Success is a relative term, measured and defined differently by everyone. For one person, success may mean becoming a millionaire, for another, it may only mean making ends meet. Success has numerous definitions. It is the recognition and enlargement of our talents. It is the ability to make the most valuable contribution to others. Success can be defined as the accomplishment of a goal whatever it may be.
Thousands of books have been written on the subject of success. Most approach success from a materialistic or “temporal” point of view, addressing wealth creation, material abundance, career enhancement, etc. People often equate success with earthly possessions and money, and these are sometimes the natural by-products of the grander goal, or they are at least an indicator of how well one is doing, but this is not necessarily true in all cases. Material success is good and should be pursued, but it has its limitations. It is only one component of the total success we were sent here to achieve.
We must decide for ourselves what success means to us. Personal success is personal. It is whatever we want it to be that is worthy of us as children of our Father in heaven. Components of our overall success should include happiness (many people with money are still not content); good health and the physical energy to enjoy our wealth; meaningful relationships (someone to share our success with); a love of life and living (which is something that money cannot buy); mental stability and awareness; and, of course, peace of mind.
Success is the power to realize an objective, to obtain an anticipated outcome. Success is the aftermath of correct behavior. Material rewards and spiritual blessings are simply the end result of success. Apart from its material or spiritual rewards, success should be viewed as a tremendous ability to achieve.
Recent years have seen an increase in success literature that considers the subject in a broader, somewhat higher level than mere materialism. Success teachings based on eastern philosophies and religions treat the subject of success from a more elevated plane than simple materialism or wealth creation, although they include and support worldly success. Most of the concepts in these books, however, are like stones skipped on a pond; they touch the surface of truth here and there but never sink into the pure depths of what has been revealed to us from our Father in heaven. What we need today is a more spiritual approach to the laws that govern successful living.
In his popular book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen R. Covey writes, “There are principles that govern human effectiveness—natural laws in the human dimension that are just as real, just as unchanging and unarguably ‘there’ as laws such as gravity are in the physical dimension.” Anytime a certain success technique works, it works because its principles are parallel to and consistent with eternal laws and principles that govern human effectiveness.
People who “produce” effective programs for human development and achievement are merely putting the eternal concepts of success into modern terminology, making them more acceptable and enticing to a new age. John Taylor stated, “We talk about the great discoveries men have made connected with electricity, steam, light and its properties, and a variety of other principles that exist in nature; all these principles are governed by certain specific laws, which are immutable and unchangeable; and all of the great discoveries which men have made, have only developed certain properties that have always existed. They have not invented anything” (JD 16:371 Italics added).
All the principles employed to achieve success in our lives can be traced to, and have their roots in, the eternal gospel of Jesus Christ. When we learn a principle or a law that brings us a successful outcome, that law is based in true gospel principles. When we discover a natural law of the universe, a “new” secret to success and human development, we discover also that it is governed by unchangeable and undeviating eternal principles.
“These are principles,” stated Wilford Woodruff, “that you cannot annihilate. They are principles that no combination of men can destroy. They are principles that can never die….Not one jot or tittle of these principles can ever be destroyed. I would to God the world could understand this” (JD 22:342). Our “discovery” is actually something that God has placed here and that has always existed.
Wilford Woodruff also teaches us that “there is a law given unto all kingdoms, and all things are governed by law throughout the whole universe. Whatever law anyone keeps he is preserved by that law, and he receives whatever reward that law guarantees unto him. It is the will of God that all his children should obey the highest law” (MS 48:801).
We can find within the gospel of Jesus Christ the formula for every success in life.
There seems to be an intrigue in accepting and practicing the mysterious. The timeless teachings of Tibet, ancient instructions from India, and spiritual guidance from gurus all have a certain mystical attraction. The oriental philosopher teaching us to awaken the solar plexus, the Indian sage advising us to visualize the object of our desire, and the contemporary scientist imploring us to impress the subconscious mind, are all , in their own terminology, expounding the principle of “as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee” (Matt. 8:13).
All truth is eternal. It remains constant and unchanging even if the language in which it is stated changes. Truth stated in the language of the ancient apostles or in the scientific terminology of our modern era is still truth. Unique phraseologies, modern language or expressions, original interpretations, or varying emphasis are not necessarily indicators of a departure from truth. They are, to the contrary, evidence that the truth is being comprehended with new familiarity to human desires and needs and is becoming more universally understood and accepted. Truth must be taught to each generation and to every people in new and different terms (see D&C 1:24).
Therefore, the statement of the Savior to the centurion, “as thou hast believed, so be it…,” objectively analyzed, contains exactly the same truth as the statement of modern science explaining that the law of attraction correlates thought with its object. The only difference is in the way it is presented to us.
The gospel teaches us that success is harmony with true principles. It is obedience to correct, fundamental laws. “The abundant life,” wrote Paul Dunn, “can best be achieved through the practical application of true gospel principles.” Simply put, success is the discovery of truth and the achievement of harmony with that truth.
