If You Are a High Achiever, You Must Read This

High achievers are incredible! They drive many of the breakthroughs that propel science, medicine, business, and the arts forward. Virtually every book targeted to high achievers touts the value of setting goals and sticking to them, no matter what.

In my last blog, I stressed the importance of starting with goals at the “right” level, that is recognizing that in the long run, developing character is more important than achieving the objective immediately in front of you. It isn’t always necessary to choose between the two, but if you must pick, the former should always prevail.

This time, I’d like to explore a related concept.

Richard Dreyfuss starred in the 1995 movie Mr. Holland’s Opus. The word “opus” is related to the Latin word for “work” and is used to catalog classical music composers’ bodies of work. So, for example, Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony in C minor is tagged his opus 67.

The movie traces the career of Glenn Holland, an aspiring classical composer who is forced become a music teacher at Kennedy Highs School in Oregon to support his family. His true life’s passion is getting An American Symphony, the orchestral piece he composed, published and recognized as the fine piece of music he believes it to be. Unfortunately, his composition remains obscure, and after 30 years of teaching, budget cuts force his retirement.

Unbeknownst to him, his former students get wind of his involuntary retirement and secretly gather to celebrate his enormous contribution to their personal lives by surprising him with the first public performance of An American Symphony. In true Hollywood fashion, even though the students were mediocre musicians in high school and probably haven’t touched their clarinets in decades, their performance is worthy of the London Metropolitan Orchestra. As a matter of fact, the London Metropolitan Orchestra did perform the piece on the film’s soundtrack.

The movie’s lesson is obvious. Rather than being his treasured musical piece, Mr. Holland’s true “opus” or work is the profound impact he had on hundreds of students over the many years of his career.

If you are a high achiever, you undoubtedly have set you sights on some pretty significant accomplishments. That’s awesome! You very well could revolutionize key aspect of your professional realm. But I hope your true opus will be like Mr. Holland’s – the positive impact you have had those you have known along the way. Unfortunately, many of us have lived or worked with people who are practically idolized within their professions because of their accomplishments but have left trails of fractured relationships and bitterness in their wakes.

That’s not who I want to be. I’ve had my share of success in “visible” things like my career and public ministry. But I also have the privilege of meeting regularly one-on-one with about 12 – 15 younger guys. I don’t share this to “brag,” but three of them have told me that my meeting with them has literally been lifechanging. And a few years ago, two of them, who grew up without dads, sent me very special messages on Father’s Day. It doesn’t get any better than that! These guys, along with my family – and not my business or ministry “successes” – are my real “opus.”

Of course, there is no rule of the universe that declares that someone can’t simultaneously achieve great things and be a kind, loving human being. But you can be blinded by the spotlight of success, and I urge you to give preference to seeing your true life’s work as the lives you’ve changed for the better and the positive relationships you’ve nurtured over the years.

This objective reminds me of the best definition of success I have ever heard – “When those who know you the best, love you the most." At your funeral, will there be more talk about your genius as a business leader, your oratory skills as a pastor, your brilliance as a musician, or about the way you reflected God’s love to the people you met throughout your life?