The Path to Success

I’ve heard numerous motivational speakers tell me how to succeed in life. Most suggest I over achieve, while keeping balance in my life. Others point out the formula that makes it all work, if I have the fortitude to stick with it and fully engage the process.

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In America, success seems to be about developing the skills of a workaholic. In Europe it’s about developing the right network that helps you do your job effectively. In the Bible, it’s about putting God first, others second and trusting God for the difference.

I’ve worked for numerous large and small American companies over the years and saw a pattern of task-based thinking. Checking off each step produced incredible short-term results. Everyone understood how important the employees were that we had to task, but most focused on nothing more than the bottom line.

Working now for a European company, I see the initial focus being on the people and their long-term productivity. They feel that anyone can learn a task, but few are able to make the appropriate connections that develop a fun team and a solid future of success. The employee is definitely more valuable, but some how the tasks still must be managed.

The American process develops heroes that come and go, but do incredible things with the bottom line. The European process develops teams of excellent people, but few stand out as over achievers.

A few years back I was boarding a plane and bumped into a business executive I worked with years earlier. He was a lifetime flier and immediately had me upgraded to first class so we could chat. He was ecstatic about a new business book he read and boasted about how it helped him to succeed at each task he attempted, while building an incredible network of valuable people.

I asked him for the title of the book, as I was sold on getting a copy for myself. He handed the pocket edition to me and told me to read it in our remaining hour of flight. I dove in and was amazed at the business wisdom written on the pages. I also chuckled.

The book was a compilation of Bible verses that related directly to business. There were no other words on the pages. No commentary. No motivational talk, just Bible verses. It was amazing how direct and obvious the business truths were as organized and published for businessmen.

He was right; the truth was clear and dependable. In fact, it was easy to see what portion of the truth the Americans and Europeans had embraced. The strengths from each type of company were clearly based on Kingdom principles that work regardless of trends. The Bible turned out to be filled with enough business wisdom to guide any businessman down the path to success.