All of us are born for a reason, but all of us don't discover why. Success in life has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It's what you do for others.
Interpretation
Our purpose is often tied to serving others rather than personal achievement.
In this quote, Danny Thomas emphasizes the importance of understanding our purpose in life and suggests that true success is measured not by personal gains or accomplishments, but by the contributions we make to the lives of others. It encourages individuals to look beyond their own desires and achievements to find fulfillment through altruism and helping those around them.
In practice
In a graduation speech to inspire students to think beyond personal success.
The person who starts out simply with the idea of getting rich won't succeed; you must have a larger ambition. There is no mystery in business success. If you do each day's task successfully, and stay faithfully within these natural operations of commercial laws which I talk so much about, and keep your head clear, you will come out all right.
I would rather have a lucky general than a smart general.... They win battles, and they make me lucky.
You always want your people to be proud of what you have accomplished.
Just because you started your careers in a certain role, let's say hardware engineering, does not mean you'll end your careers in hardware.
Ask me what makes a champion runner, and I will tell you it helps to have the great good sense to choose your parents carefully.
The more I help out, the more successful I become. But I measure success in what it has done for the people around me. That is the real accolade.
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