In the last post I covered success category #1, Self….and for a quick reference, here is a link to the 5 categories of success post. Today, I’d like to share a bit about the second category, Family. I am sure you have all heard the common phrase: No other success can compensate for failure in the home. Family is the very first organization a child is exposed to. It is the first source of education, principle and love. If correct principles are taught in the home, those principles will be carried out and practiced throughout relationships, business decisions and the life of that child. If those principles are not taught by parents, no other success experienced outside of that can compensate for it.
My greatest source of happiness, sense of belonging, fulfillment and sense of accomplishment stems from my family….my wife, my children, my parents and siblings. It’s my support structure. No where else on the planet can you duplicate the result, environment and feeling of having a successful family. As parents, we have a sacred duty to make sure correct principles are taught to our children. Many of the problems in the world stem from the deterioration of the family unit and lack of proper, initial education. It’s a proven fact that those who are raised in a family that teaches correct principles, are more likely to succeed.
Why do you think that so many people search for a feeling of belonging, or a community they can feel welcome in. It’s in our instinct. We want to be loved, included and supported.
Family is always first. Everything else comes second. If I am successful at home, my life flows well. If I am not, I stress.
Now this isn’t to say that someone cannot be a success if they have failed in the home. That’s not my point at all. Many successful people have come from or have created broken homes and relationships. An example is Abraham Lincoln. Given the circumstances in his time, he had a broken home and neglected his children, yet, he was extremely successful. But, all of the success he achieved for himself and this country will never compensate for the emptiness he causes in the lives of his family. And maybe that was a sacrifice he had to make……a divided home or a divided country. Which obligation is greater? Maybe he didn’t have to choose?
So my advice to you is to choose a career that brings you closer to your family, instead of tearing you apart. If you are faced with a decision to work more hours so that you can pay for that bigger boat or spend time with your kids, spend time with your kids. Teach them what their Mom and Dad value in life. Teach them correct principles of integrity, honesty, love, compassion, boldness, ethics and faith. They don’t learn these types of things in school. It’s up to the family to build that solid foundation correctly, before they send them out into the world. If we can do that as a country, as a world, this planet will become a better place to live.
Success isn’t a status, it’s a series of events, one right after the other, that go right. The success series for a child starts at home, within their family. It’s where the ball starts rolling, or doesn’t roll at all. Let’s make sure it starts!
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Spot on David once again! I see this all the time with teaching. It all starts in the home! The children who are missing it don’t have the supportive home environment. But the truth as you say does not mean that these children can’t have a better future!
Our focus is purely on raising Kalyra with strong values to help her have a happy and successful life. Thanks for the inspiration!
Exactly. It’s so important and is a great responsibility that most take too lightly.
It looks like you are going to have to add your new email address to the gravatar.com site!
I am with you here. We might want to do a little with regard to Old Abe though.
Mary Lincoln was always a neurotic from her very early years. Then, when she lost Todd, the migraines got worse and she was basically one of the most difficult women to be with imaginable. Old Abe stood by his wife through thin and thinner. He was, of course, a successful local attorney. But, he was also a terrible politician, having lost several local and State elections prior to his being elected President at a time when backroom politics was the name of the game. No one really expected much from Lincoln. They were basically throwing him to the dogs, realizing that it would be a miracle to keep the Union together. That Lincoln shocked and outwitted the politics of his day, even though his home life was miserable, was due primarily to Lincoln’s faith, and his kind soul. That we are the beneficiaries of his great spirit is something we need to be grateful for every day of our lives.
I agree that family is a crucial crucial component to life. I have not been blessed to have a close supportive family, and as an adult find myself spending holidays with friends and not family. It’s tough especially on holidays, but hey, John Lennon was not close to his parents at all and look where he got! Haha, no but ultimately there is not a day that goes by where I don’t wish I had a happier family base. Thanks for posting. I enjoy your blogs!
Thanks Max and I appreciate your feedback and authenticity!