Success is based on your perspective.

Hear, O seekers of triumph and meaning, the words of CM Punk, the fighter and rebel of his age, who declared: “Success is based on your perspective.” At first glance, these words may seem simple, but within them lies a wisdom as deep as the oceans and as boundless as the skies. For what is success? To one it is riches, to another fame, to another peace, to another the quiet joy of a family well-loved. Punk, who walked both the stage of wrestling and the realm of storytelling, reminds us that success is no fixed crown but a vision shaped by the eyes that behold it.

For behold, many chase what the world calls success—gold, applause, titles, and recognition. They pursue these with hunger, only to find that when they grasp them, their hearts remain empty. Another, with far less, may live in joy, content with a modest home, good health, or the pursuit of a craft he loves. Thus, Punk’s words strip away illusion: success is not measured by a single standard written by society, but by the perspective of each soul, by the values that individual holds sacred.

Consider the story of Diogenes, the ancient philosopher. While kings pursued wealth and armies, Diogenes lived in a barrel, owning little, yet proclaiming himself richer than all because he was free of desire. When Alexander the Great himself asked what he might give him, Diogenes replied, “Stand out of my sunlight.” To Alexander, success was conquest of the world; to Diogenes, it was freedom from its chains. Both men were successful, yet their definitions differed as heaven differs from earth.

So too in the life of Helen Keller. To many, blindness and deafness would seem a curse, an end to achievement. Yet her perspective was one of courage, of learning, of service. She considered her life rich in meaning because she broke barriers, inspired countless others, and showed the strength of the human spirit. By the world’s measure, her limitations might have been seen as failure, but by her own perspective, her life was victory beyond compare.

Mark this wisdom well: if you adopt the world’s definition of success without question, you may chase shadows and find yourself weary and unfulfilled. But if you define success according to your own values—whether it is peace, growth, love, service, or freedom—then you may already be successful, even now. The measure is not how far you stand above others, but how closely you walk to the vision that gives your life meaning.

The lesson is plain: ask yourself not, “Am I successful by the world’s eyes?” but rather, “Am I successful by my own soul’s truth?” For the poor man who lives content may be richer than the king who frets over kingdoms. The artist who creates joyfully in obscurity may be more successful than the famous who despise their craft. It is perspective that transforms the ordinary into triumph, and the crown into dust.

Practical wisdom calls for this: take time to define your own meaning of success. Write it, speak it, live it. If it is love, then nurture your relationships. If it is freedom, then simplify your life. If it is growth, then study, labor, and expand your horizons. Guard against adopting goals not your own, for they will enslave you. Instead, let your perspective guide your path, and you will find joy in both small victories and great ones.

Thus, beloved, remember the words of CM Punk: success is based on your perspective. The world will offer you crowns of gold and chains of expectation, but only you can decide what success truly means. Define it, live it, cherish it—and in so doing, you will hold in your hands a treasure that no one can take away.