On Success and Happiness

The item you see on the left is a paperweight that someone gave me at a going away-farewell party shortly after my 26-year-old electrical sign manufacturing business was sold in 2001.  This paperweight was fabricated from a beautiful ivory marble chunk, and measuring 2-3/4 inches in diameter, 1-inch thick and is smoothly bevelled and polished with a slightly convex shape. The lettering is engraved and filled in Dk. Navy Blue color.  The piece of " art " was made in Great Britain and weighs ( heavy ) at 1-lb.-5-1/8  oz.  I'd received several gifts mostly from some of my longtime employees, some who had been with me for over twenty years. Many were with me for over ten years.  Everyone knew that actually I was not through "working" but that I had another very personal mission to accomplish.  A goal that had been put on "hold" many, many years ago, actually, I was entering another important and crucial point in my life, and that was to become a top-selling magazine cartoonist to all of the major magazines.  It was simply time to reach another goal that I had actually set  for myself and was MORE important than my reaching my successful " sign company " goal.  If I would have stopped, then that would mean that I HAD BEEN successful.  I believe that you must set another goal ( that is meaningful and challenging to you ), so that you can continue to be successful.  The best definition that I ever heard for what " success " means, is Paul Meyer's definition: 

" Success is the progressive realization of a worthwhile, personal and challenging goal. " 

That means that if you have a goal, and it's worthwhile and challenging and meaningful to YOU, and you are moving towards it . . .  then you are being successful.

This paperweight sits on my computer desk next to the mouse.  This reminds me every day that the journey is where it's at.  I'm pretty happy on what I'm getting.  If things were going any better, people woul think I was cheating !   That's my story and I'm sticking with it.

Paul Meyer was he founder of  Success Motivation Institute, Waco, Texas.  Mr. Meyer was my mentor.  He passed away recently.  SMI was BEFORE there was a Tony Robbins or a " Secret ".