"Success" vs. Significance

[sofmed]

I just finished an article (paper media--no url available) which touched on the differences between being "successful" and being significant.

In short, it states that having great "success" in what you "do" on a daily basis is by far overshadowed by the premise of being significant to those around you on a daily basis. Making large sums of money and having 'things' as opposed to not having them, is not being successful.

Being significant can be directly correlated to being successful based only on your chosen field of expertise and the influence you have on others for the greater good, however, and nowhere does that ideology fit more precisely than in the SOF and SF communities.

First, allow me to thank each of the QP's who consistantly take great strides to be successful here by being significant. Your input and guidance is, absolutely, the cream of the crop.

Secondly, thank you for your significance by going places and doing things that many others would shrink from...those things that impact our world on a global scale, changing the lives of countless people by carrying your beliefs and honor to the far reaches of the globe.

You ARE successful because you are significant. Your examples inspire us all.

Thank you,


Mick

[Cougar6zulu]

I am glad to see this thread, I was just thinking of this. I am not SF (yet) but am constantly harassed by people that tell me I have impossible standards. That I care to much about winning or being successful. I agree that significance is more important than success, however, how does one know when his or her success is NOT SIGNIFICANT? We choose a goal based on our wants, needs, moral obligations, technical data and so forth. If our goal is 10 then why is 9 OK? I have been in the Army for 12 years active AON and find my self alone more than not in this regard. I am sure that other people have the same problem everyday and am looking for different points of view.

"TANK GOD AND GIVER OF LIFE TO ALL THINGS MECHANICAL"

Originally Posted by Cougar6zulu

I am glad to see this thread, I was just thinking of this. I am not SF (yet) but am constantly harassed by people that tell me I have impossible standards. That I care to much about winning or being successful. I agree that significance is more important than success, however, how does one know when his or her success is NOT SIGNIFICANT? We choose a goal based on our wants, needs, moral obligations, technical data and so forth. If our goal is 10 then why is 9 OK? I have been in the Army for 12 years active AON and find my self alone more than not in this regard. I am sure that other people have the same problem everyday and am looking for different points of view.

"TANK GOD AND GIVER OF LIFE TO ALL THINGS MECHANICAL"

For the want of a nail, the shoe was lost,
for the want of a shoe, the horse was lost,
for the want of a horse, the soldier was lost,
for the want of a soldier, the war was lost,
for the want of,...

Everything is significant, everything SF does is significant and strategic,
including, how we pack a ruck sack. The tasks SF does, few can do.
Hold to your 'standards', the world will be better if you do.

You are significant, thanks for showing up.

WD

p.s., but I'd rather be lucky than good.

[MackallResident]

I appreciate this thread as well, and I imagine that I would have enjoyed the article also. I have seen far too many "successful" leaders thus far in the Army, and most hold no "significance" in my memory.

The QP's here and everywhere have without a doubt a very significant profession, albeit thankless. So needless to say, thanks again!

It is never about the wagon, but the horses or mules that pull it, that fade away after their work is done and they are too worn to trod on. You gentlemen, in my mind, have seen the world in a way that the sheep ignore, or has been edited for posterity on the "hill."

I also appreciate Wet Dog's comment about showing up, self elimination is a killer, and if you don't try, you don't know.

[Cougar6zulu]

PSS you cant train to be lucky!


"TANK GOD AND GIVER OF LIFE TO ALL THINGS MECHANICAL"

Originally Posted by Cougar6zulu

PSS you cant train to be lucky!

This is contrary to all my experience. The more you train, the more you are prepared to take advantage of situations the untrained will not recognize. And the untrained will shrug it off to you just being lucky.