I recently had the good fortune to be featured by my friend and podcast host, Talaya Dendy as part of the Men's Health Month Series.

Talaya is the host of Navigating Cancer Together and we had an opportunity to record an episode together in November 2021.

Please click here: ​https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7077752229973147648/ or on the photo below to learn more about the Men's Health Month Series. and about Talaya's podcast.

Do you sometimes feel that the way success is defined or portrayed on social media, doesn't conform to your idea of success? Have you had a "successful" experience that left you unfulfilled? Do you ever wonder what it means to be successful?

How would you define success? Would it be something you accomplished? Would it be obtaining something you wanted? Would it be meeting or exceeding your expectations?

Actually, it could be defined as all those things. But the definitions listed above all revolve around something you obtain or get.

Could success possibly be defined by what you give?

If you gave your best effort but lost on the scoreboard, would that be a successful event? If you denied yourself something you wanted so that someone else could have it, could that be a definition of success? If your efforts eased the pain and discomfort of someone else,  would that be a successful day? 

While there are many definitions of success, the best one I have ever heard is the following from John Wooden, who was the basketball coach at UCLA when I was growing up. Here is Coach Wooden's definition: "Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming."

Notice how Coach Wooden's definition makes no mention of winning, or achieving, or obtaining anything material.  

Success, like beauty, tends to be in the eye of the beholder. As much as society wants to tell you what success means based on what car you drive, or beer you drink, or sneakers you wear, success ultimately has to be defined by you. 

While there are numerous definitions of success, you will be the ultimate arbiter when it comes to your own success. Many definitions involve things that we get, but please consider the things we give  for the betterment of others a success as well.

​Please check out the video below for more examples of success and leave me a comment about how you define success in your life.

What makes something valuable? Is it the amount that is available? Is it the quality of the item? Is it the usefulness of the item?

What about a person? What makes a person valuable?  Is it their character? Could it be their intelligence? Or might it be their attitude?

Check out the story below to learn more about the importance and value that we all possess.

A popular speaker started off a seminar by holding up a $20 bill. A crowd of 200 had gathered to hear him speak. He asked, “Who would like this $20 bill?”

200 hands went up.

He said, “I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this.” He crumpled the bill up.

He then asked, “Who still wants it?”

All 200 hands were still raised.

“Well,” he replied, “What if I do this?” Then he dropped the bill on the ground and stomped on it with his shoes.

He picked it up, and showed it to the crowd. The bill was all crumpled and dirty.
“Now who still wants it?”

All the hands still went up.

“My friends, I have just shown you a very important lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20. Many times in our lives, life crumples us and grinds us into the dirt. We make bad decisions or deal with poor circumstances. We feel worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. You are special – Don’t ever forget it!
 
www.livin3.com/5-motivational-and-inspiring-short-stories

Please check out my latest audio recording from the More Life Podcast With Jorim Holtey-Weber. You can listen to the podcast by clicking on the AUDIO PODCASTS & RADIO INTERVIEWS button at the top of this page, then click on the PODCAST INTERVIEWS tab and scroll down and click on the More Life Podcast tab.