Stand for Something

“Without a Significant “YES”, the word “NO” becomes insignificant”

How many times in life have we found ourselves in that place called “no man’s land”? You feel awkward, out of place and life appears meaningless. So you follow every trend, every style and every fad, just to end up feeling even more disappointed.

You say yes to everything and to everyone in the hope to attain what some would call “success”.

Then there are times we attempt to find success in our relationships, hoping that these relationships will give us value and status. You can have all the connections on LinkedIn, followers on Twitter and all the friends on Facebook and again we may feel that we have attained success, but is this feeling sustainable?

Success can be defined as the accomplishment of a desired goal or aspiration to a prosperous termination or completion. But, all the money, accomplishments, relationships and status you attain, may not remove the emptiness you feel inside.

You know something is still missing. Success, at times, can be empty and fleeting.

The question we must all ask ourselves, “Are we are looking for success or significance?”

There is a subtle, yet powerful difference between success and significance.

Here is my take on the two:

Success is what you do for yourself, but significance is what you do for others.

Success gives you status, but significance gives you stature.

Success creates your retirement, but significance creates your legacy.

The root of success is credibility, but the root of significance is empathy.

Success makes you rich, but significance makes you wealthy.

Success can be short lived, but significance provides tenure.

Success is realized outwardly, but significance is realized inwardly.

Success will give you happiness, but significance will give you fulfillment.

I truly believe that “no man” land is that place where we are asked to decide if we are going to go after success or significance.   And all of us have to make that decision. I don’t know of any business, organization or individual who does not strive to be successful in their endeavors and their goals.

And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. In fact, there IS something wrong if someone is not looking to succeed in their endeavors. But on our journey to success, we have to stop ask ourselves the significance question, which is, “At the end of the day, how important and meaningful is this to me?”

And the answer to that question is either yes or no.

How do you know if you are chasing after success or significance? You find out what really matters to someone, not based on what they will say “yes” to, but what they are willing to say “no” to.

Whenever it is hard for someone to say “no” or cannot say “no” to something or someone that may be an indication they have yet to find their significance. Until you find something truly significant in life, only then will you be able to effectively say “no” to things that have no meaning.

I believe you don’t know what is important to someone, until they have to make and take a stand for something, against all odds.

If a man shows me what he is willing to say “yes” to, he shows me how he feels, but if he shows me what he is willing to say “no” to, he shows me what he believes.

“Without a Significant “YES”, the word “NO” becomes insignificant.”

My next blog will focus on how to find your significance….