Success & Wine
HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED THE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN SUCCESS AND SUBSTANCE/ALCOHOL ADDICTION?
They seem like opposites but have similar effects in regard to how they can take over our lives. Success in and of itself is not a bad thing, any more than wine is a bad thing. Both can bring fun and joy to life. But both become oppressive when they are a substitute for—instead of a complement to—Christ and the relationships and love that should be at the center of our lives. When out of order, the sacrifices that both success and wine require are the same: damaged or broken relationships and enslavement to its whims and machinations.
A friend recently shared an article from The Atlantic written by Arthur C. Brooks, a senior fellow at the Harvard Business School; it is titled, ‘Success Addicts’ Choose Being Special Over Being Happy. The article is worth reading. Brooks uses addiction to illustrate his point.
“Imagine reading a story titled “The Relentless Pursuit of Booze.” You would likely expect a depressing story about a person in a downward alcoholic spiral. Now imagine instead reading a story titled “The Relentless Pursuit of Success.” That would be an inspiring story, wouldn’t it?”
“Maybe—but maybe not. It might well be the story of someone whose never-ending quest for more and more success leaves them perpetually unsatisfied and incapable of happiness.”
The reality, whether we are ready to acknowledge this truth or not, is that happiness will never be found in success, alcohol, kids, spouses, sex or achievements–-they are all good things that will fail us. To live otherwise is like getting on a treadmill to go to the grocery store; it’s not possible.
Our daughter, EA, got a hamster for her birthday last week. That poor little hamster gets on the treadmill and runs on it like the treadmill leads to freedom from the cage. Humans are a lot like hamsters in this way. Psychologist call this the hedonic treadmill. It is a theory that people almost always return to their baseline level of happiness, regardless of what happens to them. It’s a treadmill because satisfaction wears off almost immediately and we must run on to the next reward to avoid the feeling of falling behind… we are chasing something that cannot satisfy on a path that literally leads to insanity.
YOU ARE NOT A HAMSTER. WHAT ARE YOU CHASING THAT CANNOT SATISFY? HOW DOES ONE GET OFF THE HEDONIC TREADMILL AND PURSUE FREEDOM FROM THE CAGE?
First, stop and think about what is important to you. Don’t base your answer on ideology but on how you actually spend your time and money. Then examine your bank account and ask someone you love what they think is most important to you – humbly listen to their answer. “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom” (Proverbs 11:2). “Before a downfall the heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor” (Proverbs 18:12).
Second, practice a life of repentance. Do this by humbly looking to something greater than yourself as a continual practice and posture. “Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God” (Hebrews 12).
Just start there and see where it takes you. One of the greatest evidences that you belong to Jesus is what do you do with your failure. It is not someone’s record of perceived success but their repentance that marks a life lived for God; it’s when one sees their sin and runs to Jesus as the only hope. A keystone sign of spiritual life is marked by habitually coming to Jesus with the humble acknowledgement, I need you.
