Value > Success

“Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.” – Albert Einstein

I realized the other day that I wasn’t going to reach my 23 posts in 32 days. In that moment I felt an ache of defeat. I knew I wasn’t going to have the hours or the effort to post more than once a day for the remainder of the set time frame. It wrecked me. I’m a perfectionist, which means every inch of my being at that point was screaming – “Laurel you HAVE to succeed! You HAVE to meet your goal!” – but then this little quote came along to make my brain shut up long enough to process things.

Honestly, approaching this post makes me uncomfortable; I don’t really want to be admitting my eminent defeat, but here it is. While my initial mindset was quite narrow, these twelve words broadened my understanding of the goal I set in the first place. The reason behind this blog was simple. I wanted to write again. No agenda. No grades. No rules. A spark was set and over the past few weeks I can see that the flame is still alive and burning bright. Even with the first post I was meeting my goal in a practical and tangible way. Victory was mine at the beginning of it all.

Here I am a little over a month later and I’ve come further than I imagined. Success was not the end point; all along it was my desire to create a blog that holds value. It was not about the number of posts, but about the content and the words that flowed through each one. In the end, my “defeat” was only in my head.

The real choice that faced me towards the end of this challenge was quality over quantity. The choice I made from the start had been quality. Here the choice presented itself again. I chose quality. I chose value.

“Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.” – Albert Einstein

Yes, you did read this quote at the top of the page just a few minutes ago. The reason for the repeat is that I want to revisit and unpack it a bit more before I finish.

Think it over with me.

Value > Success

Our world is driven by success. We equate our success in direct relation to our accomplishments and prosperity. We look at our lives and add up all the achievements while trying to subtract our moments of defeat from the equation. Our tendency is to see the end goal as the point of victory, yet we miss the triumph and significance that result from life’s failures. How often do we overlook the importance of being valued in the midst of our downfalls and instead showcase our successes on top of a pedestal for all to see?

Want to know my concluding thoughts?

Value carries worth. Success carries a trophy.

Today, this “challenge” is over. I don’t want to carry a trophy or a prize or an award away from this experience. That’s not what I’m here for.

I began this journey with a nudge of encouragement from someone who saw the spark in me and decided to cheer it on. In her own way she advised me to pursue something I used to cherish, to just go for it. Looking back now, it was worth it. It was full of worth – that IS what I’m here for.

Ultimately the ambition behind this blog was never to be a success in writing, but rather to be of value as a writer. Now that I've completed this challenge my goal is to continue to be of value as a writer, wherever this blog ends up taking me. Thank you all for coming alongside me and enjoying the ride...can't wait to see where it will take me next.