How Do You Spell S-U-C-C-E-S-S?

How do you know if you are successful?  Do you measure success by the amount of money you make, the 'toys' you have acquired?  Do you need to have a prestigious title in order to be a success? How do you measure your contributions to this world?  

I wish I had the answer to this question.  I might be able to make a lot of money and then I might consider myself successful.  But I can tell you how I feel about it after many years of struggling to understand.

Albert Einstein once said 'try not to become a man of success but rather try to become a man of value'.  I think the key word here is 'value'.  The dictionary defines value as 'a principle, standard, or quality considered worthwhile or desirable'.  It is up to you to define the value you place on success.

I was fortunate to grow up in a large family with both my parents.  My parents  had little education, no job titles and precious little money.  They worked hard and asked for no handouts.  What they did have was the ability to love their children, and share what little they had with others.  No, they were not perfect, but they taught us to respect other people, take responsibility for yourself, the value of money, the meaning of love, and faith in God. 

If my kids can say the same of me - that’s how I would spell 'S-U-C-C-E-S-S'.

 - Joe Freeman                                         

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