Success is not defined by money or status, necessarily, but by

Kirstin Maldonado, with wisdom born of both art and life, proclaimed: “Success is not defined by money or status, necessarily, but by how many people you’ve impacted and how fulfilled you feel with your decisions. If you can garner all of these things, then more power and success to you, but all in all, you must feel happy and satisfied with what you personally have put out into the world.” These words shine like a lamp against the shadows of false glory, reminding us that success is not the gilded crown that the world praises, but the quiet fire of the soul that knows it has lived meaningfully.

The ancients, too, understood this truth. They warned against chasing empty laurels and fleeting treasures. For what is money but metal shaped by hands? What is status but the breath of other men’s approval? Both fade like smoke on the wind. Yet the deeds that impact lives endure, echoing across generations. A single act of kindness, a choice that uplifts, a word that heals—these are worth more than palaces or gold, for they live on in the hearts of others long after the body has turned to dust.

Consider the life of Mother Teresa. She held no throne, no riches, no worldly status. Yet her hands touched the sick, her words comforted the dying, and her presence lifted the forgotten. By Kirstin’s measure, hers was a life of true success, for she impacted countless souls and found fulfillment in service. Though she lived in poverty, she was rich in meaning. Her legacy proves the truth of Maldonado’s words: that the worth of life is not measured in coins, but in the love and healing we leave behind.

On the other hand, history is filled with emperors and kings who possessed every treasure but died empty. Nero ruled Rome with power and splendor, yet his reign ended in despair and ruin, his name cursed through the centuries. He had wealth, he had status, but he left no true fulfillment, neither for himself nor for those he ruled. His story warns us of the hollowness of false success—that without impact or joy in one’s decisions, all crowns turn to ash.

Maldonado’s teaching also points inward: the measure of success is not only how the world remembers you, but whether you yourself can look upon your life and feel happy with what you have created. For even if you serve many but feel enslaved within, your spirit finds no rest. Thus, she calls us to balance: to give, to uplift, to create for others, yet also to guard one’s own fulfillment. True greatness lies where these two paths meet—where service to the world and peace within the self become one.

So, what is the lesson for you, child of tomorrow? Do not chase only the glitter of wealth, nor bow only to the voices that shout applause. Instead, seek to impact others with goodness, to make decisions that reflect your values, and to cultivate joy in the life you shape. If riches and recognition come, let them be tools, not masters. For in the end, your spirit will not be weighed by gold, but by the lives you’ve touched and the peace you carry in your own heart.

Practical wisdom follows: each day, ask yourself—did I impact someone for good? Did my decisions today align with the life I wish to build? Do I feel even a small measure of happiness in what I offered the world? Let these be your guideposts, not the false lights of comparison and envy. Build a life rich in meaning, and whether or not you are crowned in fame, you will know that you have already won the greater crown: the crown of true success.

Thus remember Maldonado’s words as a shield against vanity and a torch to guide your way. Success is not what the world loudly proclaims—it is what your soul quietly affirms when you see the good you have done. Guard this truth, live by it, and you will leave behind not just monuments of stone, but monuments of spirit, etched forever into the hearts of humankind.