What is Real Success? A Spiritual Perspective

[00:00:00] Speaker A: What is a real success? What does success really, really mean? In this episode, we're going to explain the truth about success and why it's not what we're told it is. It's actually something far deeper and how you can feel much more successful right now. So success is such a well used word. It's overused word. Everyone talks about success, you know, and success. Normally, the word success, when you conjure up the word success, what does that mean? What images come to mind? It's normally for most people, you know, some person with money and like money and a boat and, you know, some sort of fancy lifestyle and a car and all this nonsense, right? [00:00:52] Speaker B: That sounds more like a headache. [00:00:55] Speaker A: Yeah, you're gonna get a fancy car and you're gonna get, you know, a yacht and you can have champagne. And these are sort of the, the mainstream images of success. But what is real success? What is real success? Shirin, what do you, what do you feel success is? True success? [00:01:12] Speaker B: I've actually been thinking about this for a while and I'm asking myself, right, like, not the fluff, not what other people want from me, none of that stuff, right? If I just be very quiet, what do I think in my life that I'm successful with? That I feel, I have that I feel, oh, this is success. So I've been doing that. [00:01:44] Speaker A: And what is it? [00:01:45] Speaker B: So many things right in my life. Now. Let's start with your life. What do you think? [00:01:51] Speaker A: Well, I'm asking you the question. All right, well, it's, it's all fun and games, isn't it? We, I, I personally feel successful because I have freedom in my life. That to me, like, I can choose what I do with my life. I'm not under the thumb of anyone and I can. [00:02:13] Speaker B: That's very funny, actually. But go ahead. [00:02:16] Speaker A: I can decide, you know, how when I wake up, what I do, what I don't do, you know, where I live. I mean, there's all these options that I have. And so to me, that's a big deal because that, that's something that I value a lot is having sovereignty, having freedom, and having autonomy. And I really appreciate that and the ability to have good thoughts as to the best of my ability and to do the things that I say I'm going to do, I consider that success. Like if I'm thinking I want to do this thing and I'm actually capable of doing the thing that I say I'm going to do, to me, that's a big deal rather than, oh, I'm going To do this thing and nothing happens. Right. To me, that's, like, a bit lame. So being able to act on my ideas and bring them forth, and also the ability to surrender my ideas to God and be open to receive guidance rather than just doing whatever I want. So that's the other side of it. Success means, on one hand, being able to do whatever I want, and on the other hand, be able to surrender and be open to receive higher guidance and then do that rather than just laying the. The mind get out of hand. I mean, there's so many. I feel very, very blessed, very fortunate, very successful, actually, on a number of levels. But ultimately, freedom and autonomy and sanity I consider to be success to the degree that I'm saying yay. [00:03:55] Speaker B: Right. I'm sure this is coming from a lot of experience of not having that. Not in the recent past. [00:04:03] Speaker A: Yes. I have had varying degrees of success according to my own standards. So. It's true. It's true. [00:04:11] Speaker B: All right. It's very funny, actually, what you're sharing. It's very funny because I know you. Right. Like, I know the trajectory of what has happened in the past few years. [00:04:24] Speaker A: Yeah, well, that's how it is with life. There's always upgrades, isn't there? [00:04:29] Speaker B: Right, right. [00:04:31] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:04:31] Speaker B: But I'm happy for you. I'm happy you are in that space. You know what? I'm happy for you. Not only you're in that space, that you are recognizing your fortun fortune, you're recognizing your success. Out of all of the things you could have picked, you picked that. [00:04:49] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. I think it's like if somebody wanted one life and they ended up with a different one, even if the life they ended up with was. Were technically successful, if it wasn't what they considered success, and they are actually a failure. And so I think we have to define success in. In a way that actually is meaningful to us because we might have all the accolades and all the money and all the other stuff, but if that doesn't mean anything, then we're actually not doing very well. Not that there's anything wrong with having money and accolades. That's kind of like an icing on the cake. Why not? But that's not the point of it. [00:05:32] Speaker B: You know, I know someone who's quite wealthy, like private jet wealthy kind of a person. And by any stretch of the imagination, this person is successful in the worldly way that if I talk to him and I don't think he's successful. Right. And I'm looking. When you was talking about yachts and you know, all of that. I was thinking about this person and I was thinking that first, that's how they define success. Even though they're miserable. That's how he defines success. And not only that, right? They don't know how, they don't know how. And they don't want help. They don't know how, they don't know how to even get help. And they don't want help because they feel they have