This is the more spiritual approach to success.
Thousands of books have been written on the subject of success. Most approach success from a materialistic or “temporal” point of view, addressing wealth creation, material abundance, career enhancement, etc. People often equate success with earthly possessions and money, and these are sometimes the natural by-products of the grander goal, or they are at least an indicator of how well one is doing, but this is not necessarily true in all cases. Material success is good and should be pursued, but it has its limitations. It is only one component of the total success we were sent here to achieve.
We must decide for ourselves what success means to us. Personal success is personal. It is whatever we want it to be that is worthy of us as children of our Father in heaven. Components of our overall success should include happiness (many people with money are still not content); good health and the physical energy to enjoy our wealth; meaningful relationships (someone to share our success with); a love of life and living (which is something that money cannot buy); mental stability and awareness; and, of course, peace of mind.
Success is the power to realize an objective, to obtain an anticipated outcome. Success is the aftermath of correct behavior. Material rewards and spiritual blessings are simply the end result of success. Apart from its material or spiritual rewards, success should be viewed as a tremendous ability to achieve.
Recent years have seen an increase in success literature that considers the subject in a broader, somewhat higher level than mere materialism. Success teachings based on eastern philosophies and religions treat the subject of success from a more elevated plane than simple materialism or wealth creation, although they include and support worldly success. Most of the concepts in these books, however, are like stones skipped on a pond; they touch the surface of truth here and there but never sink into the pure depths of what has been revealed to us from our Father in heaven. What we need today is a more spiritual approach to the laws that govern successful living.
In his popular book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen R. Covey writes, “There are principles that govern human effectiveness—natural laws in the human dimension that are just as real, just as unchanging and unarguably ‘there’ as laws such as gravity are in the physical dimension.” Anytime a certain success technique works, it works because its principles are parallel to and consistent with eternal laws and principles that govern human effectiveness.
People who “produce” effective programs for human development and achievement are merely putting the eternal concepts of success into modern terminology, making them more acceptable and enticing to a new age. John Taylor stated, “We talk about the great discoveries men have made connected with electricity, steam, light and its properties, and a variety of other principles that exist in nature; all these principles are governed by certain specific laws, which are immutable and unchangeable; and all of the great discoveries which men have made, have only developed certain properties that have always existed. They have not invented anything” (JD 16:371 Italics added).
All the principles employed to achieve success in our lives can be traced to, and have their roots in, the eternal gospel of Jesus Christ. When we learn a principle or a law that brings us a successful outcome, that law is based in true gospel principles. When we discover a natural law of the universe, a “new” secret to success and human development, we discover also that it is governed by unchangeable and undeviating eternal principles.
“These are principles,” stated Wilford Woodruff, “that you cannot annihilate. They are principles that no combination of men can destroy. They are principles that can never die….Not one jot or tittle of these principles can ever be destroyed. I would to God the world could understand this” (JD 22:342). Our “discovery” is actually something that God has placed here and that has always existed.
Wilford Woodruff also teaches us that “there is a law given unto all kingdoms, and all things are governed by law throughout the whole universe. Whatever law anyone keeps he is preserved by that law, and he receives whatever reward that law guarantees unto him. It is the will of God that all his children should obey the highest law” (MS 48:801).
We can find within the gospel of Jesus Christ the formula for every success in life.
There seems to be an intrigue in accepting and practicing the mysterious. The timeless teachings of Tibet, ancient instructions from India, and spiritual guidance from gurus all have a certain mystical attraction. The oriental philosopher teaching us to awaken the solar plexus, the Indian sage advising us to visualize the object of our desire, and the contemporary scientist imploring us to impress the subconscious mind, are all , in their own terminology, expounding the principle of “as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee” (Matt. 8:13).
All truth is eternal. It remains constant and unchanging even if the language in which it is stated changes. Truth stated in the language of the ancient apostles or in the scientific terminology of our modern era is still truth. Unique phraseologies, modern language or expressions, original interpretations, or varying emphasis are not necessarily indicators of a departure from truth. They are, to the contrary, evidence that the truth is being comprehended with new familiarity to human desires and needs and is becoming more universally understood and accepted. Truth must be taught to each generation and to every people in new and different terms (see D&C 1:24).
Therefore, the statement of the Savior to the centurion, “as thou hast believed, so be it…,” objectively analyzed, contains exactly the same truth as the statement of modern science explaining that the law of attraction correlates thought with its object. The only difference is in the way it is presented to us.
The gospel teaches us that success is harmony with true principles. It is obedience to correct, fundamental laws. “The abundant life,” wrote Paul Dunn, “can best be achieved through the practical application of true gospel principles.” Simply put, success is the discovery of truth and the achievement of harmony with that truth.
This is the more spiritual approach to success.
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