“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.”—Albert Schweitzer
There is certainly nothing wrong with wanting success in life. Unfortunately, we are often led to believe success is money, status, and things—what we call “wealth”. These are great to want and to attain, but our desired success should be more.
There is no paucity of writers, speakers, and success gurus who promote a path to great wealth and success (usually their own). Fortunately, there are many who do promote a kind of success that comes from personal growth and not investment or “self-help” strategies. Personal growth success emphasizes what I like to summarize as “be your best today; be better tomorrow”. I call this “(extra)ordinary success”. (Extra)ordinary because it emphasizes “ordinary” success—being awesome where you are.
We hear a lot about the top “one-percent” in the U.S. For some, it is spoken with a certain negativity that one can only attribute to jealousy. Let’s face it, there will always be a top one-percent (just like there will always be a bottom one-percent. Perhaps, the bell-curve of wealth distribution could be flatter. This is left for someone else to discuss. I just want to look at the implications for where you, the reader, and I are today. For some, the aspiration for celebrity, power, and wealth may be attainable, but there is only room at the top for a very few. The statistics on such things as how many young athletes make it to the professional ranks or to the Olympics, the number of small businesses that actually succeed, the lists of top-grossing movie and television actors, etc. should be an indication of how little room there is at the top. The vast majority of us will live rather ordinary lives—and that should be okay.
Ordinary is not unsuccessful. Anyone can be (extra)ordinary where they are. One might see his or her profession as simple and unimportant, but no position is without importance, per se. If you think your position is insignificant, be significant. Be the best you can be at what you do. Be outstanding. In other words, stand out from the crowd. Be uniquely you and care about what you do. Love what you do!
I am reminded of a story I heard recently about Richard Montañez, creator of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. A man of humble (poor) beginnings, he did not have grand aspirations. Working as a janitor for Frito-Lays, he took to heart the message from the president of the company to “act like an owner”. When a machine broke on the assembly line and failed to dust the Cheetos with their cheese powder, Richard had an idea. His idea to spice the Cheetos with chili led him to present the idea before the president of the company that led to the birth of one of Frito-Lays best-selling snack—and Mr. Montañez rising to the position of executive vice president of multicultural sales and community activation for PepsiCo’s North American divisions. An impressive story about being (extra)ordinary.
Of course, being (extra)ordinary may not lead to an executive position. It may not lead to promotion or increased salary. It will, most certainly, lead to a more impactful life. This, after all, should be our greatest desire—to have the greatest possible positive impact on the lives we touch.
I write this piece midway through my Spring Break between the Winter and Spring terms. This is always a time of looking back at what I did or did not accomplish in the previous term and looking forward to what I can accomplish in the coming term. I am one to preach the (extra)ordinary, but as one who feels like he has yet to attain it. I have big dreams, just like you, the reader. And I am often frustrated by my perceived lack of “success”. It is easy to give up on our dreams, but we don’t. We shouldn’t. In the short-term, however, we need to look at what we do today. What can I do today to have a positive impact on one, two, three, …, or countless people? If we seek to do this in the place we find ourselves, we will certainly be (extra)ordinary. And who knows what being (extra)ordinary might bring?
Carpe momento!