Influencer

Well, you know me. The eternal quibilator. Willing to quibble this, that, or anything. So it should come as no surprise that, when asked the question of defining success, I quibble, even prevaricate! I have my standards to maintain!

Fleeting Glory

Look, we can always go by the tried and true standards of the past century. You know wealth, physical attributes, notoriety – the good old standbys. But as one of my favorite Napoleon quotes goes, “Glory is fleeting. But obscurity is forever.” So many who think they have pegged success wake up as unremembered has-beens ten years down the line. You made great headlines in the Wall Street Journal in 1922, but by 1992, you were not even a footnote in the financial history of that decade, and were forgotten totally by 2022. Fleeting indeed.

Look, Tookey was the big connection on the street where I lived in Boston in 1965. He was insulted that newcomers failed to realize how important he was. MJ, acid, black beauties, hash? He had it. He’d walk into the Harvard Gardens and get treated as royalty. After two years as a guest of the state, he walked out a forgotten nobody with a hang up on some shit smuggled in by a crooked guard. Fleeting indeed.

One of the students I knew at college was all busy with committees for this and that, led demonstrations, and belonged to the best clubs. If there had been a poll to choose the most likely to succeed, he’d have won. The size of his ego eventually pulled him down because office politics often favors those with “street smarts” over good looks, fancy suits, and proper credentials.

Find an Alternative

I’d suggest that rather than concentrating on glory, you concentrate on getting good at fulfilling things, become a good cook, guitar player, nurture a family, grow a garden, study poetry, learn to be a good mason, or just love your neighbor.

Don’t go nuts on being the big wheel; concentrate on becoming a worthwhile and valuable citizen. The popular theory is that great people propel significant events. The opposing side of this is that an involved, educated, and concerned public counterbalances the excesses of those who see themselves as mighty.

It’s Like a Boat Dummy

I spent lots of time sailing around boats, seamen, and the water. Sometimes I see things in light of those experiences. It’s fun to make the sailboat go as fast as you can. It tips over and “heels” with the wind, and everyone gets excited. But go too far and it capsizes, turns turtle, and sinks.

It’s the centerboard or keel extending below the water that helps counter the effects of the wind. In a society that’s us. Not too flashy, maybe not A-listers, but we steady society and our community.

But despite the counterbalance, an idiot in command, or at the tiller, can endanger the vessel. In history, that equates to wars, collapses, Declines, and Falls. Those who lead through positions of great influence and power may not indeed do what is best for the whole. They may trying to get the boat to go as fast as possible, despite the danger of capsize.

So what’s my measure of success? Moderation and balance. Deep achievement rather than flash. Careful thought rather than flashy commentary. Having worked as an anthropologist in a community setting, some of the most successful, impressive, and worthwhile people I’ve known have been dairy farmers, florists, housewives, doctors of medicine, dancers, and chefs. They were active in their community and contributed generously to society.

So let me leave you with another Napoleon quote: “Ten people who speak make more noise than 10,000 who are silent.”