I’m trying too hard to understand why people think being successful means being wealthy. If you say someone is financially successful, then fine, you can equate that to wealth, but generally saying success is equal to wealth? Ehhh, no.
So before writing this, I thought about so many times when I succeeded in achieving a goal and how it didn’t even involve making a single dollar. I remember how it was tedious for me during my project work. I spent so many hours and days working to make sure I achieved a stellar result.
I can’t even count the number of sleepless nights and how tired I always was at the end of the day. Oh and the number of times I failed? I can’t even count. The number of times I wanted to give up? I can’t also count. But eventually, when I got the grade I wanted, it was all joy and happiness. I didn’t even remember the sleepless nights or all the times I failed.
Okay maybe I’ve even going too far. Let’s talk about something simple. Like my crochet projects. I always remember the skeptical feeling behind making projects. For example, my all-time favorite project: the tractor. I knew what I wanted to do, but there was no guarantee that it was going to turn out the way I wanted.
I worked on it for several hours, and in the end, I got the result I wanted. Was I happy? I was over the moon. I remember how I smiled all through the night and was excited for, like, a week. Okay, I’m sure the picture is clearer now, but let me add this.
So let's bring it a little lower, yeah? Just imagine someone who’s been trying to achieve 1000 steps a day. Anytime he/she gets the notification that he/she indeed achieved that goal, it will definitely bring nothing but joy.
With all that I’ve said I’m sure you’ve noticed a pattern. Not even one of them involves money or making money. So I think we should dead that narrative that being happy when you are successful means being happy when you have wealth. But then money doesn’t make one happy; therefore, being successful doesn’t automatically make you happy.
Because I think it does. When you achieve anything in life, no matter how small it is, you are going to be happy even if it lasts for a second. And from my experience, happiness is happiness no matter how long it lasts.
Images are mine
Anyone who thinks that success I only deals with finances, has a very shallow viewpoint actually. There are so many things people have achieved that didn’t involve finances yet some people still believe that to be successful, one needs to have million dollar worth of assets, stocked away.
One day, hopefully one day, more people will let go of this mentality.
I think it’s probably how they were brought up or they choose to see it. Either way, I also hope they understand it one day.
Of course money cannot give people complete peace. Small achievements in life make us happy. Very nice post, best wishes.
Yes, it’s always the little achievements.