Robbie Williams - successful or not?This Audio Blog is produced by yet another method – my fourth attempt at various methods. At least I am learning as they say ‘on the job.’ It is fascinating.
This one asks for comments about the meaning of success – enjoy and please let me have your views.
The Audio Blog is 4 minutes and 5 seconds.
This one asks for comments about the meaning of success – enjoy and please let me have your views.
The Audio Blog is 4 minutes and 5 seconds.
MP3 File
10 comments:
Well, as I was named in the audioblog, I guess it falls to me to have first shot at answering ‘What is success?’
I think that there is a simple answer. And that is that there is no simple answer!
Perhaps it would be helpful to look at Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, usually shown in a triangular representation. At the bottom come the basics of food, water, shelter etc. At the next level up are things like security, stability, then status, responsibility, reputation, then belongingness and relationships before we reach the peak of the triangle with personal growth and fulfilment.
I imagine that success depends on where you are in the hierarchy. For many people in the third world, success is measured as survival – finding food and water. For ‘people who have everything’, success is probably continuing to grow personally and to feel fulfilled by what they do.
So I suspect that the real answer to the question is that if you believe that you are successful, then you are.
Thank you - that is a great summary David and I particularly like your bottom line – ‘if you believe that you are successful, then you are.’
I wonder if the ‘fifteen minutes of fame’ people are successes or not. I am thinking of people like Jade Goody, Gareth Gates and all those other people who are famous for a while and then we hear nothing about them. I often wonder how they feel if they have been at or near ‘the top’ for a while and whether they have any regrets about not having whatever the quality is to stay there. We see it in football so often – those bright young stars that just never fulfill their early potential and disappear off the scene.
Good stuff. I really like this new style of blogging. I like how you do the written lead in and then the audio. I like the discussion. I think we to often put success in the hands of others. We let the opinions of other people determine if we feel succesful or not. I think your description of how you feel with and about Annie and your relationship is the best definition given. You feel happy, satisfied, and successful as a result of your relationship. That is success no matter how others feel about it. Great stuff!
Thanks Rocky – ‘happy, satisfied, and successful as a result of your relationship’ – you summed it up pretty well Amigo :- )
I can't add anything to the comments about success except that it is something we have to define for ourselves without letting friends, family, or society define it for us.
But Trevor, you have a radio voice my friend! If you were to study voice pacing and a few modulation techniques you could be a pro! (And then I can brag that "I knew Trevor when he was nobody!")
Hi Mike – in the great scheme of things we are all ‘nobodys’ forever my friend. EVERYBODY has their own unique and special gift to bring to the table. We just have to do our best with what we have and thanks for your kind comments – much appreciated.
It always surprises me when we attempt to judge whether someone else is successful. It seems analogous to trying to guess whether something tastes good to someone else. The only possible way to the answer is to ask them, and then to accept their answer at face value.
Personally, and to use another analogy!, success is like sitting alone in one's garden playing the fiddle. We, and we alone, adjust the tension of the strings, determine the weight and speed and rhythm of the bow, and in the end, our satisfaction with the tune itself. Were we successful? There really is no one else to ask.
I agree Steve - I hope I would never be so arrogant to assess whether someone is or is not successful. The only person who can assess success is the individual. I love your analogy of the lone fiddler – a brilliant illustration of your point. When I play golf I know at the end of 18 holes whether or not I have been successful – the score card will record the number of shots I took but only I will know whether that was successful because I set the standard.
Thank you for your comments – do you visit Simplicity Blog regularly?
Trevor--I found your blog a few weeks ago while wandering in the world-wide wasteland looking for ideas/writings on calm and simplicity. Thanks for publicly sharing your thoughts--Steve
Absolute pleasure Steve - glad you found Simplicity Blog - tell your friends :-)
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