As we go through life, striving to do things that improve the lives of others, or indeed to improve our own personal lives, we can be judged on our efforts, or we can choose to judge ourselves on what we have done.
What is the better of the two? To be judged by others,or to feel a sense of self fulfillment? Some would say that it is egoistical to self appraise, whereas the reality is in fact, by doing so, one can seek room for improvement, and in doing so, become more influential, more knowledgeable, and more critical, in obtaining a deep inner sense of achievement.
Achievement can be qualified in a number of ways, whether it be personal, group, goal setting, financial, or one of many other types of achievement. An excellent expression is 'The only person in this world, that I am out to impress, is myself.' 'Why', you may ask, and the answer lies in the analysis of this expression. For, the very thought of impressing oneself, could be perceived as a self indulgent and egoistical approach to life. However, let us take it one step further, and be critical of those who choose to see it this way.
If one can aim to impress oneself, to the exclusion of impressing the rest of society, then surely this means that an individual has to set a considereable level of personal ambitions and targets or goals, before that individual is able to accept that the rest of society also considers him or her as an individual of creditable merit and esteem.
To conclude, the belief that money, material possessions, or any other tangeable item, can make a person any better or worse than any other person, is a misconception. Unfortunately, Modern Western Society dictates that capitalism, wealth, and material worth, are prerequisites of success, but take heed, for this can lead to a shallow society that dotes on misconceived values. There are far greater values in life than those aforementioned. Think about it, and next time you see a child playing in the park, a wonder of nature such as the Angel Falls in Venezuela, or maybe just a bird flying in the sky, then be thankful for the free things in life. Of course, it would be unfair to say that money does not provide a cushion in life, and it should not be ignored, but the point is, that it is not everything. Money can help us to arrive at a point, whether it be for food, travel, lifestyle, or whatever, but it should never be overestimated, as the best things in life are free.
Paul Bryant is the Chairman of http://www.wamee.com He has a strong belief in fulfilling goals in life, but also has a profound respect for values, whether personal or collective. You can read more articles on the Wamee Blog, http://www.wamee.blogspot.com some of which are business related, and others of which are personal.