Success Through Meaning
The Dichotomy
Success has as many definitions as there are people. Some see it in the number of zeros in a bank account. Others measure it by TikTok followers or YouTube subscribers. For some, it’s a Maserati in the driveway or a house in a prestigious neighborhood.
There is nothing inherently wrong with any of these things. Still, others may see that kind of ambition as materialistic. They might argue that true success comes from helping others or dedicating oneself to a cause. To them, seeking possessions is selfish because those resources could have been used to serve humanity instead.
When conversations like this arise, I always feel the need to define terms. Language can be slippery. It evolves with time, and meanings shift. A word that meant one thing in one era may mean something entirely different in another. Defining words like success is essential because it gives us perspective within a specific context.
Take the word success.
If someone says, “The project was a success,” we assume there were clear metrics for that outcome, but if someone says, “Jane is a success in life,” it becomes less concrete. How do we decide she is a success? By what measure? Who decided those standards? Over what timeframe?
Another semantic dilemma is that the word life itself is vast and subjective.
Desire and the Human Condition
Wanting certain things such as a home, a car, or admiration is normal. So is wanting to help others or contribute to a cause. These are deeply human desires. Does wanting a mansion make someone selfish or narcissistic? Shouldn’t we prefer helping others over helping ourselves?
Let’s look deeper. The desire for things is part of our wiring. Our brains are built to seek rewards. Humans, with our advanced prefrontal cortex, can imagine and desire far more than basic survival needs. This includes altruistic wants.
The urge to acquire or achieve is part of being human, rooted in biology and shaped by culture.
You might be asking, “Alright Joel, I thought this was about success. When do we talk about being rich?”
Stay with me, because this is where success begins to take shape.
The Human Curse and the Search for Meaning
What separates humans from other animals is our capacity for reasoning. We can think beyond our next meal or our next generation.
The phrase “Ignorance is bliss” holds some truth. Animals live contentedly because they don’t know what they lack. Humans, however, are cursed with awareness. We can imagine better lives, bigger purposes, and higher callings. That awareness creates restlessness. We are rarely satisfied simply because our basic needs are met.
Here enters the idea of meaning.
Let’s revisit Jane and her “success in life.” Maybe we’re asking the wrong questions.
Instead of wondering how much she owns or earns, we should ask:
Is Jane fulfilled?
Does she find meaning in her life?
Does she live with purpose and direction?
We still crave things, but we also crave meaning which is something no other species seeks the same way.
As our capacity for desire grows, so must our understanding of what those desires mean. Wanting a Maserati or lashing out in anger are both primal impulses. One is simply dressed in a more sophisticated form. The challenge is to evolve beyond instinct into reason.
Defining Success
Let’s simplify success.
Success is the accomplishment of something meaningful. It’s when an effort produces the intended result.
To apply this to life though, we have to define what that something is.
Step One: Know Yourself
Before deciding what to achieve, you must understand who you are.
Know your potential and your limits. Examine your aptitudes, your personality, and your honest weaknesses.
Examine your current life roles. Examples of those roles could be things like spouse, parent, friend, teacher, or athlete.
Finally, examine what things truly inspire you.
Step Two: Decide Who You Want to Be
Once you understand your roles, decide which ones belong in your life and which do not. Some roles linger out of habit or comfort. Others no longer serve who you want to become. Eliminating what holds you back often means saying no, even to good things. Once you’ve chosen the roles that matter then decide how best to fulfill that role and very specifically what you want to accomplish in each role. Use the things that inspire you, your potential, your strengths, and your weaknesses as your guide to outline them.
Step Three: Build Systems, Not Endpoints
To fulfill those roles, create systems and habits that align with your direction. I prefer systems over long-term goals. Systems create motion. Goals imply a finish line. If our roles are chosen wisely, they point toward something that resembles perfection. Perfection is an ideal we never fully reach but always pursue. You can then use short-term goals to serve as milestones that show progress and keep you aligned with that greater ideal.
Conclusion
We often measure success by what can be seen. We look at things like wealth, recognition, influence, or even acts of charity. Yet none of these things alone can define a fulfilled life.
Even altruism, when pursued for applause, becomes another mask for ego. Helping others only becomes meaningful when it reflects who we are rather than how we wish to be seen.
Both the philanthropist and the opportunist may feed the hungry, but only one walks away nourished.
True success is not found in the act itself but in the motive behind it. Meaning is what separates fulfillment from performance. When we act from integrity, our efforts align with our ideals, and our sense of success becomes internal, not dependent on praise or possessions. This is where knowing yourself matters most. Self-awareness strips away illusion and reveals why we do what we do.
When we choose roles that reflect our deepest values and build systems that help us live them daily, success becomes a byproduct, not a goal.
Success through meaning is not about arrival, it is about alignment.
It is the quiet satisfaction that comes from living a life that agrees with itself.
Futurist Media | Building the future without losing our humanity.
