The Real Reward

An artist paints a picture. He puts it in an art show, hoping it will win the attention of an art critic in a positive way. If it does, that validates his work.

A fashion designer sews a new frock. She hopes it will win over the buyers at the show. If it does, it validates her work.

A college student works hard. If he gets a 4.0 GPA, his future is assured.

A young boy strives to complete certain tasks in the Boy Scouts. His validation comes when he earns a Merit Badge.

A person builds a beautiful vehicle and enters it in a show. If he wins a trophy, that validates his efforts.

In all of the above, the GPA, the critic, the buyers, merit badges and trophies are not what is being sought after - they merely represent what is being sought. What is really being sought is satisfaction, career, respect or some other worthwhile component of success.

When I say a show is not about the trophies, this is what I mean.

It does not mean trophies are unimportant. It only means that they represent something more important - SUCCESS.

Anyone who thinks that is not important needs to think again. Many, many people have few opportunities to be as successful in life as they would like to be. In fact, most folks never achieve any real degree of success. They will never win a Nobel Prize. They will never be on the New York Times bestseller list. They will never be a news anchor, or a Senator. If they win a trophy at a show, that represents a very treasured success - perhaps the only success they will ever know. Or perhaps one of many more to come, as success begets success - a success, no matter how small, builds confidence for building bigger successes.

And that, my friend, is as important as anything gets.

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