SURVIVAL | SUCCESS | SIGNIFICANCE
I think it was Oprah Winfrey who said it first — at least that I recall. She talked about the various stages of life and how important it is to know where you are (act accordingly) and where you're going (prepare appropriately). So much of how we design our lives has a lot to do with what we place value on and how we use our resources. One question to ask is this: are we living in our reality or in the dream world we aspire to live in?
There are three levels, and each is pretty self-explanatory, but for the sake of clarity...
Survival
When you are simply working to make ends meet. The checkbook/balance sheet balance. This is when all of your efforts are focused on having your/your family “needs” met.
Success
his is when there’s more. You begin to thrive, and your efforts pay off. You’re beyond the moments of cutting it too close. It's when you have enough, and you’re able to check off a few bucket list items. You are reaping the rewards of your work.
Significance
This is about the legacy you are building, the imprint you are leaving behind. This is now beyond you and about the greater good. The resources you invest are guided by how you envision the future.
I recall working on a project that I had great passion for, but it had very little monetary reward. So my financial mentor said to me, "The project is great, but you're giving too much of your time to it." I said, "But I really believe in it — it's part of my legacy!"
He said, "How can you work on your legacy (significance), if you are still navigating securing your livelihood (survival). If you give all of your time to this project, and it doesn't support you financially fully, how will you live? You have to look at the long game. There are levels. You must honor each; master, then move. You can't skip the line. It won't serve you."
So I pulled it back and recalibrated. I had to take a look at my output. Was I giving away more than I had to give? Sometimes, we don't see it, because we're not counting all of our resources — time, talent, treasure, opportunity, energy, money, etc. It all counts.
This really helped me understand how to find a way to live in my reality, not an aspiration. It didn't mean I couldn't have significance in some way. It just meant I needed to focus on where I was and act accordingly, and then prepare appropriately.
What you want your life to be is possible if you stay faithful, focused, and realistic about where you are. The trick in each phase is to not live above your level. If you are surviving, no need to trap yourself with the lifestyle choices of those who are operating with great success. And if at the stage of success, you may not quite be ready for a life of great significance.
Operate where you are, and plan for where you are going. When we don't, sometimes, that’s where we get caught. So often, we want to enjoy the spoils that we aspire to but rarely live. We want to give in a big way to those we love and to the world. We want to make the world better for those who are coming behind us. All of it is possible at the right time.
But there are measured steps we take to ensure we climb and reach solid ground. One way to ensure you level up is to have lots of irons in the fire or meals in preparation. Think of it like a Thanksgiving meal. Your front burner is your focus. Pay close attention to it, be present so nothing burns. Then, you have a back burner that's simmering, something that needs a little longer in the oven. Then, perhaps, there's more simply being prepared on the stove. All of the elements of the meal require different degrees of focus, but when done well, it all comes together.
Live in your reality and keep working on what comes next.