Greatness vs. Success

People often say I want to be successful but hardly ever do you hear people say I want to be great. Possibly because the two terms have been overused and confused with each other. In success there may be a measure of greatness but greatness is never measured by success. In my mind I hear Success asking Greatness "How I can be like you?" and I hear Greatness replying "Forget about yourself, but do it all for others." As far as my writing goes I want to be remembered for my honesty, my openess, and my ability to allow others to understand why I do this. I could care less for success, I desire greatness over success. When you think of me I want you to think that young man is great, I really mean like one of the best of all time. One day I'll be in the same breath as Hughes, Dunbar, Frost, and Woodsworth. Most of these men were not "successful" until they died but they were considered greats long before the measureable success came. So honestly my true goal in writing is not to get fame or get rich I just want to leave you with some fingerprints. Something to inspire my kids with if they come. If not perhaps I'll just be one of those figures you read about how this person had a passion for what they did and poured themselves into it regardless of what they were repaid with. Honestly my greatest fear is measureable success, I have no desire to sell myself out for a little bit of money. It's never worth it to alienate the people you love nevermind the Lord above but this is just me. Someone else might say I'm not trying to be broke all my life, but allow me to ask you is any of this notoriety worth the tagged price? The lost time with friends, the loss of privacy, the loss of touch, the loss of humility....oh but you make a lotta money though. Something here says success lies in the way of greatness...success makes you settle for good enough because you get paid for mediocre content. What I write I feel like nobody else can offer up because everyone else worries about perception, I know I'm not perfect and I don't care to put up curtains like I'm some kinda super Christian. It's really sickening to me personally when people paint this rosy picture of serving God as if you'll never have problems, struggles, fights......it's all a part of carrying that cross. That cross means death it means pain but it also provides you with hope, for Christ overcame the cross. Again success versus greatness.....Christ wasn't "successful" but He sure was great. I realize great is a weak word when it comes to Jesus but I'm going somewhere with this and other distinctions between success and greatness.The last thing is just two definitions that probably illustrate the point greater than anything I've written so far. Check it.Success:the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors. 2. the attainment of wealth, position, honors, or the like. 3. a successful performance or achievement: The play was an instant success. 4. a person or thing that is successful: She was a great success on the talk show. Greatness:unusually or comparatively large in size or dimensions: A great fire destroyed nearly half the city. 2. large in number; numerous: Great hordes of tourists descend on Europe each summer. 3. unusual or considerable in degree, power, intensity, etc.: great pain. 4. wonderful; first-rate; very good: We had a great time. That's great! 5. being such in an extreme or notable degree: great friends; a great talker. 6. notable; remarkable; exceptionally outstanding: a great occasion. 7. important; highly significant or consequential: the great issues in American history. 8. distinguished; famous: a great inventor. 9. of noble or lofty character: great thoughts. 10. chief or principal: the great hall; his greatest novel. 11. of high rank, official position, or social standing: a great noble. 12. much in use or favor: “Humor” was a great word with the old physiologists. 13. of extraordinary powers; having unusual merit; very admirable: a great statesman. 14. of considerable duration or length: We waited a great while for the train. So let me ask you, would you rather be a success, or be great?