A person who heard about my story and read my book once asked me, "Sir Dodong, you have inspired and encouraged many, would you consider yourself a success already?" She added, "A lot of people have given their versions of success. If you don't mind, can you tell me what success is to you, especially in terms of the culture here in our country?
I answered her, "I do not know if I am successful. Kasi that is not my objective in life. My goal is to be faithful to the Owner of my business and my Father in heaven. I work not to reach a status of success; instead, I work to be faithful by using the talents that He has entrusted to me."
One day a friend asked me, "Since you have achieved a lot already, do you have other ambitions?" I told him that I have stopped setting ambitions ever since God brought my family to Bukidnon, especially when He took me from an executive position in Hewlett-Packard to live in a container van! But I have a daily desire, a desire to hear God tell me what He told Jesus in Matthew 3:17—that I am His son, in whom He is also pleased. So my desire, or ambition, is not one that involves my future, but one that concerns my today. This is important because I know that what I do today will determine my future. Yet, as I strive to be faithful, God has blessed me in many ways, including materially.
I strive to follow Jesus in order to honor Him and please His Father. So my measure of success is very simple: I am successful when I feel that God is pleased with me.