everything or, you know, like something mentally is blocking them from really seeking. And I maybe. And the reason I'm sharing that is that it could be one of my successes is I know what is sustainable happiness, what is sustainably going to get me somewhere and be there, right? Like the soul, the remembrance, you know, I'm love, I'm peace, all of these things that I know these things and I know how. And I am in those states of consciousness a lot of the time. That is success. Because many people, they have everything and they don't want anything else. They would rather have all of the physical trappings and the misery than not than think that, oh, I need help, I'm going to go find this. [00:07:39] Speaker A: Yeah, well, everyone defines their own success. And if that's their limited definition, then that's. But the thing is, are we happy? I mean, if we're depressed and miserable and we don't enjoy our life, then what's the good of having all the money and freedom to do fun stuff if you can't enjoy any of those things? And the other thing with success, which I've been thinking a lot about, is that normally the way that the world is set up is that we do actions like, I'm going to work hard so that I make all this money, right? So that's sort of like success. Oh, I had all this money and I've got the money so that I can have the lifestyle or the, the, you know, this fancy shiny stuff that looks like it's cool and mark markers of success and the Rolex and blah, blah, blah, whatever people think they should have the fashion, et cetera, et cetera. And then hopefully at the end of getting all those things, I'll feel, I don't know, successful or whatever. That even the idea of feeling successful is a bit abstract. Or maybe they'll feel happy or they'll feel contented or they'll feel something or other, right? So the do the work to get the money to get the stuff to feel something, right? That's kind of the progression of things. What we can do in spiritual work, which is which is frankly miraculous, is we can come to the feeling state today, right now, without doing any work, which is really wonderful, actually. We can just get straight to the point, you know, because it might take 50 years to get all the stuff potentially. And by that point, you know, we're burned out our body. We've ruined all our relationships in the pursuit of money and success. We're sick and we're depressed, and we can't enjoy any of it. So spirituality is really just like, getting to the point much quicker. And I remember one time I woke up, I shared this story with you, Shirin. I woke up one time when I was in Hawaii, like, early in the morning, and I was remembering. I'm a soul remembering God. And I was thinking, having God's remembrance because you feel the current of good vibrations from. From God, feeling the vibrations is success. Like, it's just really getting to the end result right now. Like, to me, that's the ultimate success is having remembrance, actually. So every moment of remembrance is like, yay, we're winning. We've already won. We've won it. [00:10:23] Speaker B: Right, Right. I was thinking about someone else I know who's quite successful, and I was thinking about his motivation for what's driving him. Right. I feel what's driving him is respect, that he wants that respect from people. And I'm thinking about what you said, right? Spirituality gets to the crux of the matter much faster. Okay, so. So let's say this person wants respect. And he works long hours, 12 hours, days, you know, and he's quite successful, very successful. And, you know, he seems fine. He has a happy marriage and, you know, he seems fine. Right. Also. But as life would have it, he does have a little headaches here and there, but mostly he's fine, you know, with his work and all of that, he has a few headaches. But if I were to look at him and think, what is driving this soul to work like this and go after this. And also, a lot of luck was involved in his success. A lot of luck was involved. And I feel that respect. Respect, if I am able to. So he's working all this time, he's doing all of this, and he thinks he's going to get respect. Right. So my question is, when does this end? Where does it end? Right. How much respect do I need to get to think, oh, I have enough respect now. I don't need to work this much? [00:12:13] Speaker A: So, I don't know, maybe he needs a few butlers. Yes, sir, what can I do for you, sir? Once you've got enough butlers running around. [00:12:21] Speaker B: Would you like to. Right. [00:12:24] Speaker A: He just needs to get some butlers in and then he can be considerate, game over, you know, success, right. Move on with some next part of his life. [00:12:32] Speaker B: I don't know if there are butlers around here, but anyway. [00:12:36] Speaker A: They need a nice British butler with a mustache to get it done properly. [00:12:42] Speaker B: Right. So one of the things I was thinking about is there's never enough respect, right. I don't think there's ever enough respect that would fill the void in him. But what would definitely fill the void is self respect. If he's able to, or I'm able to sit in my self respect and really be that self, you know, self respect, then I feel that void does get filled. Right. So you could, like you were sharing, you could work, work, work, work, 12 hour days, 50 years and then realize that, oh, that respect never happened. Or you could really work on having self respect right now. Right. Like work towards self respect right now. [00:13:45] Speaker A: Right, yeah. And the irony of course is