The Standard Measures of Success

Kompas, 30 October 2005 ("Jujur pada Diri Sendiri") wrote about several persons who after achieving generally-accepted "successful" life, decided to abandon those conventional wisdom and pursued a different way of life.

They went from "survival" mode -- satisfying deficit needs (physical, love, esteem, dignity needs -- the bottom part of Maslows' Hierarchy of Needs?) -- into "beyond survival" mode -- satisfying being needs. Often this sacrificed the glamour of high salary, top position in a company, or just simple fame.

Money, career, fame ... those have became of the least importance for them, lost their meaning. What they did at the end was being honest to themselves, doing what's important for them and not being afraid of public's view of their way of life.

There's definitely a fear that when they left these "success" and hence the abundance of money -- living in unsecured path.

My take.

The idealist part of me said: YES!
You are not measured by what others have said.
It is OK to live a life of your own, a measure of your own, a success of your own!! Whoever you are, at whatever condition you are currently -- regardless of what your "success" degree is!

You can live at a standard of living that you choose -- not a standard that others set for you. Living a life that does not idolise common "success" is not an unsecured path...

The realist part of me said: come on....?!
You have the responsibility to yourself and your family. The Maslow's basic needs must be satisfied and secured foremost. That is the "success" that you must pursue.

Those who are able to do these kind of "turnaroun" are those who have achieved "success".
For the rest: tough luck. Run the rat race! Forget your dream!


My final take.

I tend to go for the idealist.
I have decided long time ago to live with the correct priority in life.
I am fully aware that what we experience in this world -- needs for money, to be exact -- will cloud the priority, if I do not have the correct compass to guide me.

Fil 4: 11
Kukatakan ini bukanlah karena kekurangan, sebab aku telah belajar mencukupkan diri dalam segala keadaan.

I believe I do what I must do -- live in the current world, but with a view to eternity.
The rest I will leave it to my Lord. I will learn to trust in Him.

Ibr 13:5
Janganlah kamu menjadi hamba uang dan cukupkanlah dirimu dengan apa yang ada padamu. Karena Allah telah berfirman: "Aku sekali-kali tidak akan membiarkan engkau dan Aku sekali-kali tidak akan meninggalkan engkau."