How Do You Measure Success

​“Would you prefer to be wealthy at a job that makes you miserable, or have a job that you love that only provides ordinary income? A rhetorical question like this is powerful, we are obliged to look at ourselves intrinsically or internally regarding our state of contentment, it compels us to examine our lives, but also forces us to measure or quantify our priorities.

The human tendency is to compare ourselves with others to determine our success, however, my thoughts on this juxtaposition or contrast is grossly misguided. Many spend a lifetime catching up with the proverbial "Jones" as it were, meaning overly concern with status at all costs, even at the expense of family, friends and even our personal health. 

We must ask ourselves, "what makes me happy, what is it that I love?"

Since happiness and love derives from our nervous system, this should tell us unequivocally that our emotional health should be our “goal” and success should be the "byproduct." 

Of course, I am not minimizing any one’s efforts to support their self and family, in fact, to acquire wealth, in of itself is not wrong. All I am saying is that we need to reevaluate our motivation, otherwise, being driven by extrinsic or external things to measure our success such as the success of others, fulfillment will not be realized. Furthermore, if we do not take care of our emotional health, how are we going to be able to serve those we care for?

The statement by this one man who put his emotional well-being at the basis of happiness and success the “byproduct,” had this to say,  

"What makes me happy is when I see the people, I've touched are happy. That makes me tremendously happy and emotional." Michał Sołowow, the wealthiest person in Poland