It can be very difficult to escape the fact that our society ranks an individual’s success almost exclusively on the basis of fame, fortune or power. The more you have, the more successful you are.
You don’t need to look far to see how this is reinforced time and time again. It could be the recent Super Lawyer rankings. It could be that profile you read of the guy who was #7 at Facebook or #4 at Mint or #12 at Google. It could have been the Vanity Fair New Establishment list. It could be the recent eulogy of the maverick football owner or brilliant tech visionary.
Making money and gaining influence are great things. But as we focus exclusively on fortune, fame and power, something always has to give (and this is usually our time, our health, our relationships, our happiness.)
As we leave the law behind, or leave our current practice of the law behind, we are provided with a great opportunity to find the time and space to land on other lists: Top Parent, Top Spouse, Top Friend, Best at Just Chillin’, Best in Health, Best at Giving Back, Most Fun.
We can let our legacy be determined by how much fame, fortune and power we have (or wish we had) accumulated while we are alive. Or we can be remembered in other ways. Don’t let the rankings of others get in the way of you enjoying your own sincere place in life.