THE ESSENCE OF SUCCESS

(A Spiritual Reflection)
By: E. Nadzier Wiriadinata

Everyone In this life strives with all his strength and thougth for
success. However, not everyone has the same benchmark of
success. Some of us put worldly values as a foothold in formulating
a measure of success. The others frame the measure of success by
using spiritual values as its foothold. There are some others who are
confused as to what formulation of the success they should pick and
they believe to fight for.

Whatever formula of the success he chooses each formula must

have its own consequences to his life. Therefore, since the
beginning a person should be observant to determine precisely
what benchmark of success he would choose. Early determination
of the benchmark of success will largely determine his life style and
his quality of life, both in this world and the Hereafter. Not only that,
the determination of benchmarks will have an impact on the
environment in which he lives, but also the environment where he
works.

When a person determines the formulation of success based on

measures of worldly foothold the benchmark of success which he
adheres consistently orients worldliness. This means that in the
eyes of adherents of such ideology success depends heavily on how
much he was able to reach for riches / worldliness. For adherents of
this version, the richer he was, the more he succeed. The poorer the
more he failed. in the eyes of the life orientation of this kind, 'Wong
Ndeso' who comes to town and then returns home without
experiencing an increase of temporal aspects, the 'Wong Ndeso' is
not going to be claimed as a successful man, although spiritually,
quality of his belief and virtue get improved.

Psychological impact of ideology on its adherent’s personality are:

1. an adherent of this ideology is very easy to be tempted to do
a variety of ways in how wealth could be reached as much as
possible;
2. never satisfied with what he owns;
3. embedded nature of the greedy;
4. hard to get peace / inner peace in his life, because his
peace / tranquility is highly dependent on the materials /
objects that he possesses
5. brittle soul. Especially when the disaster robs the property/
objects that he possesses
 6. enslaved by material

Unlike the case with someone who believes that success in life lies
not in worldly values. For adherents of this ideology, things earthly
is needed once in living life which is so hard and competitive, but
these worldly values is merely a supporting factor in achieving the
real success, namely TRUE MAN/ INSAN KAMIL/ PIOUS MAN
(MUTTAQIN).
For adherents of this ideology, wealth and riches he achieved mean
nothing if they were not able to assist efforts to improve the quality
of spiritual / Divine values that he should hold firmly in their daily
lives.

According to this ideology, the true life is the life of Hereafter. Life in
the world is just the place for him to grow and develop spiritual
values that thier fruits could be picked in Hereafter. Spiritual values
is not only manifested in the forms of ritual worship activity, but
also manifested in the dynamics of social life. An adherent of this
ideology constantly question in his heart the function of his
presence in the midst of public life. Is he useful or vice versa? The
more useful he was in his social life, the more he succeded. And his
activities of social life is always based on morality values she
cherished very high.

Psychological impact of such ideology on its adherent are:

1. upholds morality in achieving what they want to gain;

2. the appearance of qonaah (feel satisfied based on gratitude for
whatever he achieved);
3. always positions himself to provide benefits for others
wherever he is
4. Sturdy soul
5. not enslaved by material

Based on the description above we can analyze the phenomenon

occurring in the life of the nation where we live. In plain view how
the material-oriented philosophy of life so strongly permeated not
only the people who live in urban areas but also in the countryside,
and even penetrated the politicians, economic actors and even law
enforcement officers. Various cases relating to 'markus' or ‘mafia of
law’ all lead and / or related to material. And that is a fact as well as
indicators of how the philosophy of life based / oriented material
really has become an epidemic and penetrated layers of society.

Improve the ills of morality that occurred in our country certainly

has to start from the effort to build an appropriate benchmark for
success. The first principle of Pancasila which is always pledged in
any official ceremonies and so clearly audible through the ears and
our mouths. Benchmark adopted by the success of our nation
should be based on the supreme deity. It means that the values of
religiosity and morality are the major steps and also the frame of a
benchmark for success that we should embrace. Thus, philosophy of
life based on worldliness / impermanency should not be allowed to
grow and thrive in this Pancasila state.

The question are which benchmark of success we profess ? Only we

ourselves can judge. Regarding there are so many obstacles and
temptation which may distract us from the right path, We can only
hope God always gives us His guidance and instruction in order to
be able to choose the best path for our future.