The Difference Between Being Successful and Being Useful
One is measured by others. The other is measured by whether anything changed.
Dr. Henry Ukpeh
Pediatrician · Child Health Advocate
Published June 28, 2026 · 5 min read
A short reflection on the metric I have gradually stopped using, and the one I now keep.
The metric that lasted
Ask, at the end of a week, who is measurably better off. If the honest answer is nobody, the week was busy rather than useful. That question has survived every job title I have held.
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