Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Success and Money

 Success and money. The two are inexplicitly linked. We say we don't need money to be successful, yet money is used to measure that success. When others are willing to spend their money on whatever product you have to offer, you feel successful. Those spending their money will call you a success. I think that is a fair statement, don't you?  When the product is offered and nobody buys, the opposite is true. Yes, we may attempt to deceive ourselves into believing that it doesn't matter, that it isn't a measure of success, but it is. It is a discussion we will have with ourselves over and over again. For those that receive copious amounts of financial compensation/consideration the belief that they are successful is beyond question. Some will become arrogant and vain as a result of that.
 This link is nothing new. It has always been so. Today we talk about money and property. It is only what is of value that has changed, not the acquisition of those objects. What made one rich in the past may not have the same value today. Real estate has always been valuable. Ask any realtor what is the most important feature? The answer is location, location, location. In real estate, everything else can be changed. I have seen the value of land change from very little to ridiculously high. The only thing changing is the popularity of the location. Those with the money forcing the price to rise. Success is being displayed by the acquisition of that property. Can you put a price on popularity? Apparently, you can. How else to explain some of these so-called " artists " that gain such wealth? An awful lot of folks are willing to spend their money on them, so they are successful. Whether they are talented or not is a very subjective thing. Is it the money that validates their success or their popularity?
 I do think we all seek that validation whether we are conscious of that or not. Evidence of that is when we receive" likes " on Facebook or other social media. No, there is no financial gain but there is a validation of popularity. Money isn't everything but it does beat whatever is in second place! My Mom had a figurine of a hobo with that saying on a sign hung around his neck. It sat on the shelf next to the fireplace. It is difficult to dispute the validity of that statement. That may come from the fact that you can't hold popularity in your hand. Being popular really doesn't get you much in the way of material things. A free cup of coffee or a slap on the back. It isn't until your funeral that others will talk about what a great guy you were! If you are wealthy those same " friends " will heap praise on you every chance they get. I know it sounds cynical but there is some truth in that. Where I a rich person that would be a concern of mine, I think. I'm hoping for a chance to find out and either prove or disprove that theory.
 We need to measure success against our own standard, not the standard of society. That is the difficult part in all of this. If you can satisfy your own standards that should be all that is required to feel successful. And what is a success? Success is contentment and a feeling of accomplishment. It is at that point you have to decide whether it is other people you are attempting to satisfy, or yourself. If we want to satisfy the others we have to have something to show. That something has to have value to them, hence the need for money or property. It is a catch 22. If we set the standard is that standard valid? I mean, it's easy to pass the test when you write that test. That's the most difficult question for me to answer in all of this. I want to be successful, we all want to be successful. Just whom am I required to satisfy? The answer is me but the standard is being set by others. The thing is I am allowing them to set that standard then complaining about the standard. It's all very confusing.    

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