How do you define success?
I traveled to the other side of the globe two years ago and met a man.
My travels took me through the rainforests of Peru, on to Cusco and from the Sacred Valley to Aqua Calientes and the majesties of Machu Picchu. The man I met had a similar itinerary, and our paths crossed oddly at several destinations.
I recall being struck by the abject poverty that many of the people in the towns we visited lived in. This man seemed oblivious to the plight of the people there, and talked incessantly (in the churches) of how the Wall Street Journal was his Bible and the stock exchange his God. He insulted teachers, who work in a profession I strongly admire, multiple times during the first ten minutes after we were introduced and was generally dismissive of women. My typically high tolerance level was severely tested.
Just when I’d begun to think Peru might not be large enough for me and this man, I learned that he lived and worked in the same town I call home. As Bogart said, “Of all the gin joints in all the world…” Not only did he have the same small town as his home address, but he boasted (often and loudly) of his very successful business there.
As I work to review all the wonderful thoughts and ideas presented at the most recent Board of Directors meeting of betterworldbuys.com, I’m challenged to reconsider my personal definition of success. When I do this, I’m reminded of that man whose definition I want to stay so far from. Unknowingly, he has helped me to become increasingly aware of the fact that I must share my home, and that we all must share our planet, with people of vastly differing backgrounds, cultures, races, religions, and belief systems. In addition, we share it with a multitude of other living beings, with whom we need to coexist in order for the ultimate survival of our species.
Doing our part to educate consumers on the impact of their responsible purchasing decisions, and providing conscious alternatives to typical products so we may promote this peaceful coexistence in a sustainable fashion is my definition of success for betterworldbuys.com.
How do you define success?
