It was an up and down week for me.
- Tough (nearly impossible) deadlines – down
- Two flat tires – down
- Baby shower for friends – up
- The Boy left for a trip – down
- The Boy came home from a trip – up
- Unexpected complications in a project – down
- Baby sister ill – down
And then…
Definitely an up.
It was weird to receive this type of award in the midst of an up and down week. And as a 40-year-old, I feel too young to be in a hall of any sort.
But I’m somewhat over all of the weirdness part now. In fact, I feel pretty chuffed about it.
What I really enjoyed about the event was the induction speech. The speaker listed off things that my colleagues had said about me and what I do – that was a really interesting experience. It was somewhat like listening in to what people might say at your funeral (ha!).
Not to imply that they wish me dead, or that I feel dead, but we don’t normally get to sit and listen to people share what makes us unique and appreciated.
{Side note: Why don’t we? It’s very affirming…in a good way.}
So this got me to thinking: What makes a person successful?
Part of what caused my mental struggle was the thought that I wasn’t necessarily successful by the normal counts of work success. My firm wins – and loses – like many others. Some of those wins are facilitated by my efforts, some are not.
{Side note 2: That’s life. Very few of us are The Man that makes everything happen. To believe otherwise is usually self-deception.}
But back to my question: What makes a person successful?
After much thought this past week, I think the answer is:
Success isn’t winning at all costs, having a host of admirers, looking HOTT, being the go-to person in any and all situations.
Success is about being a good friend, a hard worker, a person who keeps perspective, giving encouragement and counsel, and not compromising on the essentials.
{Edited to add this – ironically Seth Godin has on his mind, too. See his blog post, also posted today.}
For Shannah, that means not being afraid to live out the verse I have taped on my computer monitor at work: