Should you measure “success” in your photography, business, entrepreneurial efforts, and life?

I was thinking today —

How did the Ancient Greek heroes measure their “success” in life. Furthermore, did they even have a notion of “success”, and did they even care?

In modern times, we quantify success with dollar bills

In today’s data-mania society, we treat data like a god. “Data deification”.

Furthermore, we have this mania and obsession with charts, statistics, in order to measure “progress” (another modern notion).

Ancient “success”

But in Ancient Greek Times, things were simpler.

A Greek hero (Achilles) would be rated on his valor, courage, fearlessness, and bravery. He had gold, land, and (multiple) women as markers of material wealth, yet — he didn’t really care for any of that.

As readers, we marveled at his heroic bravery.

Perhaps we should also think this way:

In a post-monetary society, how would we measure “success”? Certainly not by follower numbers or likes (controlled by algorithms).

Perhaps we should measure our “success” in life by the risks we are willing to take, our courage, our bravery, and our valor.

All slain warriors are honored by the gods

In Ancient Greek times, it didn’t matter whether which side you were on. If you showed courage in battle and were slain, you were equally honored by both sides and the gods.

Thus, “success” didn’t really matter whether your side won the war or not. Once again, it all came down to courage.

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It all comes down to you.

So as an entrepreneur, you’re a warrior. You should rate and measure your success NOT by how much money you make, how many users you obtain, or how famous you become.

Instead, measure your success by your personal courage — whether you have the guts to pursue what you believe in, and whether you’re willing to put your own blood on the line.

Live your life with your own blood!

ERIC

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