| Success! A magical word indeed, but what exactly is it? A one-time thing, like hitting a home run, scoring a touchdown, or winning a game? Is it a destination? Or a journey? Is there a fixed, clearly marked place called "Success"? Or does it vary from individual to individual?
Does success mean achievement, or fame, or power, or wealth? Who decides when one has become "successful"? Can it be self-conferred? Is it, like beauty, in the eye of the beholder? Can we objectively define it? Or is it a relative thing? Can two people have nearly identical track records and yet one be seen as successful and the other to have failed?
Is success a specific target to aim at, like making a million dollars or becoming the CEO of a large corporation? Can it be clearly seen by everyone?
Down through the ages, thousands of people have asked similar questions, and thousands more have suggested answers. For example, for the famous Greek philosopher Aristotle (384-322 B.C.), it was a life of service. Two centuries earlier, the Chinese philosopher Confucius (551-479 B.C.) declared that the key to success was preparation. For 18th century Anglo-Irish poet Oliver Goldsmith, success meant "getting up just one more time than you fall." And Benjamin Franklin advised that success required "jumping quickly at opportunities."
In his book, Success Is a Moving Target, author Robert A. Raines asked: "What is success for you? Where is the target moving for you? Do you feel an inner tug, pull, nudge, ache, some sense that it's getting away from you again?"
In our research for this book, it became very clear that defining and describing success is no easy task. It is indeed a moving target, as subjective as it is elusive. Yet, there are traits which many of those we consider successful seem to share, and identifying at least some of them is what this book is all about. We hope the quotations about them, and the stories behind each of them, will be a source of inspiration in your journey along the highway to success. |
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