Stuff, toys and trappings of success. More is better. Bigger is better. Are you measuring your success with all of the tangible possessions that are a testimony to your worth and value? Don’t get me wrong – I like stuff, too.

The question that needs to be asked is – if you lost all of your stuff, would you still feel successful? If you had to begin all over again from the beginning, would you still believe in yourself and your mission? Too many people are living in a fantasy world believing that their address, car, toys and various possessions are symbols of their achievements and success.

Most of us have a lot more stuff than we need, will ever use, or can possibly enjoy. I know people who have 5 cars in their garages, 4 homes, enough furniture to outfit a hotel, and very little peace of mind. Stuff is nice. Stuff makes life more convenient – or does it? Computers simplify our lives. Who ever sold that bill of goods is a genius. I have spent more time plowing through manuals, dealing with computer technicians, trying to recover lost data, and attempting to evaluate all of the information my computer spews out on a daily basis than I care to remember. Not to mention hours trying to find my way through the maze of the Internet.

I believe in progress, but I also believe in simplicity. I like toys, but I wish I had all of the cash I have spent on toys in the past 35 years – toys that have broken, rusted, gone out of style, etc. Why not take an inventory of all of the stuff that you no longer need, use, like or want. It might be an interesting exercise.

My final thought: Stuff is good, too much stuff can be distracting. Toys are fun, but too many toys can cause you to use them only out of guilt. Learning is wise but what are you using of what you are learning? Pleasure is nice but to immerse yourself only in pleasure will tend to deaden you to the needs, pain and reality of real life .

Tim Connor, CSP is an internationally renowned sales, management and leadership speaker, trainer and best selling author. Since 1981 he has given over 3500 presentations in 21 countries on a variety of sales, management, leadership and relationship topics. He is the best selling author of over 60 books including; Soft Sell, That’s Life, Peace Of Mind, 81 Challenges Managers Face and Your First Year In Sales. He is also the CEO of Sales Clubs Of America. He can be reached at tim@timconnor.com, 704-895-1230 or visit his websites at http://www.timconnor.com or http://www.SalesClubsOfAmerica.com