“I cannot believe that the purpose of life is to be happy. I think the purpose of life is to be useful, to be responsible, to be compassionate. It is, above all to matter, to count, to stand for something, to have made some difference that you lived at all.” —Leo Rosten
Financial success is a powerful motivator. And it controls the lives of many. It chooses occupations. It dictates how time, energy, and resources are spent. It influences relationships, schedules, and families. To some, it even becomes an all-consuming passion that leaves broken people and morality in its wake.
Unfortunately, it is not the greatest call we have on our lives. In fact, compared to significance, it fades quickly.
Consider the limitations of success:
- Success ebbs and flows with the economy. As recent years have proven, financial success is always at the mercy of a national economy and increasingly, a world economy. When the economy takes a downturn (as it always does), so does net worth.
- Success ends on the day you die. On the day you die, all wealth and possessions will be immediately transferred to someone else. And even if you get to pick where they go, the reality is that person is always someone other than you.
- Success is never enough. Financial success will never satisfy the inmost desires of our soul. No matter the amount of financial success earned, it always leaves us wanting more.
On the other hand, compare the advantages of significance:
- Significance always lasts. Significance will always outlast you. Even when you are no longer present, your significance will still be yours. And nothing can ever take that away from you.
- Significance carries on. Significance keeps on giving. When you positively change the life of another human being… and that person changes the life of another… who impacts the life of another… who influences another…
- Significance satisfies our soul. While the thirst for success is never quenched, significance satisfies our deepest heart and soul. It allows us to lay our head on our pillow each night confident that we lived a valuable and fulfilling day.
Unfortunately, many people spend most of their lives chasing financial success. And while some achieve it more than others, almost all find it unfulfilling in the end. When they begin to shift their life focus to significance instead of success, they wonder why they wasted most of their life chasing something different.
Don’t waste any of your life. Seek significance today.
Here are just a few practical steps to get you started:
1. Realize life won’t last forever.
Everyone knows that life will come to an end – but no one likes to think about it. That’s unfortunate. As soon as you start thinking about the end of your life, you begin to live differently in the present. You are never too young to start thinking about your legacy. How do you want people to remember you? And what do you really want to accomplish before you die? Make a list. Post it somewhere… because rarely will “drive a really nice car” ever appear.
2. Live a life worth copying.
Live with character, integrity, and morality. Your life should look the same in private as it does in public. And while no one is perfect, just begin striving for a life of integrity. It will be noticed.
3. Focus on people. Not dollars.
Begin to transfer your life’s focus from your banking account to the people around you. Rather than worrying about the next get-rich-quick scheme, spend that energy focusing on your child, your neighbor, or the disadvantaged in your community.
4. Start with one solitary person.
Find one person who needs you today. Start there. Significance may be as inexpensive as one cup of coffee or as simple as one heartfelt question. If you are unsure where to start, try this, “No, how are you really doing?”
5. Find a career outside your job.
Sometimes, our day job leads to significance. But if yours does not, find a “career of significance” outside of your job by volunteering in a local organization. Most likely, your gifts, talents, or expertise are desperately needed. Use your job to pay the bills, but use your “new career” to pay your soul.
6. Realize significance is not dependent upon success.
Too many people fall into the trap of thinking, “Once I make it rich, I’ll become significant.” This is rarely the case. Choose significance today. Begin striving for it now. If, then, financial success comes your way in the future, your mind will be in a better place to truly use your new success for broader significance.
7. Reduce your expenses.
Learn to live with less. Living with less frees up your life to invest into others. And living with reduced expenses allows you the freedom to not spend so much time at the office and more resources on others.
8. Read biographies of people who sought significance rather than success.
If you prefer recent history, read about Mother Teresa or Nelson Mandela. If you prefer older stories, give Mahatma Gandhi or Harriet Tubman a shot. Either way, their lives will inspire you to make more of yours.
Rarely do people look back on their lives and savor their professional achievements. Instead, they celebrate the impact they have had in the lives of others. Give yourself much to look back and celebrate.
Stop chasing success. Start seeking significance.
Name says
The Prime Law*
(The Fundamental of Protection)
Preamble
*The purpose of human life is to prosper and live happily.
*The function of government is to provide the conditions that let individuals fulfill that purpose.
*The Prime Law guarantees those conditions by forbidding the use of initiatory force, fraud, or
coercion by any person or group against any individual, property, or contract.
Article 1
No person, group of persons, or government shall initiate force, threat of force, or fraud against
any individual’s self, property, or contract.
Article 2
Force is morally-and-legally justified only for protection from those who violate Article 1.
