smartrliving

smartrliving

Here are some words from Jason Criddle that can be found on Quora. You will be able to find the original question that was asked of him in bold, before his response.

Why do middle class people lie to themselves about why other people are successful? Most just don’t seem to understand how hard the 1% actually work. Others make excuses suggesting the rich are sports stars and people who have inherited money.

What it really boils down to is your measure or definition of success.

I grew up poor, started working as a teenager to help support my family, and have been a business owner since. To me… I was successful once I was able to afford my first car.

In my early 20’s, I had a business making 6-figures that disappeared when the recession took hold. I had a daughter on the way and had to get a job in a city I disliked, in a field I knew nothing about, just to make ends meet. I HATED that part of my life. I smoked cigarettes and weighed over 400lbs on any given day, but I was successful because I had a daughter on the way.

I lost 200lbs and helped 500 people lose 9,000lbs in a single case study. That didn’t even include my dozens of other clients who had been getting results day after day for months and years. It led to me writing my first books, getting on the news, and being recognized nationally for my community efforts. In my head though, I was successful because of those hundreds of happy clients who were getting healthier everyday.

I have spent the last 6 years building a huge software investment firm. I have 20 published books to my name, a dozen best-sellers, I’m starting to record a Netflix series, and my education has helped people sell tons of products and services for their businesses. But I am only successful because I now get to work from home and be with my family.

In none of those instances did any amount of my “success” ever have to do with how much money I was making. It only had to do with what my work allowed me to achieve.

A lot of people will never understand what it would be like to land a high-paying position or take on the daunting task of building a company, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t successful in their own way.

Not everyone wants to be a millionaire. Many people just want to have the freedom to do what they enjoy and spend time with their friends and family. The latter is very achievable and all most people need.

Even after all the glory I have gained from the brands I have built, I only see myself as a success now because I have the freedom to work on whatever I want and be where I want with who I want without having to think of how it is paid for. It allows me to enjoy life without thinking of money at all.

And not thinking of money, to me, is success.