The Exegesis of Success

Our team has now covered the two cornerstones of John Wooden's Pyramid of Success in our discipleship time on Wednesdays.

Industriousness and Enthusiasm

Wooden defined success as "peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best of which you are capable"

No, not this kind of peace of mind where absence of conflict and competition define peace. I'm talking about a peace of mind which is the best pillow at night. I don't think we can rest easy when we know we haven't given our best. We will always be restless when we haven't worked to our potential.

I find it interesting we can't find rest because we can't find peace. Where can peace be found?
I think Colossians 3:23 and Ecclesiastes 9:10 give us a good picture of where to find peace. Granted, we know that Paul told us about spiritual and mental peace here: Philippians 4:7

I've got to put my heart into what I'm doing. Cory used to tell me early in our marriage, "Don't give me your best and then pull it back. I know when you give me your best, you've got it in you."

I think there are three reasons why people don't give their best:

1. Their best won't be 'good enough' and therefore they will have failed at giving their best and be hesitant to give their best again for fear of their best not being good enough the next time.
2. If they give their best, people will expect it again and the pressure or obligation to be 'on' is too much. Therefore, it is much easier to be 'average' and surprise people every once in awhile.
3. They are not sure where their best is going to lead them. Maybe to greatness or maybe it's a setup to a colossal failure. Note this exchange from an episode of Seinfeld:

GEORGE: What if the pilot gets picked up and it becomes a series?
DANA: That'd be wonderful George, you'll be rich and successful.
GEORGE: Yeah, that's exactly what I'm worried about. God would never let me be successful. He'd kill me first. He'd never let me be happy.
DANA: I thought you didn't believe in God?
GEORGE: I do for the bad things.

The reality is most people are quite content with having low expectations for themselves. The problem is most people define success as a destination, when in fact it has nothing to do with arriving anywhere.

You've heard it's all about the journey? Well, it's true. The vehicle in which you're using along the journey is important. The arrival is important, but how one gets there is more important.

I'm going to use a sports analogy from the world of basketball to illustrate this.
Kids in the elementary grades shoot basketballs with poor form quite often. However, some of the shots do go in the basket and there isn't a kid in the world that would stop and ask, "Did I use the correct fundamentals on that shot?"

No, they will simply be excited the ball went through the hoop. But somebody will be sucking the joy out of that basket and letting the kid know something or somethings were not right in the shot. (Uh, that would be me, thank you)

Of course, the result was positive but the way or process was not fundamentally sound, therefore it should not be repeated. What happens when the young pupil executes perfect fundamentals and the shot doesn't go? Praise it, reinforce it and do it with enthusiasm. I'm not advocating "make everyone feel good about throwing up bricks".

I'm advocating praising your son, daughter, player or spouse when they did the right thing but didn't get the desired result. We are a culture that looks at the bottom line = results.

I am questioning that premise...vigorously. If we look only for results we are going to get what CS Lewis predicted many years ago (and which has, sadly, come to pass in public education) about demanding results without establishing process:

"We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst. We castrate and then bid the geldings to be fruitful."

I cannot ask Zach and Noah to fix the flat if I haven't shown them where to find the jack and the spare tire.
I cannot ask Zach and Noah to be godly men without first living it myself, stumbles and all, and then walking and talking along the road with them.

How are you defining success? Is it process oriented or result oriented?