Regardless of how you define success -- be it financial, spiritual, physical, mental, emotional, philanthropic, communal or familial -- the most important thing you must know about success in order to have success are the following:
- Success is important;
- Success is your obligation.
- Success is your duty.
Regardless of culture, race, religion, economic background or social group, most would agree that success is important and vital to the well-being of the individual, the family unit, the group and certainly to the survival of those things into the future. Those that minimize the importance of success are either confused or have given up on their own chances of success.
Success provides confidence, security, a sense of well-being, the ability to contribute at a greater level, hope and leadership. Without success, you, the group, your company, your goals, dreams and even entire civilizations cease to survive. Without continued success, the company, dream, even entire races will cease to exist, as was the case with the Vikings, Romans, Greeks, American Indians and then an endless list of companies and products. Success is important in that it is required in order to continue on!
Success should never be reduced to something that does not matter or isn't important. It is vital and should be held as such! If you are unable to succeed in taking care of your children, they will be taken over by the state. For an individual or group to continue on, he or she must actively accomplish his or her goals and targets (succeed) or he or she will cease to exist. For a business or industry to continue on, it must be successful in creating new products, getting those products to the market, keeping clients, employees and investors happy and repeating that cycle, over and over.
Cute sayings that somehow dismiss the importance of success abound, like, "Success is a journey, not a destination." Please! When your future viability is threatened, these cute little sayings will prove to be poor substitution for success. The last couple of years of economic turmoil should have made it obvious that we all underestimated how much success is needed and how valuable it actually is to our survival and well-being.
Regardless of what goals you are trying to attain, success is important. Quit succeeding, and you quit winning; quit winning long enough, and you will quit! Do your kids benefit when they see mom and daddy losing? Does anyone benefit when you can't get your art sold, or you can't get that great book published, or you have some great idea that will improve the world, but can't succeed in bringing it to the world?
Success isn't just important; it is vital, and should never be reduced to anything less than vital. Success is valuable, important and necessary for survival.
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Grant Cardone is a New York Times bestselling author.