THE CONCEPTOF SUCCESS

Someone who does not know the Tao can easily become a slave to society’s concept of success without realizing it. We all grow up with the prevalent ideas on how to be, how to act, what to acquire and what to achieve. We fall into an approved pattern of behavior and dutifully check off a list of items to be seen as “good.” Go to a good school, get a good job, have a good marriage, have good kids…the list goes on. We can be so wrapped up in working on the next item on the list that we forget to ask ourselves: Is this what I really want?

Sometimes, what you want and what others want can coincide in a happy middle ground. Other times, you may find your path diverging from the mundane. If and when that happens, take a moment for yourself to think about your next move. Should you bow to the expectations of others when it is you own life you must live? Do you want the approval of others so much that you will compromise your own vision in order to have it?

The Tao Today

Reflect on your concept of success and make sure that it is your own, rather than something you have accepted from external sources. You still need to take the feelings and opinions of your loved ones into account, but keep in mind also that when you have the approval of your highest self, you will win the support of those who really care about you.

The Tao of Joy Every Day

~ Derek Lin