You “Want to Become Successful” — That’s Mistake #1

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I have.

Maybe you’re like me and you have the type of desire that haunts you and drives you crazy at times.

You want to be wealthy, famous, powerful, or all of the above. Anything short of everything isn’t quite good enough. The line between ambition and insanity can become blurred.

The majority of my articles talk about success in one way or another, but now I’m starting to wonder if my obsession with the subject is magnificent or pernicious.

We all feel it — the twinge of envy when we see the lifestyles of the rich and famous on television. We think if we had what they have our lives would be great.

No matter how successful you are, there’s always going to be someone who’s more successful, smarter, wealthier, better looking, and talented than you’ll ever be. Unless you’re able to find meaning in your life that’s based on authenticity, this cycle never ends.

I’m an ambitious person. I want to accomplish great things and admittedly I have a need for significance. I have to remind myself, however, that chasing after success isn’t going to lead to it. Ambition is in abundant supply. There’s no shortage of desire among us. So maybe a fulfilled life doesn’t come through our desires or status at all. Maybe it comes from the work itself.

It’s human nature for us to seek approval from one another, but tying your well being to your significance is a recipe for being miserable. When thinking about your need for the approval of other people, remember to think about the fact that they’re just people. They are just as insecure, self-doubting, and envious as you can be at times. People with billions of dollars have just as many, if not more, problems than the average person. We have to find happiness from somewhere other than material possessions and the opinions of others.

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