As one year ends and another begins, many of us make lists of goals we hope will bring us a sense of accomplishment. But sometimes what we think of as “success” can shift dramatically with just a little outside perspective.

For years, every Christmas I spent hours deep-cleaning the house in preparation for extended family visits. In my mind, a successful holiday required spotless countertops and dust-free baseboards. Every December I wound up scrubbing until my fingers were raw, promising myself that next year I’d start earlier.

One year, starting early actually made my annual list of goals. I was knee-deep in cleaning when one of my daughters wandered in and asked—eyes wide with excitement—“Who’s coming to visit?” For a split second, I assumed she meant: “We must live in our own filth the rest of the year.” But what she really wanted to know was whether her cousins were coming. In her mind, my obsessive cleaning signaled fun family time ahead. Her perspective made me realize that my definition of a “successful” holiday—a pristine house—was far less important than the relationships we were preparing for. Sometimes, an outside perspective opens your eyes in the best way.

A much bigger perspective shift happened to Alfred Nobel when he unexpectedly read his own obituary. Before that moment, the Swedish engineer likely saw his life as a great success—he had amassed a fortune through inventions, most notably dynamite. But when a French newspaper mistakenly published Alfred’s obituary instead of his brother Ludvig’s, they condemned him as “The Merchant of Death,” blaming him for the destructive uses of his inventions. According to the Nobel Foundation, the shock of reading how the world might remember him deeply affected Alfred. He rewrote his will, leaving most of his fortune to establish the Nobel Prizes—including the Prize for Peace—for which he is now honored.

Most of us will never read our own obituary, and many are much better with domestic arts than I am. But as you build your list of goals for the new year, it may be worth seeking an outside perspective. Sometimes a small shift in viewpoint can change everything about what “success” really means.

~Article by Stacy Turner
~Photo credit: Adobe Stock / By lexiconimages