Since the close of GodBlogCon, some bloggers have been continuing a discussion that began at Biola on the meaning of "success." How do you know if you are being successful? How do you define success?
More importantly for Christians, how does God define success?
In blogging, one standard measure of success is your ranking in The Truth Laid Bear Ecosystem, a system that ranks your blog by how many other blogs make reference to it. The idea is that you are successful if other people are talking about what you've written.
Some of the highest-ranked bloggers have been invited to be talking heads on various "old media" shows, such as The Today Show and Good Morning America. Some have written op-ed pieces for influential newspapers. A few have published books. Being noticed, being in demand, being influential beyond the world of the internet — these are also measures of success.
Catez Stevens at All Things 2 All has hit the nail on the head with a new post on The Meaning of Success.
I want to be successful in an upside down way. I will never have the artistry of the Master, but I would like sometimes to give something different from what the world tells me to exhibit as a badge of achievement. Will I do my best if only one person is receiving it? Will I take the same care and pay the same attention to detail? And what if they take it and don't acknowledge me at all — will I carry on and give more another time?
Being "successful in an upside down way" reminds me of Jesus saying, "Among you it should be quite different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be the slave of all." (Mark 10:43,44, NLT). Upside down. Jesus said a lot of upside down things. However we define success, if God is in the mix it will probably be upside down.
Success is giving expecting nothing in return. It's kindness done in secret — as if even the left hand doesn't know what the right hand has done. Success is retaining integrity whether the crowd applaud or hiss.
How do you define success in your life?
Posted by Charlie at October 26, 2005 8:00 AM