that giving respect to others tends to get respect back as well, which is something. [00:13:55] Speaker B: But I feel we can't give respect till we really know what self respect is. And if you want to get into self respect, which is actually, I think that's a huge success, is self respect. And there are no shortcuts. You really have to totally identify yourself as a spiritual being and as God's child and really be in that. Be in that. Not just oh, I know, I know, I know. No, you have to really learn to be in that. [00:14:31] Speaker A: Yeah. So all these things that we're talking about, the commonality is that it can be done now, it can be done right away, immediately. This isn't, this isn't 50 years later after loads and loads of hours of stressful work, we can feel better and come into a feeling of success by having these inner practices, remembering God, remembering we're spiritual beings, giving blessings because it's a feeling. End of the day, life is about the feeling state that we're in. That's what we take with us. All our money is not going to come with us. Our body's not going to come with us, our relationships aren't going to come with us. All our stuff but this state of consciousness, our awareness, our feelings, that's what we actually have. [00:15:20] Speaker B: You know, when you're saying that, Michael, this thing is coming to mind, right? So let's say I have something, say a marker of success, like you said, is a yacht. Right? I have a yacht. The question we have to Ask is, how long will you have the yacht? 50 years, you think? [00:15:54] Speaker A: Depends how early they get it. [00:15:56] Speaker B: Right. Let's say 20 years, they'll have the yacht. 20 years or 30 years or whenever. Right. Like let's say if someone is 60 and they have a yacht, so for 30 years they'll have the yacht, but the yacht is going to go to someone else, right? Their children or someone else in 30 years. So do they really have the yacht? [00:16:20] Speaker A: It's only they have access to the yacht. They can use the yacht. It's in their name on piece of paper. [00:16:26] Speaker B: Exactly. Because you can't really own something because all you can do is you're a caretaker for this amount of time. That's it. Yeah, right. [00:16:38] Speaker A: That's such a deep thing, isn't it? The, the illusion of ownership is quite funny, isn't it? Nobody can own anything indefinitely. It's fascinating, really. [00:16:52] Speaker B: Absolutely. And so whatever it is, right, like let's say I worked, worked, worked and became a US Senator or a president and this and that, and I have respect, I have authority, I have power. But for how long, though? Not very long. Right, not very long. Because ultimately at some point everyone dies. And so when you think of success, you need to define it not by this very limited, in this time, what is success? After you die, what are you going to take with you that is success? Because if it's a yacht, you're not taking the yacht with you. [00:17:46] Speaker A: You can't take your yacht to heaven. [00:17:48] Speaker B: Who says they're going to heaven? But wherever they're going, they're not going to take it. [00:17:54] Speaker A: That's right. [00:17:55] Speaker B: And in heaven you don't need your, this yacht right now. [00:17:58] Speaker A: You don't need a yacht. There's. Everyone has. [00:18:00] Speaker B: It already has a. Yeah, it has our yacht. So anyway, so that's how we need to come to what it's like, very personal. Like, this is something, I feel a very important aspect of our lives is we sit down and define what that means for us. After saying all of this, I'm not saying, right, don't do anything. I'm not saying that. Right. Do what you need to do. Do whatever you're calling to do. But remember the balance of spiritual feelings, spiritual experiences are equally important and those spiritual experiences, and that balance is what's going to drive you. Absolutely right. Like let's say your work, right, Your work. Not saying, I'll give up your work and just have remembrance, you know, that's not what you are saying to write. Even though you feel remembrance is success, that's not what you're saying. [00:19:04] Speaker A: It's. No, no, it's. It's not either. Or. Spirituality is kind of paradoxical. And the interesting thing about success is that if I feel successful today with whatever situation I have, and if I enjoy my life today, then. Then I'm already feeling successful. The fact that I'm enjoying my life is success. And then what, what I'm doing, the things that I'm creating are far more likely to lead to external success because the energy of it is already coming from success. So we're not saying don't do anything. We're saying feel success to start with before you do anything because you'll enjoy it more. You know, like today I'm doing videos, I went for a walk, did all these things. I had meditation. It's like I'm enjoying my life, like just being alive in and of itself. I feel successful, and then the outcome of the things I'm creating, that's something down the road. Right. And who knows whether or not what's going to happen? Exactly, exactly. I don't know. But I'm enjoying myself and I'm feeling good about it, and I'm having a higher connection. So as far as I'm concerned, today is a successful day. Life is great. And then we're adding to it with these other things down the road. So it's win, win, win, win, win. Yay. [00:20:28] Speaker B: Yay. Right. So a few days back, I was asking Moini Didi this question, what does success mean? And she was sharing how on the spiritual