Success is not a function of the size of your title but the

“Success is not a function of the size of your title but the richness of your contribution.” Thus spoke Robin S. Sharma, a teacher of leadership and inner mastery, whose words pierce through the illusions of worldly ambition. For he reminds us that success does not reside in the grandeur of titles, crowns, or positions, but in the depth and nobility of what one gives to the world. A title may impress the eye, but only contribution nourishes the soul and leaves a legacy that endures beyond time.

The ancients long understood this truth. They taught that the worth of a man was not measured by the weight of his robes or the length of his name, but by the richness of his deeds. Kings may sit upon golden thrones, but if their reign bore no fruit for their people, history remembers them with disdain. Meanwhile, unknown laborers, teachers, and healers—men and women whose names never filled scrolls—are honored in eternity for the quiet seeds they planted in the hearts of others. Thus, titles fade, but contribution endures.

Consider the life of Mother Teresa, a woman with no grand title, no political power, no worldly wealth. Yet her contribution—caring for the poorest of the poor, tending to those abandoned and forgotten—echoed across nations. Presidents, popes, and generals bore titles, but her name became synonymous with compassion. She proved that true success is not to be exalted above others, but to kneel beside them, lifting them with love.

History gives us another mirror in the figure of Marcus Aurelius, emperor of Rome. Though his title was supreme, his true greatness was not in being Caesar, but in his contribution of wisdom. His Meditations, written for no audience but himself, became a gift to generations unborn. His rule was marked not by excess, but by service and duty. He teaches us that even those with titles must remember that their worth lies not in the throne they sit upon, but in the richness of what they give to others.

The lesson is clear: the world often seduces us to chase titles—manager, director, president, king. But these are only shadows. The true measure of a life lies in what we build, in who we help, in the goodness we add to the story of humanity. A person of low title who uplifts many is greater than a person of high title who uplifts none. Contribution is the true crown of success.

O seekers of wisdom, heed this teaching. Ask not, “What title do I carry?” but rather, “What legacy do I leave?” Do not measure yourself by the grandeur of your office, but by the lives you touch, the burdens you lighten, the hope you kindle in others. For the size of your title may fade with your death, but your contribution will live as a flame that burns long after you are gone.

In practice, this means giving richly wherever you are planted. If you are a student, contribute with curiosity and courage. If you are a worker, contribute with diligence and integrity. If you are a leader, contribute by lifting others higher than yourself. Begin small, but give deeply. For each act of contribution is a thread in the tapestry of true success.

Thus Sharma’s words endure as a call across the ages: success is not the size of your title, but the richness of your contribution. Let go of empty crowns, and seek instead to give. For only in giving do we rise, and only in contributing do we discover the true measure of a successful life.