I’ve been thinking about the word success.
Ask ten people what it means and you’ll probably receive ten different answers.
A successful career.
A beautiful home.
Financial security.
Recognition.
Influence.
None of these things are wrong. In fact, many of them can be good.
But I sometimes wonder:
At what point do we finally say, “It’s enough”?
Because if we’re honest, the finish line has a habit of moving.
We reach one goal and another quietly appears.
We buy something we wanted and soon something newer catches our attention.
One achievement is celebrated, and before long the next one begins demanding our energy.
It is almost as though the mind keeps whispering:
Just a little more… email-193365156424582742-179054…
The Bhagavad Gita offers a very different perspective.
It reminds us that fulfilment cannot depend entirely on endlessly acquiring more.
There is another kind of wealth.
Learning to become content within ourselves.
Not because we stop growing.
Not because ambition disappears.
And not because we should stop trying to improve our circumstances.
But because our happiness no longer depends entirely on what we possess, what we achieve or how other people perceive us.
I’ve met people with very little who seem to radiate peace.
And I’ve met people who appear to have everything, yet still feel that something is missing.
That has taught me something.
Perhaps success isn’t measured only by what we accumulate.
Perhaps it is also measured by what we cultivate.
A peaceful mind.
A grateful heart.
Meaningful relationships.
A life lived in service.
A deeper connection with the Divine.
These are things that cannot simply be purchased.
No promotion can replace them.
No title can guarantee them.
No amount of money can create them on its own. email-193365156424582742-179054…
So there is a question I keep returning to:
If everything in my life stayed exactly as it is today… would I still know how to be grateful?
It is an uncomfortable question.
Because so much of life can become focused on what comes next.
The next achievement.
The next opportunity.
The next stage.
The next thing we hope will finally make us feel complete.
But perhaps our answer to that question reveals more about our success than any title, salary or achievement ever could.
Because maybe the richest person isn’t simply the one who has the most.
Maybe it is the person who has learned how to recognise what is already enough.
Jagannātha Dās
Come and Experience It
If these reflections resonate with you, why not come and experience kirtan for yourself?
Every Friday, we come together at OMNOM Birmingham for an evening of mantra, music, meditation and community. I also share kirtan at retreats, festivals and gatherings throughout the year.
Whether you’ve experienced kirtan many times or you’re completely new, you’re warmly welcome.
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