path, like many people leave, they don't really finish their journey. And I was thinking, oh, I'm still here. That's success. Success. Right. Just being in the game is success. Even if you forget about winning the game, winning the game is being in the game is winning the game. And so the other thing that she said, which was interesting, is the fact that we can do something is success. It's not the outcome of whether what we did. The fact that we can do something is success. [00:21:20] Speaker A: That's interesting. Just having the opportunity and the capacity to act on that opportunity is successful. Yeah. And just to be on a spiritual path at all and to have spiritual knowledge and to be learning things is success. [00:21:34] Speaker B: Absolutely. [00:21:35] Speaker A: Yeah. There's so many successes. So we have to realize how many successes we already have and like, pull them into our heart so we feel that success. Because otherwise it's like we might be surrounded in success, but if we don't, don't recognize it and don't acknowledge it and don't appreciate it, then we can still feel unsuccessful even if we are successful. You know, I think that's actually a trap for a lot of spiritual people, is they might actually have a lot of success anyway. But if we're programmed by any of these external markers, it sabotages our ability to enjoy life, you know, and I. One of the dangers for spiritual people actually is to think what? Well, the final state of enlightenment or the karma teeth stage, the final state where there's no negativity, there's no waste, thoughts, there's no vices, there's none of this stuff. Constantly full of all powers and all virtues. Sixteen celestial degrees, full, the highest on higher, the top of the top, right? If that's my standard for success and I measure myself against it today, then I won't feel successful even if I'm making progress. So, of course we need to have high standards. And that's inspiring. But, like, what did I do that's moving me forward? And can I appreciate that? Can I appreciate the journey? Can I appreciate the little wins that I had, the moments of letting go and all these things? Because I think that's. Do you know, I mean, what do you think about that? Like this having these high standards that we haven't necessarily reached yet? [00:23:12] Speaker B: Yeah, no. You know, there is a difference between success and victory, right? So let's say, like, victory could be that ultimate thing. You're victorious, whatever you're sharing, right? That ultimate thing could be victory. But success is like, very much at my level right now, right? Like, let's say I'm climbing a ladder. I'm not thinking, oh, why am I not on the top rung of the ladder, climbing the ladder? If I am able to take the next step, that is success. The step after that, that is success. Because ultimately you can only take the next step. You can't just suddenly go up there. You have to keep taking steps to get up there. And so all of these little things really add up. [00:24:18] Speaker A: Right? And the more we appreciate them, the more successful we feel. That's why it's very useful to think or write down at the end of the day, like, what are your wins? What are the successes of the day? You know, the personal progress, the. The transformations. Because if we don't pay attention to it, don't notice it, then even if it's there, we don't feel that success. I mean, I know loads of people on Spiritual Path, and I know quite a few people who for various reasons, don't feel good about themselves. And I. I think the Main reason they're not feeling good about themselves is because they're always comparing themselves where they are now between that and where they want to be with a negative comparison. Yeah, but I haven't achieved this, and I haven't achieved this, and I haven't achieved that. Therefore, everything that I've done today and everything I've done in the past doesn't count. There's a devastating way of thinking rather than fair enough. There are things that could be improved, but I'm very grateful that I'm even here and I'm making progress, and that's a win, you know, and that builds on itself. So we have to be very, very careful, don't we, how we measure things? [00:25:33] Speaker B: All right, I'm ready to answer what my success is. [00:25:36] Speaker A: Oh, there she is. She's giving us her successes. What's your success? Tell us all about it. [00:25:43] Speaker B: Several, but the biggest. The biggest one would be my staying power in taking care of the center, keeping the doors open, feeling good about it. I've done it for 26 years. That is success. [00:26:11] Speaker A: Wow. 26 years. 26 years. You didn't think you were doing. Gonna be doing this, did you? [00:26:17] Speaker B: No, didn't think. Right. When you're in your 20s, you think like. Like you don't think past five years, even. Five years seems like what. [00:26:31] Speaker A: Exactly? 26 years. Congratulations. That's a huge success. Just showing up, being there, making things. [00:26:37] Speaker B: Available, being of service, keeping the doors open. [00:26:40] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:26:42] Speaker B: So that I feel is very. That. That one. And the fact that I'm still here on the spiritual path, that is a huge success. And a lot of the work I do now. Right. I feel. Even though it feels divinely inspired, like the books or the meditation courses or, you know, the audio courses, anything, it feels divinely inspired. But still I feel that is success, that I'm able to do it. I don't care how many people read the book, this or that, that I'm able to do it. [00:27:28] Speaker A: You know, there's so many successes. I think it's moment to moment, you know, just. Just the ability to be aware I'm a spiritual being is a success. I actually have. In the shower, I have these little things that stick on the. The shower door, the glass, and on that. I'm trying to remember what it says on it, but something like just being able to breathe in remembrance. God's remembrance is success, you know, the capacity to take action on things that matter, to be in the game, to be of service to. I mean, all these things. And there's that you can add up friends and family and situation. I mean, you can add up this long, long, long, long list. But I personally feel the more our success is based on spiritual things that are in our control under any circumstance, the more stable our success is going to be. Because everything else can be wobbled. You know, like I can say, oh, I'm so grateful for this person. But then they might, you know, not be around or they have a bad day or whatever it is. And then then my. If it's based on that, then then I can feel disturbed. Or I'm so happy that I have all this stuff in my life which all can be taken away. So then that becomes dangerous. Count our blessings. [00:28:47] Speaker B: Count our successes. [00:28:49] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:28:50] Speaker B: Which is slightly different from blessings. I feel like a success could be a blessing, but not all blessings are successes. [00:29:04] Speaker A: Not all blessings were created by us in some way. It's true. We might be blessed by all sorts of things which we didn't do anything to achieve. Yeah, it's a good point. [00:29:15] Speaker B: So count your successes, right? People say, count your blessings, count your. [00:29:20] Speaker A: Successes, count your successes, count your wins. And the more you count, the more success you have, and that it becomes a success in itself, just counting the success, you know, just being able to do that. So we want everyone listening to write a long, long list, get a piece of paper out, write as many successes as you can and feel them in your heart so that you feel successful. And that energy of success will actually spill over into things in your life that will make whatever you're doing easier. And then there'll be more and more successes coming from more and more successes. Yay. Do we have success as a blessing? Is there one of your things or is that not a blessing? [00:30:09] Speaker B: I don't know. [00:30:10] Speaker A: Does the blessings success? Shireen channels all these wonderful downloads, these wonderful books, and she doesn't know what they are, which is like me, actually. People say, oh, really? [00:30:21] Speaker B: There are 116 of them. How am I remembering what I wrote two years ago? [00:30:26] Speaker A: Is two years ago 116 success. Is it a blessing? [00:30:36] Speaker B: No, success is not a blessing. [00:30:40] Speaker A: What about creativity? But I was. I was saying about downloading things, it's actually a good thing. We don't know because it comes through. We're sort of open to receive as best we can, guidance and inspiration. And then we do something and then we let it go. And that. That is a success as well, actually, to not be sort of too caught up in everything. All right, so what's our blessing? [00:31:07] Speaker B: Creativity. Your creativity comes from the inner realm. You have connected to the stillness and love of your core, allowing your true self and unique brilliance to unfold your creations. Carry this love, radiating goodness that contribute beauty to the world. [00:31:36] Speaker A: Of success. Right there, isn't it? Yay. Any final thoughts on success? [00:31:47] Speaker B: No. Take time and find the one or two things that you really feel that was a success in your life. Right? Because we, each of us really need to feel motivated and feel good about something in our lives. Right. If we don't do something good, then we don't feel it. You have to feel a sense of accomplishment, and that sense of accomplishment cannot be faked. Right. There's one extreme to keep going, keep going, keep going, work for 50 years and not do, you know, not think about why you're doing, why you're working so hard. But then there's the other extreme of not having any accomplishments. [00:32:41] Speaker A: And normally it's the ones that were most meaningful to us personally and also oftentimes took quite a lot of effort that we feel most successful for. You know, like, if I've tried something again and again that's meaningful to me and tried and failed, tried and failed, and then finally achieved success, that's like, yes, thank goodness. That makes a big difference because it's gone through all this stuff to get there. You know, if it's too easy, we generally don't have that same feeling about the accomplishment. So everyone can write a list and if there aren't the successes you want in your life, then you can ask the question, well, what would success look like and what can you do to move in that direction so you have it, whether it's internal or external. So, yay. Thank you so much for being here. We have loads of other courses and programs and trainings, all for free because we just want to share with you. You can get them in the description, as always. And Shireen, thank you for your lovely presence. [00:33:49] Speaker B: Thank you, Michael. [00:33:54] Speaker A: Wishing everyone success, success, success, and many, many blessings. [00:34:00] Speaker B: Om Shanti.