Do You Want To Be Significant Or Successful?

I recently read an article on http://www.mywiredstyle.com/ entitled "Are You Successfully Significant?" In the article, Deb Ingino discussed the difference between being successful through achievement and being successful through being significant.  The first one is being successful through accomplishing goals and the second one is being successful through making a difference in other's lives.  The difference as she pointed out, is that the first one is all about me and the other is all about you. Interestingly enough, when we make it all about you, we benefit greatly as well. I believe this is a critical point and one that is easily missed. I seem to see some version of this everywhere. For instance,the ongoing discussion in every social media article I read, is the sudden insight that those of us on twitter and facebook have spent way too much time racking up numbers while too little effort has been put into developing relationships. Isn't this just another way of saying that it's more important to make a difference than to strive to reach a goal which benefits only ourselves? I believe this is a good way to evaluate each goal that we set.  Ask the question, " Will accomplishing this goal make me significant or just successful?" Or as Zig Ziglar always liked to say, "You can accomplish anything you want if you just help enough others get what they want."

You Can't Name My Baby Brother A Dog's Name!

My friend had to call me to tell me the latest funny story about her grandson, Preston.  He will become a big brother in August and she was asking him what he wanted to name the baby.  When he couldn't think of anything she suggested the name Wyatt which also happens to be the name of the dog in my childrens' book,  Wyatt The Wonder Dog Learns About Good Manners.  Since he has read the book a few times he had an immediate response, "You can't name a baby Wyatt," he said.  "That's a dog's name!"  She tried again,  "Well, what about the name Graham?"  "You can't name him that!" was the indignant response.  "That's a cracker!"  She had to laugh!  Preston obviously thought his Granny Val had lost her mind since she wanted to name a baby after first a dog and then a cracker!

While we often chuckle at the associations children make and their lack of flexibility, dare we say, even rigid ideas about how the world works and what is possible, you have to admit adults often do the same thing, albeit on a more sophisticated level.  Listen to your conversation for one day.  How often do you say, "I'd really love to... but it's not possible."   Or, "I've always dreamed of a job where I ... but I could just never do that."  Or "I always had a dream of...but I guess it just wasn't meant to be."  Are you sure?  Or are you just stuck like Preston, in your own view of the world and it's possibilities? 

Zig Ziglar likes to say that at the end of your life you will either say, "I'm glad I did... or... I wish I had."  Which will it be?  The choice is really up to you.