Thursday, October 6, 2011

The Difference in Success and Significance

I was reading this month’s issue of Success Magazine the article by Darren Hardy, the publisher and editorial director, really made me think. He wrote,
“As a society, I think we often misunderstand the word success. Our society celebrates those who obtain fame, wealth, power and celebrity, no matter the means – ethical or not – and we call them successful. Success is often equated to an achieved status, rather than to a measure of value or contribution.”

I started to think about the kids who enroll at StarShine. Many of the students who enroll do so because they have not been successful elsewhere. When a student enrolls at the school we ask him this question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” and then we have the student create a vision map.

When students first enroll, the vision maps they create are generally centered on things they want, like a car, house or jewelry. Many of the students equate ‘stuff’ with success. That is fine for a start, but as the students continue to attend StarShine, I see their perception of success changing. Students who have attended a StarShine School go from asking themselves this question, “What does it mean to be successful?” to “How do I become a significant person?” This evolution is a huge focus of the school.

So – thank you Darren Hardy for sharing your thoughts on success and significance and for publishing an outstanding thought provoking magazine!

Want to read more inspirational Kids Without Stuff stories?
Then you should read: