Success has many definitions and examples. It is fame for some and then fortune for others. But in simple word, it is the freedom of living your life the way you want. However, the success has many meanings in UAE and divided among the people.
Being successful in one way, shape or form is something we all strive for as people. We all want better lives for ourselves and the people we love. However, what differs among people around the world is whether success is seen as external recognition from our peers and colleagues, or internal peace and joy with the things we do and people we love.
When MasterCard undertook a survey of how affluent people in Asia, the Middle East and Africa defined success, a wide array of answers came up depending on their country of origin. Japanese, for example, defined success as “living an enriching life”; in China, it was “living a more valuable life, where success is more than just money”; and in South Africa, it was defined as a “foundation for financial independence”.
The people of the UAE defined success as “a way to fuel a lifestyle of luxury and enjoyment”.
Are you surprised by that answer? I have to be completely honest, and it hurts me to say this, but I think that it is pretty accurate.
The answer hurts me personally, because it is absent of any depth of meaning. Being able to “fuel a lifestyle of luxury and enjoyment” is self-serving – implying a situation where very few people beyond yourself and maybe some close family members are better off because you have succeeded in accomplishing your goal of living a more lavish lifestyle.
With wealth being seen as the ultimate symbol of success in this country, it creates a vicious cycle where people want to lead a life of luxury because that is the only way they will fit in, and where businesses mainly serve the rich. Think about it for a second. Why is it that when a company creates a diamond-encrusted, limited-edition mobile phone, Dubai is the place of choice for the product launch? Believe me, it’s got nothing to do with the weather.
Now for the important part: what message are we giving the youth of this country when we tell them that success is being able to live a luxurious life that you can enjoy? Where your title at work, the size of your house, the price of your yacht, or the digits on your licence plate matter more than the impact of your work, the level of your education, the people you can help, or the love of your family?
As a country we need to show our youth, the world around us and, more importantly, each other a deeper meaning of the word “success”, where it is measured beyond our personal benefits and lifestyles.
We need to appreciate each other for who we are rather than what we are or what we own. In doing so, we will create a culture where citizens and residents are not focused on who they are going to impress with their success, but instead on how they are going to feel through their success. That is what encourages people to begin following their dreams and passions rather than simply following the status quo and doing what they think is expected of them.
To our forefathers who built this country, success was being able to create a brighter future for everyone who came here and for the generations beyond them. Success was not something they would experience personally, it was something they would achieve through the access to opportunity and lives of dignity that others would enjoy.
That is an attitude we can all be proud of. It may not be luxurious, it may not result in fame and riches, but it will make our country and this world a better place, and that’s what truly counts.
When it comes to the luxurious lives then it UAE certainly surges ahead of many. However, it was never about the fame or money, it was all about making world a better place to live and develop an attitude that all can take proud of it.
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