Episode 27: What’s your Definition of Success?
Engaging, challenging, and empowering parents in raising well-rounded children through combining educational research to everyday life.
LISTEN NOW
ON TODAY’S EPISODE…
Have you ever thought about how you define “success?” Better yet, what message you are sending your kids about what being “successful” looks like?
The obsession with the wrong pursuits of success starts early. Listen to this episode for some provoking thoughts on this topic!
INSIGHTS
What’s your definition of success? I’ll confess that I never really thought much of that until my doctoral program– where the professors always asked the question, “how do you define success?”
I want to share two definitions of the word “success” from dictionary.com:
“The attainment of wealth, position, honors, or the like.”
“A person or thing that has had success, as measured by attainment of goals, wealth, etc.”
As suggested in these two definitions, success is often tied to wealth or achieving goals.
In his book The Tyranny of Metrics, Muller states, “today, organizations of all kinds are ruled by the belief that the path to success is quantifying human performance, publicizing the results, and dividing up the rewards based on the numbers.”
Think about how success is measured during our kids’ academic years.
Standardized tests– which are causing teachers to teach to the test… loss for the love of learning.
Grades– do they really grasp the content or just regurgitate?
Popularity– true friendships? Or just after acceptance?
Image– outward appearance… leading to self-doubt and feelings of inferiority
College options– is it the smartest option?
Degree selection– will the selection lead to regrets?
I want to challenge how you think of success.
Is it for your child to be an A student?
To be a star athlete?
First chair in band?
The best cheerleader in the squad?
To have the latest gadgets, phones, clothes, shoes?
Ecclesiastes 4
It’s probable that you’re pleased with how success is defined in your home. Perhaps you’ve been challenged to redefine success– in your own life and/or your kids’. To give emphasis and attention to the areas that truly matter and last.
