Career Advice the Myths of the Concept of Success
The concept of success can be a highly personal one. Each individual has their own benchmark as to what makes them successful or not. However, we're all brought up with a package of myths that forms what success will mean to us. Though these aren't absolutes they still can influence the way we view ourselves.
Success Makes Us Powerful: If control over others is the goal of an individual then success is often seen as the means to that end. It could be perceived that the higher up we rise in any field of endeavor the more able we are to have influence over others. This myth accompanies another: "It's lonely at the top." If your primary reason for success is to manipulate and control you will find yourself alienated from others. Your goal to control may be achieved but the price paid is one that's hardly worth it.
Success Makes Us Important: If we are successful we may feel that we can look down on others from our elevated position of importance. We may also believe that others feel we are more important in the scheme of life. Success is a fragile commodity and can escape us at any moment. As life shifts we may tumble off our pedestal. If your sense of personal importance is based on material success you may find yourself devastated when the tide turns.
Success Makes Us Rich: Success is often measured by the acquisition of money and material possessions. No matter how many times we're told this is not true we still don't genuinely feel successful until we've got a new car in the driveway and every trendy toy imaginable. Our success then becomes a matter of the image others have of us as they envy what we have. This is an extremely negative picture of success and means that our egos can be shattered in a moment when the carpet of success is pulled out from under us.
Success Makes Us Happy: All the myths regarding success boil down to this one - the concept that success will make us happy. Success may actually make you happy if you love what you do and feel passionate about it. But if you measure your happiness on the myths of success - power, importance and money - you may find yourself on shaky ground. Happiness, as well as success, is an internal product of our own feeling of self worth. Once this has been well cultivated anyone is strong enough to ride out the mercurial nature of material success.
Myths are like fairy tales; they are not real. Being self aware and understanding how you feel and what you want as you ride up the mountain to success will help you sustain a possible ride back down the mountain. No one can take away a true feeling of success if it is genuine.
