The Prophet

I enjoy this great definition of what "Success" really is:

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• A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving. ~Lao Tzu
• Motorcyles are not my whole life, but they make my life whole. ` me

kingmoham

I agree with the definition of success, although there is debate as to whether or not Ralph Waldo Emerson penned the quotation. See link..

Ralph Waldo Emerson Misquote

Those who don't agree (or understand) with the definition, live in an unending perpetual search, often maligned by varied rationalizations, of who & what they have become, are & will be.

In the end however, most folks will find there own success.

The Prophet

Before someone chides in...

I'm not against someone trying to better their lifestyle, earning a good salary, having a nice home, car, whatever. In fact, I think most of us here have all that (the impression I get from the tones and content of a majority of the threads and posts.)
We've all been there/done that.

What I preach(!) to my kids (4, all over 21 now) is not to get hung up in the pursuit of wealth and/or material things too much and never put it in front of faith, family, or friends.

If you buy a 75 inch flat screen TV - someone ALWAYS will buy one bigger.

If you buy an 8000 square foot home - Someone will always buy one bigger.

If you buy a $150,000 sports car - you get the drift. It never ends.

I know a LOT more miserable and depressed wealthy people than I know middle and lower income people to be. I think some folks really, truly believe that next big conspicuous consumption purchase is going to be the one to make them finally happy... and it never is.

Maybe this is why we like to ride. To me, there are not many other pursiuts that can bring so much joy and peacefulness as a three hour jaunt through some scenic place.

motowebmaster

I'd like to have one of hundreds of unoccupied trophy homes just north of me - but I'm too tight to own two homes, regardless what financial situation I'm in.

Not everyone understands why I'd drive around in something less than a luxury SUV, to some an FJCruiser isn't impressive, but I can do practically anything in it without concern.

I'll probably end up buying a more powerful bike someday, but am still having fun on my VFR.

While there is no such thing as a goal or limit to how much time one donates, I feel fortunate to have been a part of the lives of several children; many I knew for a short time; at home, representing them in front of their birth parents, and in court.

For those who can't have a family on their own, seeing the glow in my wife's face after our adoption is priceless. The ability to get an unlimited amount of hubbie-gimmes for the rest of my life is something I'd call successful

I could go on, but I'd like to think that being successful is closely associated to what one creates / contributes. My normal life is spent in a career for a Fortune 10 Company, and in that role I fit the mold of an aggressive corporate personality - but I wouldn't be able to do it for long if I weren't able to come home and create things on my computer.

Along with my family, that is what keeps me sane

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Shawn
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SidecarFlip

'Success' to me is living to 60 with most of my parts intact, dying once and coming back (thanks to modern medicine) and still being able to ride motorcycles, manufacture acessories and market them (thank you Shawn).

It's being able to get up in the morning and do what I want to, well, almost everything I want to, my old, stiff chassis don't move like it used to and when you get serious incisions, they never completely heal up so some things you used to do are off limits.

I still farm and ride and look at young girls and yes, they all want to ride in the sidecar and yes, I always oblige.

YES......I'm a 'dirty old man'.

I'm very fortunate to be here and I appreciate every day I have above ground. I might not outwardly show that, but I do. I'm also fortunate to have a wife that is supportive of whatever I want to do. Marriage can't get any better than that.

That's my 'ruler' of success.

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MIA

The Prophet

These are some excellent definitions and stories - inspiring.

I too would be called part of "Corporate" America, but so be it. I never screwed anyone, cheated anyone, or stepped on anyone. I started at the very bottom 34 years ago, worked extremely hard (as my Dad taught me), learned everything I could about the business, and here I am.

Our business is global, and we have 84 factories all around the world to serve local geographic areas. This creates meaningful jobs, careers, and opportunities without taking anything away from good ol' USA folks. Actually it creates more jobs for USA guys.

I get to see parts of the world many others don't get the opportunity to, I see many different cultures, I see real poverty, and real hardship. Being out of the US for the majority of the time, and working with primarily Asian, then Australian/British/European cultures, I have a perspective with which to weigh and balance what I see back here in the states.

I've seen our business grow from zip to a multi-billion dollar corporation, and I've seen the sad deterioration of character, work ethic, objectives and spending practices with the current new staff people. Yeah, maybe I'm just becoming an old koot (coot?), complaining all the time, but there you have it.

Notice how I say "Our" business, even though I'm really just an employee? That's how I feel though. I'll keep doing it as long as it is enjoyable, which it is, otherwise I'd spend all day chasing the wife around!

My kids and grandkids come over every weekend not because they have to, but because we have loads of fun, and I let my grandsons drive the tractor and stuff.

The gals cook up something real good, and my two sons and tinker with the bikes and then for a 2 hour ride in the countryside. Later I yell at my one son for still smoking cigarettes, and my daughter always makes huge 2000 calorie ice cream sundaes.

It's funny how your priorities and interests change with each decade, and yes, we older guys still understand what's important to a twenty-something, a thirty-something, a guy in his forties, and so on. Targets shift and change. But in the end, it's all about family, friends, good health, and the good work and memories you leave behind.

Life doesn't get any better than that.

SidecarFlip

One thing I have no desire to do is travel outside the United States. No desire at all. There is planty enough diversity in land, customs, people and geography to keep me content right here. I've had the opportunity to visit Japan and Oz but I've never done it and I don't regret it either.

motowebmaster

The only international point I've been to is Mexico, several times, but haven't been there since my last trip to Cancun. We watched Saddam Hussein's statue taken down on CNN from our hotel room on the beach. I climbed the Chichen Itza pyramid on that trip.

Also saw a Mexican Biker Gang on that trip, and it was weird

SidecarFlip

Mexico is a land of civersity as well. The rich and the extremely poor. Nothing in between, no middle class. Just what Obama envisions for us.

My late mom's sister is married to a Mexican fellow. He's a retired Chemist for DuPont. He graduated from the University of Mexico, Mexico City. He never had any desire to venture across the border.

The Prophet

One of my favorite things about this forum is how we so often go from topics like "Success", all the way to "Mexico", then around another corner, sort of like a Pub conversation!

Mexico is, and has always been a repressed country. Big Bizniz and the Guvmint ally to keep the general masses poor, dumb and barefoot, as it suits their political and economic selfish goals.

The US citizens complain about Mexicans crossing the border and taking away all the minimum wage entry level jobs, then look blindly away when our US manufacturing corporations cross the border the other way seeking to set up shop and further exploit these lower, controlled wages. More jobs are lost all the way up the scale when US bizniz relocates outside the country.

You never hear of the US Guvmint requesting that big bizniz pay fair and equal wages to the underclasses in Mexico, which would keep their folks in, and ours folks out.

In the last 5 years, I've maybe worked in Mexico 20% of my time, and specifically in 2008, I spent like 90% of my time from January to August. Know a lot of good folks down there, and some bad/exploitive folks. I'm done for now (whew!), but it was an interesting and fulfilling project.

Oddly, their construction industry is almost the opposite from ours. Concrete workers - mixers, finishers, etc., are the lowest paid, lowest level workers, as in maybe US$1.00/Hr. Most of the guys on the site are "helpers", paid almost nothing, with maybe 2-3 guys who are "skilled" doing all the supervising. End result in quality is total, absolute crap, but dirt cheap. You CAN get quality, but you'll have to go through a nervous breakdown a few times first. Half-kidding, but it IS extremely difficult.

Point is: (at last!) The Government(s) are just as responsible for the conditions, illegal migration, and exploitation of the people as anyone, but cover-ups and political shenanigans abound. There is too much money and political power to be had to ever change this.

Bob