Comments on: How To Know When You’ve Finally Arrived

By: What Does Success Mean To You?

What Does Success Mean To You? — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 19:32:25 +0000

[...] past week we have been having a discussion about success over at the Shrinking the Camel Blog. I was looking for a good definition of success, trying to [...]

By: Vanessa Renee

Vanessa Renee — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 00:24:52 +0000

the definition of success has also been on my mind the past couple of days.

here’s what mine is (today):

Success is having the courage to stand up and keep walking no matter how many falls or failures you’ve experienced.

By: shrinkingthecamel

shrinkingthecamel — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:45:22 +0000

I would call that nap time rather than falling asleep in a meeting. We don’t get nap-time at work, although we absolutely should.

By: shrinkingthecamel

shrinkingthecamel — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:37:22 +0000

EXXXXXXXXXXXXXcellent!

Especially the waking up with the saliva hanging part; and also the part about history being the girl in HK’s case; also the British accent you write with.. You must come back and comment again!

Seriously, your comment on listening and being present in the moment – “and isn’t that all we really have?” how simple – how true and profound.

By: shrinkingthecamel

shrinkingthecamel — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:32:40 +0000

You nailed it, Jose. I am coming to grips with this fact of never arriving. It’s an ongoing, never-ending process, and the only way to deal with it is to turn to God every day, every minute.

By: L.L. Barkat

L.L. Barkat — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:47:40 +0000

Isn’t that funny. I just recommended to an urban teacher friend that he should encourage the kids to fall asleep for a few minutes at the start of class. (Would you have done that, Marcus?)

By: James

James — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:40:25 +0000

Well, you’ve chosen to tackle a very difficult topic and I admire you for it. I don’t know much about “arriving” – like enlightenment and balance: it’s a transient, even liquid state, we move in and out of it (don’t we have to leave again to arrive? And keep leaving and arriving in the course of many journeys?) but I do know something about listening. Listening is the highest form of respect we can pay the moment or someone. When we’re able to listen completely, unconditionally, we’ve arrived absolutely, we’re present in that moment. And isn’t that all we really have?

Falling asleep in a meeting of any kind, regardless of how adeptly you’re able to cover your ass upon awakening, isn’t being anything more than boorish, I think. Where is the power or intelligence in that? No matter how expertly you wake up, you still have that long string of saliva hanging from your lip while the class – including the pretty girl you fancy – laughs at you. I’m afraid history, in Kissinger’s case, is that girl.

But, again, I admire you for posing an important question and you raised some good points and… that’s my two cents. Now I’ll take a nap. Timing is (almost) everything.

By: e. barrett

e. barrett — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:25:48 +0000

I think to me success comes down to one thing: obedience. If I live a life where I am obedient to God, then that’s the best I can hope for in this life.

Of course I’ll never get there, but each little victory I can claim is a major success.

And yes, I recognize that “obedience” isn’t a very popular word, lol.

By: Jose Paclibare│Christian Business

Jose Paclibare│Christian Business — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 06:03:56 +0000

Some people may say they have finally arrived. But I believe for us Christians, “we never arrive in Christian life. We survive spiritually only by constantly depending on God for mercy and for strengths”, as Philip Yancey puts it.

Anyway, thanks for this great post. God bless.

Jose

By: shrinkingthecamel

shrinkingthecamel — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 12:58:52 +0000

Thank you, Maureen. I bet you’ve seen a lot over there in Washington. Politicians motivated by power and ambition? Nah….

Now tell us, what did you REALLY think of Mr. Kissinger?