Article 3
No exceptions shall exist for Articles 1 and 2.
*The Prime Law is the fundamental, natural law of protection (that directs all decisions and
actions of the Twelve Visions Party); the Prime Law may not be amended.
Kalaiti kenneth says
Whoever loves money will not be satisfied with it (Ecclesiastes 5 vs 10). Seek Significance. Nice one ?.
Adam McLain says
Another brilliant article.
James says
That’s the truth
M says
While I agree on stopping to chase (illusive) success, putting forward significance as the alternative is a false dilemma. Seek what is right for you.
Seek significance if that’s what matters to you. Personally, when I read the post and the version of significance it presents, I saw another version of “You will be enough when you do this or is that person”. More external pressure, more right or wrong, morality, more desires to be something that lead to suffering. That doesn’t stop me from agreeing with many concepts presented.
I seek simplicity and happiness in life through contentment. I am absolutely okay if my impact stops the day I die. I understand that others might look for something else and I think it’s great that we are all different. To each it’s own.
Shelly M says
Something to think about. Blessings.
Anil says
Completely agree.
Kaye says
Great perspective, thanks!
Erik says
This is an absolutely wonderful article.
Chris David says
You are making thousands of people inspired everyday Joshua with your thought process, and with Becoming Minimalist program! I started following regularly all your updates from last few months, and I can proudly say I started implementing being minimalist! Thank you Joshua!
joshua becker says
Thank you for the encouraging words. I appreciate them very much.
Cliff says
Hello…the charity work of Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg happens because they have already made it in the world. I give significance to my life as I am here to help and make the world better for the people and the earth. That’s what I do in the evening. I would like to make more of it but I already work for a charity agency in the evening and I can feel terrible during the day doing nothing. My home is always clean and I don’t buy so much for my house and myself. I am separated three times and my adults children now have their own family. There is not much more significance I can give to my life
L says
Cliff, something I’ve found that has brought me much joy is to meet needs on a local level, thanks to the website justserve.org. I’ve been able to realize that I’m capable of contributing service, no matter how small, that makes a difference. It’s a great feeling!
Christophe Marin says
I love blogs and articles that make you “think”. Thanks for this one and for some thought provoking words. Having been both in the corporate world and in the entrepreneurial world, I wholeheartedly admit that for quite some time I fell into the almighty “chase a buck” trap. The system is geared toward “seeking $$” and producing workers who spend most of their waking hours creating wealth for the 1%.
The paradigm of finding meaning, combining one’s passions with one’s work and paying the bills too is an evolving one. We, as a society need to continue to have discussions like this for the next few generations as humanity continues to move more towards “enlightenment”.
I’ve found that my own journey has brought me back to my passion of environment and nature… something I “knew” from childhood. My career working for that 1% and then for myself, allowed me to start a nature sanctuary and for that, I am grateful.
I encourage others to seek out their zen and to combine their heart with their job and volunteer efforts. You can start off slow and with a plan, you can transition into being a happier, more fulfilled human being.
Wellnesste,
Christophe
Ynah S. says
I worked in a corporate setting for more than 4 years.. 3 companies in that span of time, and honestly saying, going to work then was such a struggle even how hard I try to motivate myself everyday. I know I could do so much more than that. I was not happy, and not really being very productive. I want to live my life to the fullest.
Then finally, I decided to work on an NGO, a child-caring institution. This was not new to me as I am an active volunteer in some organizations, but doing it full-time is so fulfilling. I’m waking up everyday excited to go to work, as if I’m not working but am only doing the things I love. Yesterday, I prayed for a kid who celebrated his birthday with the less fortunate kids. I also got the chance to talk with different people from different walks of life. The volunteers, the orphans, the donors, the people who dedicated their lives in caring for other people. This is really priceless!
Joe Thomas says
Thanks Joshua for your inspiring message. There couldn’t be a no better time for this article for me. Just moved out of a long stint in success and trying to figure out “What next “.
Nathaniel M. Lambert says
I agree that some wonderful points were made in this article and it was quite thought provoking. However, as someone who has achieved significant financial success in my life, I disagree with some of the premises of this well written article.
