How do you define success, and according to that definition, are you successful?

[zleppelin]

I measure my success in economic terms. Not because I would like to rub it in other people's faces, but because it would be the end to most of my problems. Some gratuitous info here: I'd probably buy a small but comfortable house in the middle of nowhere, build a big wall around it (it's in the middle of nowhere, so I need protection from wild animals and psychopaths), and seclude there the rest of my life. I'd load the house with a nice plasma TV and a nice sound system. I'd probably hire a physical trainer to get me in shape. I'd live the life of a rich bum. Notice that I made no mention of a car, because any economy car will do.

What about you, what would you do if you achieved the success that you desire? Vote on the poll too.

 

[Raziaar]

I can define it as many of those... But I have none of them! :O

 

[Adabiviak]

If I'm happy, I'm successful. I was just as happy making <$10/hr and living with crusty roommates as I am now making more and living with my fiancée.

 

[CyberPitz]

Monies.

and hell no. I only make 20 grand a year.

 

[Baal]

Money, and I'm too young to judge my success.

 

[Geogaddi]

Success = the best possible use of what resources you have.

And I'm lazy with school, so no.

 

[Narcolepsy]

I wonder how many people judge success by what they don't have. I've always been adept at school, and supposing I get this engineering degree, money shouldn't be too big of a problem. But money is just a means to eventually starting and supporting a family, for me - something I'm a little bit less confident in. Oh, cruel irony.

 

[Mr-Fusion]

.....

 

[Krynn72]

I measure success by happiness. Your life is only a success if you are happy with it.

That said, it takes a bit of all those things to be successful. If your poor as shit, you probably arnt happy because you are always worrying about paying and surviving. If you dont have love, you are probably lonely and feel like you are missing out(which you are). If you are always sick, then you never feel good and thus are always miserable.

The last two dont matter quite so much because you can still be happy without power or academic recognition. Although, they may be able to make up for a lacking in on of the other areas.

And yeah... I feel im successful

 

[Darkside55]

Money.

Not successful.

 

[Stigmata]

Arbitrary "happiness" value.

Right now, I'm on the precipice between "happy" and "not happy".

 

[Geogaddi]

I tend to mildly happy no matter what happens. It's just a personality thing.

 

[Fliko]

Being Casual, Enjoying Life.

Currently, No, I'm far from succesful

 

[Slacker]

Meh, just inner-happiness overall. I'm still not totally sure what I'm looking for, or if I'm happy or not.

 

[Darkside55]

Can you really call happiness success, though? You can be happy having nothing, but does that mean you're successful? I'm generally a happy person but I don't think of myself as being successful.

I suppose it goes by one's definition of the word success. I'm trying to wrap my mind around the idea of happy being successful and it's not fitting correctly. Maybe one of you guys who said happiness could explain.

 

[Qonfused]

I tend to mildly happy no matter what happens. It's just a personality thing.

Same.

 

[evil^milk]

The most prominent type of success is when I am truly determined to do something and I get where I want. Mostly in things like the piano, when I really want to achieve something significant, I'll really do it, and the results aren't bad at all.

 

[Que-Ever]

Happiness.

Nothing I can think of that makes me unhappy, therefore I am happy, therefore I am successful.

 

[Stigmata]

Same.

Seconded.

Come to think of it, I'm almost always on the precipice between "happy" and "not happy", yet always erring on the side of "happy". Huh. That actually works out pretty well for me.

 

[ailevation]

If you're not happy with what you have done/have... why would it be "successful"?

 

[Man|-|unter]

In others I think it should come Family if you are a responsible person and keeping your family happy and fulfilling their needs, requirements and whatever they want you will be the most successful person in this whole planet, remember in Family your love also included.

 

[Krynn72]

Can you really call happiness success, though? You can be happy having nothing, but does that mean you're successful? I'm generally a happy person but I don't think of myself as being successful.

I suppose it goes by one's definition of the word success. I'm trying to wrap my mind around the idea of happy being successful and it's not fitting correctly. Maybe one of you guys who said happiness could explain.

Well in order to have success in anything, you must have objectives you are trying to meet. With the OP asking about success in general (as opposed say, financial success), I can only assume he means it in terms of your life.

So really you need to ask yourself what are you striving for in your life? Money? Probably not. A good and happy life? Probably yes!

So therefore, if your goal is to live a happy life, and you are happy... then are successful.

 

[Darkside55]

I think maybe I have a problem with that because I tie monetary success to happiness. Not because I want to be rich, but I find it necessary to be financially stable in order to be happy.

So while I'm generally happy as a person and with my accomplishments, because I have no moneys I don't feel successful.

 

[Krynn72]

Well, like I said earlier, you need to have the right amount of all that stuff to be happy. Amounts change with each person, but nobody could ever be truely happy if they are worrying about money all the time.

Once you get your monehs then you will feel happy because you have attained all that stuff and are happy with your life.

Im not saying money isnt a factor in success, im saying its a smaller part of a whole that adds up to success.

 

[ComradeBadger]

I define sucess by being happy.

Right now, I'm poor, but I won't be for long, I'm not with someone but I could quite easily be, etc etc..

I'm happy, and I wouldn't have it any other way - I'm a sucess!

 

[Reginald]

If I'm happy, I'm successful.

QFT

And I'm successful.

 

[Dan]

I say success is accumulated life experience. So no I'm not successful. A successful person has a very wide variety of experiences