Teaching Children The Real Meaning of Success

Recently, my friend Danymundo, a professor at a Junior College, expressed his concern about his students. They had a discussion, in his communication class, and most of the students revealed that they did not like school. It was their parents insistence that they get an education to be successful in life; but they did not believe they need an education to be successful. They pointed out people who are wealthy and did not have a college degree.

Danymundo showed his bewilderment as he related this incident. These young adults were equating wealth with success. One student actually said, “If you have no money you are not successful”. Danymundo was brought up in Cuba, where the communist ideology rejects personal wealth. He does not understand how people could think like this. To him, learning/education was a positive and rewarding experience.

I thought about this and realized that most people don’t know the true meaning of success. So I decided to explore what it means to be successful. We need to teach our children that success is not about how much money you have. One can inherit money or win the lottery. Is that success? No. Success is about character, courage, endurance, determination, self-confidence, discipline, your spiritual identity– recognizing that you are a spiritual being goes a long way in achieving success. One of the greatest success stories is in the Bible, the story of Job. Job endured so much devastation– his children, his possessions, his health– gone in an instant. But Job knew that he was more than just a body; he was more than all he has or might possess. He knew he was a spiritual being having an earthly, physical experience. It is his spirituality that defines the whole true him. His belief in a great almighty creator… all knowing, all loving, is what sustains him throughout his ordeal.

Start teaching children about success as early as possible. Compliment and reward them when they succeed at something. Teach them that to work hard with steadfast determination, at any task or goal, and to succeed, will surly build character and make it that much easier to succeed at even more difficult tasks. Explain to them that in accomplishing our goals, it is not the wealth and other material things that you gain that makes you successful, but it is the type of person you have become once you have achieved your goals. It is the process and experience that you go though that makes you more evolved, more developed, more mature —that makes you a more humane, a more loving, a more appreciative individual— that is success.

One of the greatest example of success has been highlighted in the media these last few months. The success of the 33 Chilean miners occurred almost two months before they were rescued. With good leadership, strong faith, great courage and steadfast determination, they survived for 17 days with emergency food that should only last 48 hours.

If all the children in the world learn this concept of success, what an enlightened, loving, secure place this would be.