What is your metric?
What's the one thing that measures your success in life? Some strive hard to reach metrics that may include fame, fortune, influence, authority, or power. The more they have of those things the more successful they are. Some people find their success in academic achievement or in titles. Still others it's around their happiness quotient or the quantity or quality of their family. I don't know that we always take the time to really hone in on identifying our one thing -- the one thing that we are ultimately striving to achieve in life.
What if you asked others what your one thing is? What are the responses likely to be? Might be an interesting exercise to try.
As I've been considering that question in my own life I think my metric is obedience. Obedience to what God has called me to do and who He has called me to be. I refer to this as 'living in the pocket.' That's really the metric for me. But you know what? It's hard to measure. Money is easy to measure -- so is counting the number of records sold, followers on instagram or degrees hanging on the wall. Obedience requires faith that I'm getting it right. It requires discipline to stay plugged in and live everyday intentionally in response to what He's called me to do. I wonder if those who know me would have a different thought about what my one thing is...?
Your definition of success -- your metric for life-- is something worth pondering. Observing your own life and noting what you spend your time, talent and treasure on will start to reveal your 'one thing.' Ask those who know you and they'll help fill in any blind spots. Defining your metric for success is worth a moment of your time and it's worth pursuing.
-Mindy Muller, CFRE, President/CEO of CDP
