How do we judge success?

The way we view ourselves is too often affected by how society views us.

Compare the man who lives in a big house, has a well paid job in the city, drives an expensive car, goes on exotic holidays and spends lots of money on leisure activities with another man of the same age, who lives in a two bed roomed flat on the fifth floor of a tower block. He catches the train to work, as he doesn’t have a car, hasn’t been on holiday for years and rarely goes out because he can’t afford it. Who would society initially regard as the most successful?

Sadly, many people judge success solely on what we possess and how much money we earn.  Lower income earners can be made to feel inferior. The very term High Net Worth Individual, suggests that society puts value on prosperity.

However, what of the man in the flat? Perhaps he is a dedicated youth worker, who spends his life helping troubled teenagers to turn their lives around, mentoring them and putting them on the right path. Despite low pay, he finds his job rewarding and fulfilling. He is happy. He has a loving wife and a child on the way. The man who lives in a big house, might work in the city as a bond dealer but find his job unfulfilling, has a failed marriage and is continually looking for satisfaction in the things he can afford to buy. Who should we now consider to be the most successful?

Of course these are extreme examples, tailored to make a point. I’m not suggesting that all bond dealers or wealthy people are unhappy and unfulfilled, nor indeed vice versa, but the point is why doesn’t society judge success on what we do and how we approach life, rather than what we own? And even more importantly, when will we judge our own success on what we do rather than what we own?

We all want to live comfortable lives without financial worries, but that should not mean that we have to sacrifice our personal fulfilment to achieve monetary success.

Saul Djanogly is an interesting case in this respect. He started his career working on the floor of the London Stock Exchange in 1982. He has since practised as a private client stockbroker and investment manager and now runs his own Wealth Management business with a special focus on Values Based Financial Planning. Unusually, he previously trained as a Rabbi and holds a degree in Jewish Studies from London University. So how does he balance his ethical training with commercial success apply these principles to his commercial life?

His answer is simple and does not just apply in business but in life generally. “I am not what I have, but what I give to others.  If I give value in business to my customers and colleagues, then I am successful. Equally, if I give value in business, the money will follow.’

Come and hear Saul Djanogly talk at the LJCC on Thursday December 1^st on the Kabbala of Money.