I write lately with my Creative Labs Zen (an mp3 player) going in my ears. I despise those ear bud things so I use a “behind-the-head” headset that I also use for my computer.
So I’m typing away and come to a pause to think about how to explain something. As I’m thinking, I’m humming along with Bonnie Raitt’s “What Is Success”. The song links it to material wealth as being a sign of success, or is it?
What is success? When you have reached your life goal to be an astronaut? Or to land a partnership in a law firm? Or perhaps to be married and give birth to child #3?
“What is success?” is a question often asked in freshman psychology classes. It is a question geared to make you think. Perhaps the question is a zen question along the same lines as “What is the sound of one hand clapping?”
When my book is released in February, will I be successful? Or will I reach success when the reviews come in, all aglow? Or will it be when the hundredth then thousandth sale?
The Democrats declared success a few weeks ago after the elections. Did they reach it? Or will true success happen when dumbass is out of office and someone, anyone, is in his place?
Perhaps, after all this, success isn’t a single thing. It is a series of events, things, mileposts. Success when Shuler beat Taylor. Success when the Dems won the House. Success again when the Dems won the Senate. Layer after layer. Success is landing that partnership with the law firm then buying the Lexus, then the house in the finer part of town, then the kids in the finer schools, then your name on the shingle out front.
Then, do we actually every reach the nirvana of success? Me and Sumo the Goldfish want to know.