Yesterday, before retiring to bed, i decided to watch a podcast by Apostle Femi Lazarus and his guest, Pastor Ejimi, titled the crisis of the modern man.

To be honest, many things stood out for me. I was wowed. I had a shift in mindset. And i must commend the fact that  they are both brilliant speakers.

One thing that stood out to me in the discussion on The Crisis of the Modern Man was the observation that many people today are no longer pursuing success for its intended purpose. Instead, success has become something to be displayed, advertised, and constantly validated.

They pointed out how some successful individuals feel the need to prove their status through visible symbols of wealth and influence. It is no longer enough to be successful; people now feel pressured to look successful. The convoy must be seen. The luxury lifestyle must be noticed. Every achievement must have an audience.

What makes this even more concerning is that many of us have grown up learning how to become successful but have received very little guidance on what to do after success arrives. We are taught how to make money, build businesses, secure promotions, and achieve goals. However, very few conversations focus on how to manage success, maintain perspective, and avoid losing ourselves in the process.

This creates a dangerous cycle. People spend years chasing a destination only to arrive there feeling empty because they never defined the purpose behind the pursuit. Success becomes an endless performance rather than a meaningful accomplishment.

Another point that resonated with me was the comparison between Nigeria and some other parts of the world. The speakers noted that in many places, wealth is often understated. People are confident in who they are regardless of whether their status is publicly recognized. The story of the Ethiopian cleaner was particularly striking. His confidence and sense of ownership did not come from his income but from his pride in his role and his country. It was a reminder that dignity and self-worth are not supposed to be tied solely to financial success.

Perhaps this is one of the greatest challenges facing the modern man today. Many people have unknowingly attached their identity to their possessions, positions, and public image. As a result, they constantly seek external validation to feel valuable.

Then came a statement from the discussion that completely changed my perspective:

Money is a tool. Wealth is a tool. Success is a tool.

At first, it sounded simple, but the more I thought about it, the deeper it became.

A tool is never the main thing. A tool exists to accomplish a task.

Imagine a carpenter carrying a golden hammer. People may admire it because it is rare, expensive, and attractive. But after a while, admiration gives way to a more important question:

“What are you building with it?”

That question applies to every area of life.

Money is a tool. Wealth is a tool. Influence is a tool. Success is a tool. But what is the task?

What are you building with your resources?

What problem are you solving with your influence?

Whose life is better because of your success?

What contribution are you making with the opportunities you have been given?

The crisis of the modern man begins when he mistakes the tool for the task.

Many people spend their entire lives pursuing money without ever defining what the money is for. They chase success without identifying the purpose behind it. They accumulate resources, connections, and influence, but have no meaningful assignment attached to them.

As a result, wealth becomes something to display rather than something to deploy. Success becomes something to show off rather than something to steward. The focus shifts from impact to appearance.

Yet tools were never designed for display.

They were designed for work.

Maybe this explains why some people achieve everything they once dreamed about and still feel empty. They acquired the tools but never discovered the task.

Listening to this discussion made me reflect on how often our generation celebrates accumulation while overlooking contribution. We admire the golden hammer without asking what has been built with it. We celebrate wealth without questioning its purpose. We praise success without examining its impact.

Maybe the crisis of the modern man is not merely financial, social, or economic.

Maybe it is a crisis of purpose.

We have become so focused on obtaining the tools that we have forgotten to ask what we are meant to build.

Because at the end of the day, nobody remembers a man simply because he possessed the tools. They remember him because of what he built with them.

So perhaps the most important question is not, “How successful are you?”

Perhaps it is:

“What is the task?”

If this message resonates with you, I strongly recommend watching the full podcast conversation between Apostle Femi Lazarus and Pastor Ejimi on The Crisis of the Modern Man. There is a lot more depth, context, and wisdom in the full discussion that cannot be fully captured in a summary. It is one of those conversations that challenges how you think about success, purpose, and the way we define a meaningful life.