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Redefining Success

The temptations of achieving status, and being esteemed among our peers and neighbors are hardly new concepts. We can look as far back as Mark 10:37 and watch this play out. Two of Christ’s disciples, brothers James and John, approach Jesus requesting that they each get a seat at His side when He ascends to His glory. 

They are making sure that their status is elevated and secure, that they end up at the top of the ladder in comparison to their peers. In response to the two, Jesus says, “You do not know what you are asking.” He challenges that they are hardly aware of the responsibility, the unseen hardships, and the suffering that it takes to carry the mantle that precedes its glory. 

In summary, the measurement that they are using to define success is highly misguided.

I don’t entirely fault James and John. They fell into a common human trap that we’ve all been guilty of at some point. 1 John 2:16 tells us that these three temptations are common to man throughout time when it comes to the lures of this world. They are the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. The desire to want more than we need, and appear more than we are is common to our human nature. 

However, it has become more visually measurable over recent years through likes, shares, and follower counts in a way that we’ve never had to navigate before as a society. We now live in a metric-driven world. I want to be clear that I fully understand that social media is mostly a tool and depends on its user. However, I can’t ignore its natural, unintended side effect of promoting more value on the external image, which we can see, rather than the internal, which we can’t see. It’s easier to take notice of the things which are external in this world because we can’t physically see the process of the soul.

But I’m convinced that one is more sustaining and has longer-lasting influence than the other, and therefore should be prioritized. And that is the internal work of the mind and the soul, which goes hand in hand with the growth of character, a solid foundation, and sustaining direction. However, like James and John, enmeshed in a world of metrics, our definitions of what matters most when it comes to achievement and success become unbalanced and misguided. 

I believe there’s another reason for this, and that is the instant rewards of external success. More research has been looking into the effects of social media on the brain, and one of those common findings is that these notifications activate the pleasure and reward center of our brain, releasing a neurochemical called dopamine. Dopamine is associated with feelings of reward and craving which are the building blocks of addiction. So physiologically, these quick and short-term rewards feel better and we get to feed that feeling more often than it takes to feel the rewards of the longer term, deep work that may reward us for a lifetime. 

The purpose of this 7-day devotional is not to demonize social media. As someone who’s pretty active online, I believe it has its benefits and righteous causes as well. Rather, my hope is to shift our perspectives on what we consider successful in today’s world and how we are measuring ourselves in comparison. Each day will have some reflections that I hope will reshape our thoughts by the end of this reading plan, and give you a more grounded internal sense of security to take into the calling on your life. 

Pause & reflect:

• What are some examples of what you consider to be successful and why?
• Are your markers for success more external or internal?
• What would you define as successful in your own life?
• What are some ways you’ve grown in the past year that you are proud of?