I introduce the ideas of how people can connect with each other.
Let’s take this idea that most people what these two things out of life, success and happiness, and develop this further. It has been my experience that most people agree with the premise. HOW they achieve these and WHY they strive to achieve these are the where the greatest stories are told. If someone were to stop you in the street and ask you about your success and happiness, how would you reply?
Success – Just the word alone can create a host of emotions. Words like envy, anger, accomplishment, satisfaction, struggle, joy, finished, starting, focus, determination, peace, and reward all come to mind. For some, success is a bad word due to previous experience in their lives or in the lives of people they know and love. The connotation is negative due to what success did to them (negative). Perhaps they have parent (or both) who were striving for success and could not invest the proper amount of time with them growing up. The demand of the job, the travel, late nights early morning all took their toll on the family and friends. Success is not something they want to be associated with. Or, success is for “other people” and not you due to what success did for those other people. Emotions of jealousy and envy cloud clear thinking and place judgment upon them for their success.
Now, on the flip side, success can bring up a host of positive emotions. Words like achievement, goal setting, money, freedom, time, toys, charity, teaching, winning, and reward all come to mind. Success, framed like this, is as good thing and should be celebrated. Sales success provides larger commission checks, educational success provides a better job placement, financial success provides time and freedom to do what you want, and athletic success provides wins instead of losses. What fascinates me about the word success is how people respond to the statement. Are they positive or negative toward success and where is the story or stories of HOW and WHY they feel that way?
Happiness – If most people want this, how do they define it? Can happiness be measured? How do you know when you achieve it? Does it ebb and flow like the tide? In my experience of introducing this concept that most people want Success and Happiness, I have discovered that Happiness is the more elusive one. Can you be successful and NOT happy; yes. Can you be unsuccessful and happy; Yes? In my understanding of the concept of happiness, it is very personal. How does someone “get happy?” Why is someone happy? How do you know when you are leaving a state of happiness? How do you know when you are entering a state of happiness? Lots of questions regarding something as impactful as happiness.
It has been said that Happiness is a choice. If you Google “Quotes On Happiness” you’ll read many quotes from all types of people. In fact, our Declaration of Independence says “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit Of Happiness.” That is an interesting phrase; the pursuit of happiness. How does one begin the pursuit? Once the chase begins, how do you know when you catch it? How long can someone keep happiness once they pursue and catch it?
I mentioned that the best part of success and happiness are the stories told by people who have experienced success and happiness. The secrets can be revealed in the stories we tell about our own pursuit of happiness and our own struggle with success. These are the nuggets which contain the gold. These are the examples, the “true grit”of life where struggle meets application. What we need are more great stories of success and happiness.
As a motivational speaker and sales expert, I have my share of stories. More importantly, I seek out more stories, When I get the chance; I ask people about Success and Happiness and ask them to tell me a story from their own lives regarding these two bookends. That is where life meets application and were both parties walk away richer for the experience of storytelling and life application. What about your stories on Success and Happiness? Where do they begin? Where do they end? Each of us have many stories inside just wsaiting to be shared with others. What’s yours?
