Over the past few weeks I struggled to find a success story to tell because these stories were not good enough, they seemed to lack something. I had many achievements that I could count but I could not pick one. Perhaps I was measuring my success against other people’s accomplishments. I completely forgot the hard work and effort that I had put in accomplishing those goals for some time till I met some people who felt inspired and motivated by what I had achieved. I then realized how big and significant my achievements were not only to me but to the people who were looking up to me for inspiration, hope, and motivation. I also learned that success is not a success unless it inspires and tells a story that motivates someone. To me, significance now matters more than just the accomplishment.
You do not have to be silent about those success stories, tell them as they are. Every person has got a personal story to tell. The stories may be similar but there is always an individualistic difference in them. That should give you the courage to share and make a difference in the world.
I once heard someone saying you should care more about the impact you make on others more than just your successes. Success is usually individualistic whereas significance speaks more about your impact on others. The day I met some girls and their mothers telling me that I’m an inspiration to them, I was so ecstatic. It helped me to see that success is not just achieving great and sophisticated goals but our small accomplishments attained through hard work and determination mean a lot to us and the people around us. There is a sense of fulfilment that comes with knowing that you are an inspiration and your achievements incite hope in others.
In an African setting or a society that upholds the Ubuntu value system; one man’s success is the whole community’s success. This value system makes a lot more sense to me because we usually feel exultant when we succeed in certain things that others did not do so well in. Success is worth celebrating when it is not self-centred on one person but for the good of the whole community. Do not wait until you turn forty or when you get older to start thinking about your legacy or impact but make every accomplishment an opportunity to make a positive impact.
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