Success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal.  I memorized that decades ago and I still have it come to my mind when I want it.  I checked it out today to see if I remembered it correctly as well as who originally said it.  I wasn't sure, but it was refreshed quickly.  It is a quote of the late Earl Nightingale and has been repeated by lots of other folks since he first said it.  I believe that it is the best definition of success that I have found.  It fits the world and it fits the gospel.  I guess one way to improve it in the sense of the gospel might be to just change one word:  Success is the progressive realization of THE worthy ideal.  Either way it works with every day circumstances and helps to see progress as I plod along. On a daily basis I find myself seeing small steps I can define as progress on my journey to that worthy ideal.  But is also sets a context that is forgiving and gently because it allows for a time frame that suits the task, in my case: eternity.  Even me, given that time frame figure I can accomplish whatever I really desire to accomplish.  Ponder about it, memorize it and it will be an effective servant in your own personal pursuit of your worthy ideal as well as 'the' worthy ideal.  Again:  Success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal.