With the recent tragic death of superstar Whitney Houston, one can’t help but think about the price we pay for success. For the girl with the golden voice it would seem that the pace she kept and some of the personalities she associated with in order to rise to stardom came at a high cost.
For those of us who live simpler lives the question, “Success at what price?” is equally a relevant one. Personally I don’t have to look too far to see the impact of the answer. Whether it be close friends or clients, the symptoms are present. Sleepless nights, panic attacks, the need for several drinks at the end of the day, irrational spurts of anger and frustration, all red flags that the price may be too high.
So what to do? I often ask my clients to define what success means to them. Typically they all start down the same path with some monetary amount as their marker. I can’t say I blame them. Everywhere we look today our self-worth is being measured by our net worth. The idea of “keeping up with the Jones’ ” has led many a hard working person to a state of emotional breakdown or bankruptcy.
When we measure ourselves by what car we drive or how big our home is, it will never be enough. WE will never be enough. There will always be someone with more who moves in next door. Watch out for this trap.
So if not financial success, then what? The question forces us to have a deeper look at what is really important. Perhaps it’s good health, time with our families or simply yet profoundly, freedom of choice. Beware of whether you take your day-to-day accomplishments for granted. Do you belittle their significance? When you overlook the small kind gesture of a child you have taught or that extra bud on a flower in a garden you have nurtured, you are walking right by many of your own achievements.
If Whitney Houston could tell us now what her definition of success would be I wonder what she’d say.
What do you want yours to be?