As time allows, I’ve been reading this book, Success Built To Last. Based on interviews with many successful people who are successful in different ways (Richard Branson to Mother Theresa to Nelson Mandela or Bono for example) it tries to distill the essence of success. Hopefully you’ll find a profile you like but overall the book is about the principles distilled from the interviews not long segments on any individual person.
I’ve found this book to be very helpful. Unlike some other books that “promise” success and give you a “road map” on how to get there, this book does not predefine what success means in light of your particular talents and strengths.
It tells you how to arrive at your own definition. I may post some other points on the book if something catches my eye.
The main thing that stands out early on is that people who are successful have identified the passion(s) that define their particular calling in life and pursued those passions with gusto. What’s a bit comforting to people like me with multiple passions that don’t seem connected is that like Albert Schweizer – sometime theological writer, physician and pianist – pursuing one passion lets you rest from pursuing the other passion(s) but together they can be one larger “calling”.
Whew! What a relief!
And it might be a relief too for mompreneurs who love being a mom and yet have this insatiable hankering to succeed in business while not shortchanging the little ones!
If you’re read Thomas Stanley’s books centered on the themes of what net worth millionaires are really like, one common denominator he found mirrors the findings of this book. Stanley’s millionaire’s enjoyed their work and found it a calling, not something they avoided or sought to retire from.
It just makes sense… you’ll do what you love well enough for others to enjoy it too.
But that’s also a relief. Do we train our children to find their unique calling in life or just hope they fit in some other mold? Or worse, make them fit into a mold we create for them?
As you can tell, I’ve greatly enjoyed Success Built To Last thus far. As I keep reading the book I’ll post more of the things I think will help us both!
Thanks for reading.
No comments yet.