Article February 27, 2012 Issue

What's your measure of success?

By Mary Alice Rose

My favorite definition of success comes from the Bible, in the first chapter of the book of Joshua. Having just replaced Moses as leader of the children of Israel, Joshua has been given the responsibility of taking them on the final leg of their journey into the Promised Land. God speaks to Joshua about his mission, guiding and encouraging him. Here is part of what God tells him:

“Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (Joshua 1:7, 8, New King James Version).

When I was very young, I tended to measure success according to how well I was pleasing my parents. Then I started school, and I measured success there according to how happy my teachers were with me. When I graduated and entered the workforce supporting scientific research in the earth sciences, I often felt successful only if my boss was happy.

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