There is something about success that can be dangerously intoxicating. A person who yesterday struggled to find his feet may wake up today to a measure of comfort, influence or recognition and suddenly behave as though he was born into greatness. The memory of where he came from disappears almost overnight. People who once stood by him become insignificant, while those now surrounding him because of his new status are treated as though they have always been part of his life.
This is one of the unfortunate ironies of human existence. Many people pray for success, but few pray for the wisdom and humility to handle it when it eventually comes. Those who make progress in life often forget the days when they had little or nothing, the people who encouraged them when nobody believed in them, and the hands that lifted them when they were down. They forget the doors opened for them when they lacked the influence to open any themselves.
Then success arrives, sometimes accompanied by an inflated sense of self-importance. Some begin to behave like demigods who must be worshipped. They speak to people anyhow, look down on those they consider less fortunate and become unnecessarily arrogant in their dealings. They act as though their present circumstances are permanent and their position is a divine guarantee that they will remain there forever.
But life has a peculiar way of teaching lessons that pride refuses to learn. Nobody owns tomorrow.
Success is not a permanent destination
The person celebrated today may be forgotten tomorrow. Someone sitting in a position of authority today may be seeking an opportunity tomorrow. The wealthy businessman whose name is on everyone’s lips may one day struggle to keep his business afloat. The politician surrounded by praise singers may become an ordinary citizen after leaving office, while the influential public servant who once had people standing at attention may eventually discover that the same people no longer answer his calls.
This is why humility is not merely a virtue; it is wisdom. Those who remember their humble beginnings understand that life is a journey rather than a permanent destination. They know that circumstances change, fortune can be unpredictable and today’s advantage can become tomorrow’s disadvantage.
Unfortunately, many people behave as though they own the universe once they achieve a measure of success. A young man gets a good job and suddenly believes that everybody who earns less than him is a failure. Someone acquires a car and begins to look with contempt at people who use public transport. A politician wins an election and behaves as though the mandate gives him the right to insult or humiliate those who did not vote for him. An individual is appointed to a position of authority and immediately forgets that the position is temporary.
Even in everyday relationships, this arrogance is increasingly common. People who once depended on friends for transport ignore those same friends when they acquire cars. Those who once borrowed money to pay their children’s school fees become too important to associate with people struggling to meet their obligations. Some who once lived in rented apartments and complained about the cost of food begin to ridicule those who remain in similar circumstances.
There is something profoundly wrong with such an attitude. Success should make a person more compassionate, not more arrogant. If you have experienced hardship, you should understand the pain of those still going through it. If you have once been rejected, you should appreciate the importance of giving someone else an opportunity. If someone helped you when you had nothing, your success should give you the capacity to help others rather than the arrogance to despise them.
Sadly, some people suffer from what may be described as selective memory. They remember every achievement but conveniently forget the struggles that preceded it. They remember buying their first car but forget the days they trekked; they remember their first appointment but forget those who recommended them; they remember their graduation but forget the sacrifices their parents made to educate them. Political office holders may remember their victories while forgetting the ordinary people who campaigned, voted and stood behind them.
Our humble beginnings are therefore not embarrassing chapters that should be hidden once we become successful. They are part of our identity and reminders of how far we have travelled.
The true test of character
There is also a danger in treating people with disdain because of their present circumstances. The person ignored today may become the person needed tomorrow. Life is full of reversals. The young graduate struggling to find employment may become the chief executive of a major organisation. The junior staff member bullied by a superior may eventually become his boss. A politician mocked after losing an election may return stronger at another time. The neighbour dismissed as irrelevant may someday be the person capable of offering assistance.
This is not a call to live in fear of losing one’s fortune. It is a call to live responsibly and humanely. Wealth, power and influence should be used to improve the lives of others, not to make them feel inferior.
Perhaps one of the greatest tests of character is how a person treats those who cannot do anything for him. It is easy to be courteous to someone who can offer a job, award a contract or advance an ambition. The real measure of character is how one treats the cleaner, security guard, messenger, junior colleague, struggling neighbour or stranger who has absolutely nothing to offer.
A truly successful person does not need to announce his importance. His conduct speaks for him.
There are people who become more humble as they become more successful. Their achievements make them realise how fortunate they have been, and they become more willing to give, mentor, encourage and lift others. Such people understand that no one rises entirely by himself.
Behind many successful people are countless acts of kindness, opportunities, sacrifices, prayers, encouragement and circumstances that cannot be reduced to personal brilliance alone. Recognising this should produce gratitude rather than arrogance.
Parents and society must also teach younger people that success is not a licence for arrogance. We must raise a generation that understands that material possessions do not determine human worth. The fact that someone has less money does not make him less human, just as occupying a lower position does not make someone inferior. Positions change, fortunes change and circumstances change, but human dignity remains.
Power, humility, the memory of yesterday
Those in positions of political and public authority must take this lesson particularly seriously. Public office is temporary. The power attached to it belongs to the people and is entrusted to those who occupy such positions for a limited period. It should, therefore, never become an excuse to humiliate citizens or treat them as though they are without dignity.
History is filled with stories of powerful people who eventually became ordinary. Some who once commanded enormous respect were later ignored, while others who treated people badly eventually found themselves needing those they had despised. When that reality finally dawns on them, they often become surprisingly humble.
Humility, however, should not come only after a fall. It should be present while we are rising.
We should remember the small house, the old shoes, the difficult school years, the empty pockets, the long journeys and the people who believed in us when we had nothing to show for ourselves. Those memories are not weaknesses. They are reminders of our humanity and should strengthen our determination to extend to others the opportunities and kindness we once received.
Ultimately, nobody is so successful that he does not need somebody else. Nobody is so powerful that he is beyond the reach of circumstances, and nobody is so secure that tomorrow cannot change his fortunes. The wisest among us therefore remains grounded.
Remember where you came from. Treat people with dignity. Be grateful for every opportunity and help those coming behind you. Never mistake temporary success for permanent ownership of the universe.
Today may be your season of abundance. Tomorrow may be somebody else’s. When that tomorrow comes, may we all have the humility to remember how we once needed others and the grace to treat others with the same kindness we once received.