1. Significance and Success are Not at all Mutually Exclusive.
The biggest was that success and significance are mutually exclusive. This simply isn’t true. I think Becker has a very narrow and negative view of success. I completely agree that success can be achieved the WRONG way. Becker’s definition of success is someone who is unbalanced and neglecting family and everything else in its pursuit. That’s an important point. If done the right way, success doesn’t have to ebb and flow with the economy. For instance, some of the most successful real estate investors make their biggest profits when the economy goes bad. Success doesn’t end when you die. I’d say it’s quite a legacy to leave all kinds of wealth to other people or causes that you care about deeply. Successful people I know have a blast in the process of the acquisition, rather than just thirsting for more, success is often the journey that’s so enriching. So while there are some who pursue financial success the wrong way and take advantage of others and obsess about it and “lose” their focus on what’s really important, I think the actual reality is that most financial successful people get there BECAUSE they have cared about people more than dollars. Money follows value and people get wealthy mainly because they create so much value for others and usually you have to care about others to really create that kind of value for them. Imagine so many of the great people like Tony Robbins and Stephen Covey who have influenced so much and added so much value and as a result they became wealthy. I would argue that more often than not significance follows wealth because wealth follows value.
2. True Significance comes from within your Career After
Financial Success has Given you Time Freedom
Of course, you can make an impact by doing something on the side like serving in your community part time. However, massive significance can come when you get obsessed with your passion and that passion creates value for many others, which brings you wealth to pursue this passion full-time. There’s many ways to make contributions on a part-time basis and I don’t disregard any of that, but why would you settle for doing something that you aren’t passionate about 8 hours a day and hope to make all your meaningful contributions to society outside of that? No, much better to get to the point of financial success that you can quit your job and make a real difference through your career rather than trying to do it part time. Becker says that people rarely look back on their lives and savor their professional achievements rather they celebrate the impact they have had in the lives of others. This is true for people who haven’t had financial success because almost all the impact they had on others was outside their career. Those with massive significance absolutely do savor their professional achievements because these achievements have had massive impact on the lives of others. They spend all day every day impacting lives rather than influencing a small few in off hours after most of their energy has been spent.
3. Don’t Reduce your Expenses, Increase the Value you Add and then Increase your Income and Live Your Dream
Why live on less and pinch every penny, that’s no way to live and be free. Rather, figure out how to add incredible value to more people and your income will naturally rise and then you are free to pursue whatever you want without financial constraints. You can free up your time to serve and create real significance through your actions now that you have the time to pursue the goals and dreams that matter most to you (see point #2).
4. Significance is not dependent on Financial Success, but Financial Success Greatly Augments the Opportunity for Significance.
Of course, there are many ways to achieve significance and you can read some biographies about the likes of Mother Teresa or Nelson Mandela and the like. But, my guess is the vast majority of people who created real significance and influence on a massive scale have been financially wealthy. It’s just a simple truth that money will always follow value so most of the time people creating value for others are getting wealthy doing it and there’s nothing wrong with that. Again, given point #2, think of how many more people you can impact if you spend every waking hour on that goal. When someone has time freedom they can set up foundations, they can travel around the world speaking, they can hire others to get out their message and pay others to help them bring their value to the world. There are definitely some notable exceptions to this general rule, but wealth typically gives a microphone to have massive significance. Naturally, significance on a smaller scale doesn’t require financial success.
Marzena says
I share your criticism to a certain extent, but then, I disagree with some things you are saying in your reply.
Volunteering part time or full time, with a paid job in the NGO sector. .Wouldn’t it be just great if we could always combine the two and just make our passion our career all at the same time. But it just is not realistic in 99% of cases. I think the point made here is that if you have an insignificant job you don’t love but must have to live, adding a volunteering position will make that job bearable and will make your life more enjoyable. Sure, how much nicer it would be, if you could be a CEO of a grand foundation, getting both financial rewards and influencing countless lives, But if that is not on the books, a small scale sideline involvement will make your life better than some wild goose chase after the unattainable success
2. Yes, wealth may give you significance, but the sad truth is, the majority of people do not choose to follow that path. As a person involved heart and soul in a charity I believe in, I have frequent occasions to talk to wealthy people . Mostly they believe they are not yet wealthy enough to start giving. Those who have the local supermarket think that moment may come when they hava a chain, those who have a chain think they need to be owners of a national chain, those in the latter positon believe that time may come when they have a multi national operation. Whereas in reality you do not have to be a Rockefeller to become a significant individual. I find the article great for stating that misconception so loud and clear.
Kyle says
Great response and so true. I didn’t get the feeling that the author was being negative on financial success, but I will certainly agree that the larger points you made were missed in this article. The nature of money and power make it difficult for some (or many) to stay “pure” and not get ethically or morally derailed when it is acheived. Culturally, we are bombarded with messages that focus on consumerism as the end goal of wealth and that is a dead end street for sure. Thank you for.pointing out how success can be a tool for good and is also quite often the end result of caring and providing value.