In today’s world, success is often measured by the titles we hold, the ranks we’ve achieved, and the wealth we’ve accumulated. It’s easy to get caught up in the chase for these external markers of success, believing that they define who we are. But is that really true? Are we truly successful when we cling to these things, or is there a deeper, more authentic form of success that many of us seek?
The words in the image resonate deeply with me. They speak of a journey not for gold but for the sheer joy of being alive, of discovering oneself at the end of that journey. There’s a profound truth in that—one that I believe is often overlooked in our society’s relentless pursuit of material wealth and status.
For some, success means chasing the goal, the endgame where they accumulate enough wealth, power, or prestige to feel accomplished. But for others, and I count myself among them, success is about chasing freedom—authentic freedom. This isn’t the kind of freedom that comes with a big bank account or a fancy title. It’s the freedom from attachment, the kind that liberates you from the need to cling to and protect those external markers of success.
When you achieve that level of freedom, you realize that titles and ranks can’t define you. They’re just things you wear, like a suit or a pair of shoes. They aren’t in your DNA. They don’t make up who you are. They’re manufactured, often by a society that values appearances over substance. And when you chase money, it’s never enough. It’s a slippery slope, one that can consume your life as you spend more and more time protecting what you’ve accumulated.
But while you’re busy protecting it, life is happening around you. Opportunities for connection, joy, and true freedom pass you by. That’s why I don’t preach about chasing wealth or titles. Instead, I support the message in this image: for some of us, it’s really about freedom.
There’s a profound sense of peace in sitting on a bench by the ocean or on a mountaintop, looking out over the world and knowing that you’re free. Free from the system that traps so many in the endless pursuit of more. Free from the manipulations that come with trying to hold on to what you’ve earned. That kind of freedom can’t be bought with money. It can only be earned by letting go of the things that don’t truly matter.
I won’t trade that freedom for money. I know that money can pull me back into a system that traps me in wanting more and more, while external factors beyond my control affect my ability to do so. Instead, I choose the path of authentic freedom. A path where the gold I find at the end of the rainbow isn’t something I can hold in my hands, but something I feel in my soul.
If more people could let go of their attachments and find that place of gold authentically, without manipulation, I believe they would discover a freedom that’s far more valuable than any amount of money. And that, to me, is the true measure of success.
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