How to Measure Success and Live the Paradox

He is a quantum physicist genius who has developed a theory about the universe stating that the unmeasurable part 91.5% is consciousness! The link between the physical and the spiritual. Yet he is poor.

She has been healed several times, including stroke symptoms and leukemia. She makes lots of money sharing her healing experiences and the miracles of therapeutic essential oils, yet she and her husband are morbidly obese.

Another is a clinical psychologist, almost professor, social media wiz, web site developer, healed from debilitating endometriosis and yet she seems sad or out of balance.

I heard all three speak at the same forum.  In my hearing and observing, I had questions. Paradoxes were set before me in the shape of beautiful human beings following their quest.

How can we measure success, even when the world may judge otherwise?

I understand we are expansive human beings; we always have the next thing to learn, to grow, to become. That is what makes us human.  We can achieve many successes, yet there is always the next thing. We may have external or internal challenges met, yet there are more to conquer. Is there satisfaction at the end of the day?  Isn't that the measure of success? Is there a nudge that there is something more that keeps us thinking, trying, doing, becoming, listening, exploring, developing, studying? Do we ever finish if we are expansive human beings?

Do we become satisfied, sit down, rest and say that is enough, I'm done now?  

If indeed we are expansive, then we can not. Because the nature of things is that when we stop, we become stagnant. Just as a car without use, the hoses begin to break down, the battery doesn't charge, then eventually the car won't start. So likewise, we can't just sit down and say, ‘a job well done’. We say, what next?  

In this quest, we follow our heart, our passion, our calling. 

Maybe it is a life long quest or maybe it is new within the day. But, follow we must. Get up and move is a necessity. Stagnant equals death. Death is not so bad if it's the right time. But, if it's not the right time, why suffer needlessly?  Get about what you are to be about. Challenges are not to be worrisome. They are meant to propel us forward, onward to the next thing. Dreams and visions of what might be can seem scary cause they are unknown to us. We don't know the precise steps and we feel we may choose a wrong one and fail. 

Why are we fearful of failure?  

Are we concerned of others judgement in the matter?  Do we feel it would be a waste of time to fail and to stay safe seems more sensible?  Just what keeps us from trying, especially when we hear the voices of others, before us, say ‘failure is the road to success’. Why don't we grasp it and move forward. Maybe we won't fail. Maybe we will succeed on the first try. Then what?  As expansive human beings, we will have another thing to try, to experience, to follow, to be, to do and we begin again.

Joy in the process

The beautiful thing is that with practice, each time we gain momentum and also joy in the process. We rest as we know we are following our passion, our calling. In this restful state, all is accomplished. It becomes not the doing, but the being. We understand that to reside in the truth of our being is one of the greatest joys known to humankind.

My friend, live your truth.  Don’t worry so much about the success or the failure.  Rest and accomplish much.  Live your paradox, joyously and expansively.

Julia Parsell is a Certified Holistic Health Counselor with an emphasis on the intersection of science and the sacred.  She writes from experiences and transformative understandings that have led her to an authentic and peaceful life. She goes by these names:  wife, grandmother, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, niece, cousin, and friend. As home educator of her three children, she also developed/ran cafes, and maintained various leadership roles within her community.  Her greatest desire is to encourage others to live life fully.  Her passions are family, writing, and trail blazing. She is happily married in Western North Carolina.   Please visit her blog here.