Measure of Success

I turned 27 yesterday. I am definitely wiser, smarter, richer, more knowledgeable and everything else that comes with age. Unfortunately, I am also looking older which probably means I am not aging gracefully. It’s also due to my inability to stay active all year along. I hate gyms and I can never find someone to play with me the sports I enjoy (Tennis, Squash and Cricket). On top of all this, summer days are numbered in Canada – it’s either raining or snowing here. Busy work place doesn’t help either.

Anyways, I wanted to write my thoughts on how one measures success as they grow old. So I think to myself, am I successful? Or an under achiever? Or just average? It all depends on what standards I set for myself. Well, I do own a home, a car, I travel around as much as I can, I wear relatively expensive clothes, I eat at good restaurants regularly and I regularly enjoy my favourite concerts/festivals/parties. I am thinking so what? Millions of others have same lifestyle. Bill Gates was a millionaire in his 20s. There is a huge list of Entrepreneurs, Sportspersons, Politicians, Writers, Moviemakers and so many other spirited individuals who made a mark on world stage in their 20s. Does my success compare to their success in any way? May be or maybe not. It’s all in my mind how I perceive my growth.

I probably will always feel I am under achieving because I am overly ambitious. I love fame so I would have loved to make a mark on world stage in some way or the other. I would have loved to own a business too. I would have loved to publish a book. I would have loved to be an Economist who worked for multinational organizations such as UN, IMF or World Bank. Nothing of that sort happened although everything was a possibility. Now do I call myself a failure? Absolutely not! I work hard for my current lifestyle and my ambitions shouldn’t take anything away from my achievements.

For me, my success lies in things I am able to do now which I couldn’t do in past. I am able to help my family in more ways than ever I could before. I am able to support a poor kid’s education/healthcare who is not even related to me. I am able to afford the luxuries that I couldn’t imagine few years ago. I am able to consult business owners on the work I do. That is my growth - now small or large it may be it’s something that has kept me going. I am doing my bit and will continue to do so as long as it satiates my appetite for a more meaningful life. I will do everything in my capacity that gives me better sense of contentment. Of course the real joy would be to unravel the mysteries of this universe so at least you know the reason of your existence because each success yardstick we set for ourselves will outlast us. After all everything success for us is inspired by someone else’s life experiences. You may set an example for others to follow but you will not live long enough to know how many others feel that’s success for them too. You may only follow someone else while you are alive. What a shame!