Many times we seek the secret to success without realizing that the secret is no more than discovering to your gift and giving it to the world.
We often interpret success to be financial. Financial wealth is no more than a blessing that is the fortunate result of sharing your gift(s). I once met a woman who told me that Oprah Winfrey was her best friend. While Oprah can't call this woman specifically by name, I'm sure she knows that she is often considered a friend or even best friend to thousands of people if not more. She would have never received the opportunity to play that role in so many lives had she not embarked upon a career as a news anchor. Eventually, she was turned away from the business because she didnt have the look. That rejection only allowed her to place her focus on other opportunities and after the start of a talkshow she was able to take her career to places she likely never imagined. We often view the the financial value of a person as a direct indicator of thier success. However, despite the amount of wealth Oprah has, I'm certain that the blessings she has received for sharing her gifts with the world go far beyond the money she has earned. She has been cast beside reputable actors in successful films. She has sat with countless celebrities engaging in intimate discussions about life, relationships,politics and more. She has been able to visit several countries and receive education about culture, and customs. She has been able to help others realize their own purpose by providing platforms in which they can display and give their own gifts. Sadly, many of us don't think of these things. We live in a society where wealth dictates success and therefore become fixated on it.
The thought that opulence is a measure of success is of the greatest lies we we're told. Success is when you have found your purpose and utilized it for the benefit of others. Once you have done that, you have truly arrived. Success is not about the journey, it's about the arrival.
Success is your arrival.
Life is the journey.
Sharing is the gift.
Blessings are the benefit of giving.
People that we most commonly view as successful are simply sharing the gift they possess with others. Martin Luther King Jr, and Mother Teresa, are all examples of people who shared their gifts and were undeniably successful. They made their mark on the world by simply doing what they were born to do. These people were not known for being exceptionally wealthy but that doesn't take away from the success they achieved. This is an example of why we should dismiss the thought that success is money, and money is the ultimate blessing.
Blessings are a benefit of giving. When we willfully give our gifts to others, we are allowing our purpose to be fulfilled. With that fulfillment comes blessings. Don't worry about the benefits of giving, just give. The blessings will come. We mislabel wealth as success but wealth is just a blessing that comes along with giving your gift however, wealth isn't the only blessing that comes with giving. There are plenty others.
There are people who become wealthy without giving anything. It's called inheritance. That doesn't mean they have served any purpose. So they will live life with wealth but may squander it attempting to seek a greater meaning for their life not knowing what it is. They may say they are seeking "happiness" or "joy" not realizing that realizing your purpose brings those things. In such cases, one can only hope that they run out of years before money as they wander aimlessly through life without any true direction for their purpose. Or we can hope they actually realize what it is they are truly attempting to find so that they can be relieved of their emptiness. Money can sometimes be a deterrent from discovering what you were called to do because if you believe that money is success's equivalent, you won't be motivated to seek anything greater.
As we live life, it is our duty to journey toward our purpose. Some of us know what our purpose is, and others need time to discover it but at some point in life you should be in pursuit of your purpose. You should mentally pack up whatever ideas you have and allow your heart to be the GPS to guide you to it. Once obtained, it is our obligation to serve others with it. Steve Jobs gave us technology that we not only enjoy, but rely upon. What good are Apple competitors without the Apple standard to compete with? His gift created opportunities, alliances, and technological advances that benefit millions of people. Did he make plenty of money from it? Yes. Do you think that was the only blessing he received? Of course not!
Some people squander their blessings. They don't cherish them. They become more focused on their rewards than their gifts. This is a downfall for many people. When you are focused on the blessings, (or the rewards) the way you gift will change. There will always be an angle or strategy to receive more gifts. This is not to say that you can't make a living serving other's through your purpose however, maintaining the integrity of it is is very important. This is why you often see people desperately struggling to receive blessings/rewards because they have now designed their gifts to cater to the rewards rather than to the people that need the gift! Go ahead. Read that one again.
I used to spend years thinking of how I was going to be successful. At the time I, like many others believed success was directly related to how much money I had. Every business venture that came my way was a new vehicle that was supposed to drive me to the land of wealth. It wasn't until I learned that the absence of passion is the culprit for failure that I was able to figure out why everything I tried never took off.
Now I spend my time seeking my purpose. Sometimes, I feel I know what it is, and other times I'm uncertain. Whatever it may be, I take full responsibility for making that discovery and sharing it with others who can benefit from it.
My question to you is: Are you truly ready for your blessings, or are you still chasing blessings without serving your purpose?
Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value. –Albert Einstein
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