Tracking the light of consciousness… (Photo credit: esomangraphics)
I wonder how many books and articles have been written about “success”? Probably enough to carpet the earth. And, if I did a survey and asked one hundred people to give their definition of success, my guess is that I would get one hundred different definitions.
Same goes for “failure”.
I asked myself to define success and failure. Here’s what I came up with:
Success usually means I’ve arrived at one, of two or three possible, expected outcomes (future based).
Failure usually means that I’ve arrived somewhere else (future based).
So, I started thinking about how much I limit myself with those definitions. And that led me to wondering why it is that I feel disappointed when I haven’t arrived at one of those possible, expected outcomes.
It didn’t take long for me to figure out that disappointment has to do with forgetting to live in the moment, with becoming so invested in the future, that I’ve overlooked the golden opportunities that are right in front of me.
Take passion for an example. Passion requires presence. Passion isn’t something that happens yesterday or tomorrow. It’s something that happens in the present moment. Passion is its own reward. Passion is independent of outcome. It’s about being present, now.
So, I’ve changed my definitions of success and failure. If I can ask myself one question, and the answer is “yes”, then I’m living in the present moment. That question is: Would I be doing this if there was no guarantee of any particular outcome? If the answer is “no”, then I’m not truly present in the moment.
Now, that feels better.
©Janet Mitchell, July 2012
Thank you for this very, very insightful post! I will remember your words to be fully in the moment and continue expressing one’s passion without a past or future attached to it.
Thanks, Marie, for your continued support and inspiration!
Living in the moment–such a brave way to live, Janet! May we all be so bold as to trust and walk–to live! Thanks for this!
I must constantly remind myself, and be consciously aware of what and why I am doing something. At times, such as with intuition, I just know. Other times, it requires more effort to look deeply inside. Thank you, Peg, for your continued inspiration in my life! You touch so many, in so many wonderful ways!
Great post! Our own definitions of success and failure hold us back. We may try something and deem it a failure because it didn’t turn out as anticipated, but in reality, it was a trial that got us one step closer to where we wanted to be in the first place. (Weren’t most brilliant inventions created this way?)
Thanks for reading and commenting, Janna! And, yes! We always end up “somewhere”–places we wouldn’t have ended up had our “plan” gone as we’d hoped. Thing of all we’d miss if things went our way….. all those unexpected discoveries and paths that open to us as a result of “failure” . . .
so astute – I am going to ask myself this question
Thanks for reading and for taking the time to comment!
That question is something I am taking away with me! Sometimes I also have to ask, while getting worked up about something, if it will really matter two years from now.
If it is no, it goes.
Lovely post, Janet. Hmm. Carpeting the earth…quite a job.
Thanks, Vidya!
This post has really got me thinking. You are spot on!
Thank you, Jules!
Thanks, Jules!
Janet, I just came in from reading outside…a wonderful book…”The 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women” (I found it in a women’s clothing store yesterday…strange place to find a book…and was going to pay 18 dollars for it, because it jumped out at me…but for some reason, as I paid it turned out to be marked down to 6 dollars) And the chapters I’m just reading now…??? just what you are writing about…the same thing!!! Chapter titles: “honoring your inspirations,” (passions…she uses that word again and again), “following your fascinations” (passions)..and now “surrendering to the creative cycles”….my goodness….how about that????
Janet, I love your question “Would I be doing this if there was no guarantee of any particular outcome? If the answer is “no”, then I’m not truly present in the moment.”….that is such a helpful and insightful question!
Back I go to the book…it’s wonderful!..adding clarity to and understanding of the dynamics of process of creating. : ) happy me…!
Isn’t synchronicity awesome?! Thanks for reading, Kathy!!