SUCCESS BEYOND DOLLARS & CENTS

Everybody loves a success story. New business owners find them inspiring. This is not exactly a success story for Kay, but inspiring nonetheless.

Success is often defined in dollars & cents and other accoutrements of wealth and prestige. Doing something worthwhile is often also defined in the same terms. This is not to say that dollars & cents and other accoutrements of wealth and prestige are not important. But, these are not the only important things. You are a successful small business, on the verge of becoming a successful big business. Before you get thoroughly caught up in the maelstrom of a successful big business, take time to consider Charles Schultz Philosophy of Success.

Charles Schultz Philosophy of Success

The creator of the “Peanuts” comic strip, has given me an insight on what kind of a success I really want to be (in addition, of course, to the dollars & cents). You don’t have to actually answer the questions. Just read straight through, and you’ll get the point.

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.

2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.

3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America.

4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.

5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.

6. Name the last decade’s worth of World Series winners.

How did you do?

The point is, few remember the headliners and success stories of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners .

Here’s another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.

2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.

3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.

4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.

5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

Easier?

The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, the most awards. They are the ones that care.

Jim Collins, in Good to Great (New York: HarperCollins Publishers Inc, 2001), talking about Hewlett Packard, put this philosophy in another way and in business terms: ‘The HP Way, as it became known, reflected a deeply held set of core values that distinguished the company more than any of its products. These values included technical contribution, respect for the individual, responsibility to the communities in which the company operates, and a deeply held belief that profit is not the fundamental goal of a company.”