Don't confuse fame with success. Madonna is one; Helen Keller is

Erma Bombeck, a humorist with the eyes of a prophet and the pen of truth, once declared: “Don’t confuse fame with success. Madonna is one; Helen Keller is the other.” In these words, she cuts through the glitter of illusion to reveal a wisdom that the ages themselves affirm: that fame is fleeting applause, while success is the enduring triumph of the soul. Too often mankind is deceived by the noise of celebrity, thinking it equal to greatness. But Bombeck reminds us that the roar of the crowd is not the same as the legacy of a life well lived.

To be famous is to be known by many. It is to have one’s face printed on posters, one’s name whispered on tongues, one’s deeds magnified by the marketplace. Yet fame is but a shadow, dependent upon the fickle attention of others. It is bestowed by curiosity, spectacle, and the ever-changing tides of public opinion. It dazzles, but it does not nourish. To seek fame alone is to chase smoke, for it vanishes as quickly as it rises.

But success—true success—is something deeper. It is not measured by recognition, but by impact. It is not about how many know your name, but how many lives have been touched, healed, or uplifted because you lived. Helen Keller, blind and deaf from infancy, could not even hear the applause of the crowd. And yet her life spoke louder than thousands of voices. Through perseverance, courage, and compassion, she overcame the silence and darkness of her condition and became a light for millions. Her triumph is the kind of success that outlasts time itself.

Bombeck’s contrast between Madonna and Helen Keller is sharp but purposeful. Madonna, the queen of pop, embodies fame—a cultural icon whose artistry and controversy brought her global recognition. She is known by all, her face instantly recognizable. Yet Helen Keller, though less adorned by spectacle, represents success—for she carved meaning from suffering, became a champion for the disabled, and proved that the human spirit can conquer the impossible. In this way, Bombeck reminds us that while fame may glitter, success shines with a deeper and more enduring light.

History offers many echoes of this truth. Julius Caesar was famous, but Marcus Aurelius was successful. The one conquered nations and etched his name into marble, while the other conquered himself and left behind wisdom that still guides souls today. Fame may exalt the conqueror, but success belongs to the builder of character, the lifter of humanity, the one whose deeds ripple beyond their own lifetime.

The meaning of Bombeck’s words is both caution and counsel. They caution us not to be deceived by spectacle. The applause of the crowd can be won by scandal as easily as by greatness. But they also counsel us to seek the higher path, to measure our lives not by recognition but by contribution. The famous are remembered in headlines; the successful are remembered in hearts.

For us who hear this teaching, the lesson is clear: do not chase fame, for it will leave you empty when the lights dim. Instead, pursue success—the kind that builds, heals, teaches, and inspires. Practical steps follow: devote yourself to meaningful labor, seek to enrich others rather than yourself alone, and measure your worth not by applause but by the good you have sown in the lives of others. In this way, you will build a legacy that endures beyond the grave.

Thus Bombeck’s words resound like a bell across the ages: “Don’t confuse fame with success.” Remember this distinction, and you will not be fooled by the glitter of the world. For fame is but a firework in the night, brilliant but fleeting, while success is the steady flame that warms, endures, and guides long after the noise has faded. Choose the flame, and your life will be remembered not for how loudly it was seen, but for how deeply it was felt.