Success

So you want to be successful do you? Most successful people all share a few things that separate them from the non successful. It's generally less about education and more about attitude and having a certain state of consciousness. The following video is the greatest motivational video on the internet.(imo) If you want to be successful you can begin by listening to the following video and following the wise words. This is a very good lesson in how to change yourself to be like those who have success. Good story!

reply to post by libertytoall

To laugh often and love much,
to win the respect of intelligent persons,
and the affection of children;
to earn the approbation of honest critics
and endure the betrayal of false friends;
to appreciate beauty,
to find the best in others;
to give one’s self;
to leave the world a bit better,
whether by a healthy child, a garden patch
or a redeemed social condition;
to have played and laughed with enthusiasm
and sung with exultation;
to know even one life has breathed easier
because you have lived --
this is to have succeeded.

-- Ralph Emerson (debated)

You can have all the money in the world and still feel like a failure at heart, or you could be wearing rags and still feel like a king. Success is all about how you feel about the people you have touched, and how they feel about you for having touched them. This is all I have to say on the subject of success.

Personally I think to be 'successful' is just to feel happy and content with what you are and have no need to want anything else.

The thing is each person has their own level of what would make them happy, for some its just being alive, for others its having a family in a comfortable environment, for some its having that soul mate and for others its career based.

As far as I am concerned if you can look in a mirror with a smile on your face and get that happy floaty feeling about yourself then you have succeeded. PErsonally im far from that point, it really is a tough ride.

just a sidenote: at the christmasmarket I went to today there were small flags for sale with wisdom on them. If I recall them well, there was one: "Succes is not happines, but happines is succes."

hehe, butthappines is succes. How do you?

"Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best of which you are capable"
-- John Wooden

reply to post by theUNKNOWNawaits

"Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best of which you are capable"
-- John Wooden

I would argue with that. Success, to me, is being happy with knowing you don't want any more than what you already have. Others may disagree, but I think there's a difference between professional success and personal success.

Originally posted by AfterInfinity
reply to post by theUNKNOWNawaits

 

"Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best of which you are capable"
-- John Wooden

I would argue with that. Success, to me, is being happy with knowing you don't want any more than what you already have. Others may disagree, but I think there's a difference between professional success and personal success.

edit on 19-12-2012 by AfterInfinity because: (no reason given)

I would argue that the definition of success that you gave is practically the same definition that John Wooden stated just worded differently.
If you have made the effort to become the best of which you are capable you do not want anymore than what you have because you have attained/achieved all that you can. Thus, you are happy with what you have because you have put in the maximum effort that you could to attain/achieve it.
You made some slight changes to the wording, but in my eyes they both are defining success fairly similarly.

I do disagree with you in that I think there is no difference between professional success and personal success. The only difference would be in what you are setting out to achieve/attain. However, how you define what is a success is still the same, whether you are using the definition of success provided by John Wooden or yourself or someone else.

These are just my opinions and I am sure that others will not see it the same way. Agree to disagree.

reply to post by theUNKNOWNawaits

I would argue that the definition of success that you gave is practically the same definition that John Wooden stated just worded differently.
If you have made the effort to become the best of which you are capable you do not want anymore than what you have because you have attained/achieved all that you can.

There is a difference. In your definition, we realize we can push no further, that we are incapable of more. In my definition, we are capable of more, but we're satisfied with what we have.

It's a difference between capability and desire. Just because you can, doesn't mean you need to.

Originally posted by AfterInfinity

There is a difference. In your definition, we realize we can push no further, that we are incapable of more. In my definition, we are capable of more, but we're satisfied with what we have.

It's a difference between capability and desire. Just because you can, doesn't mean you need to.

Interesting thought and I see where you are coming from. However, I think you misinterpreted part of Wooden's definition, which one would only most likely know if they have read a lot of Wooden's books.

In Wooden's definition, there is still room for personal improvement as there always is. When you are determining success you are determining it from that point in time. Thus, with this definition you are a success if you have given your best effort to become the best your capable of at this time. However, for the future you can technically become even better by giving continuously better efforts on certain things. So, at this point in time if you say you are a success according to this definition it does not mean we can not push further or are incapable or more in the future.

With that being said as well as the point you brought up, I now do lean toward their being a difference between our two definitions. However, for me, the difference would be that Wooden's definition of success is more task oriented and your definition is more ego oriented.

Besides that difference the main problem I have with your definition is its focus on what one has. Success is determined from within, in my opinion, and should not be judged on accomplishments or material objects. For me, it is based on effort. If you haven't given your best effort at something no matter what it is you have failed at being the person you could be. How could you be happy knowing you could have gave more to be a better person or a more complete you?

Some of the best advice anyone could give someone is not to "worry about whether your're better than someboday else...be the best you can become. You have control over that...work as hard to get as good as you can get...Do that and you may call yourself a success."

Just my thoughts and view.

reply to post by libertytoall


Success does not exist. It is only a perspective.

"I want to do that", " I should be doing this" and if it happens we call it "luck" or "success" but in reality, it just happened.

I can call it a "success" that I blink my eyes, or breathe through my nose.

I can call it a "success" that I wake up every morning, but there is no effort, it is just the natural happening of life.