Successful or happy?

What is success to you?

This is a question I often ask in my seminars. This gets the participants thinking.

It is a very simple question, yet many find it profound and hard to answer. Many people want to be successful, but they have not taken the time to identify and settle the things that would constitute success for them.

Maybe, success is a moving target. Real successful people never arrive at the stage where they would consider themselves successful because they keep on moving higher.

Now, here is an exercise I want you to do.

Think of the five most successful people you know. These are people you interact with and not familiar faces you see in websites, TV or magazines. Then list down qualities that you think make them successful. Then ask them if they would consider themselves successful or not.

Now that you have listed the five most successful people you know, this time I want you to think of the five happiest people you know.

Would the five people in your success list be the same five people in your happiness list? Is the point clear?

The popular view is that success deals with possessions and achievements. In a way, it is. But it is illogical to equate success as being happy. Happiness is a state of being. I may be wrong, but if you look at the people who are in your happy list, it is possible that they possess some common qualities.

They have better relationship with their family. They have more trusted friends and not just people who are after their business. Perhaps they may not have tons of cash but they are healthy and could pursue the simple pleasures in life like running marathons or enjoying good food in a hole-in-a-wall eatery. They are excited to take snapshots using their smart phones. They have so many stories to share with their friends and loved ones. In other words, they are having fun.

Here is another observation. Most of the happy people I have met, the five happiest people in my own list, are driven by very high spiritual and ethical values. They are heavily involved in quietly helping others who are in need. No publicity, no fanfare, just quietly helping and serving in church or in community settings.

But let me tell you that I also have met many people who are successful in terms of possessions and achievements, and they are happy.

They channel their business successes into blessings that provide help for those in need.

I guess the question becomes this: are you successful and happy?

A deeper question might be this: are you contented with your current state?

I train people to excel. I have been doing this for many years. I want people to tap into their potential and be the best they can be.

Many of my past participants wrote me notes and emails through my digital spaces on how they achieved success in life.

The thing is this. The path to success is to be contented with what you have but to never be contented with what you can become. Develop your skills. Work on your character. Never allow greed to enter your life while you experience material success.

Take care of your spirituality, always be ready to serve and help others who are in need.

Take care of your relationships, maintain your health and be vigilant with your finances.

In other words, be successful and happy.

We only have one crack at life and it might as well be a good one.

Spend two life-transforming days with Francis Kong learning leadership and life skills as he presents Level Up Leadership on March 17-18 at EDSA Shangri-La Hotel. For further inquiries, contact Inspire at 09158055910 or call 632-6310912 for details.