Poll: How do you define success?

[Kortney]

I was talking to my sister yesterday and I found out her and I have polar opposite views on what it means to be a "success".

Everyone's definition of success is different.

Bob Dylan said "a man can consider himself a success when he wakes up in the morning, goes to bed at night and in between did exactly what he wanted".

But is success this simple? Does success require an element of objectivity, or is it purely a concept that should exist inside an individual and be personal?

So Escapist, how do you define success?

 

[Iammatt]

Happiness, but happiness gained through achieving a goal you had. For example, while a man dwelling in his mother's basement may be happy, I wouldn't call him successful because he really didn't achieve anything drastic. But in the long run, life comes down to two things, you're achievements you are proud of, and the related happiness

 

[Neo10101]

(Voted Other) Honestly, its a combination of both, or very dependent on the person. Some people are perfectly fine living very rich and wealthy, and some are very happy more with a happy family and succeeding in many of life's problems. I personally, would would have to give a combination of both, I want to get married, have a long happy relationship and what not, have a couple kids, and also make some decent cash, get a good pension and benefits and a good car, however if I were forced to pick one, Id prolly say material things. It may be slightly depressing not to have a true loved one or many "inner battles won" however trying to raise a happy family with very little material value is one fight I don't wanna go up against.

 

[SilentCom]

I say both objective and subjective. My reasoning is that success is when you achieve what you want which can include both.

 

[MikeOfThunder]

Penis size.

Or rather - Money, power, family and happiness!

 

[khiliani]

its an interesting concept, judging sucsess by income. there was a study done here in australia where they asked if people were happy compared to the income.
and as people made more money they were saying they were happier, buit the interesting thing was, it flattened out at around $70,000A anual income. so from that you could say its both, cause once you have enough money to live Comfortably it becomes irelivent to happness.

Personaly though, sucsess is doing what you love, and doing it well.

 

[Hader]

snip

Both, though I fall in line more along the second option. I can have the heart to want to help people, and be a paramedic, but like hell that's fully possible without plenty of training and qualifications. So to an extent these things go hand in hand. But I will always be happier being a success for myself and family through personal fulfillment over a petty title any day.

 

[disfunkybob]

In the end, I want to have kids that are good people and more successful than I am. But I'm not stupid. The best chance I have at that is to get an education, be a well-rounded person and have a decent amount of money.

So a little of both?

 

[Zantos]

How happy I am is in direct correlation with how much money and stuff I have at the time. So you could say a mixture of both. However since happiness does not bring money and stuff I'm going to say I'm mostly objective.

 

[Nargleblarg]

Seeing as how success isn't clearly defined from culture to culture this question can be seen in many different ways and still be correct. In say America during the 21st century it is seen that being rich enough to never work another day in your life is success. While being say a Mongol in the 11th century success was seen as killing everything that moves and being friendly to anyone named Gengis.

If a man strives to be the best that he can be and grows up to have a fulfilling life with a family and job they at least somewhat enjoy is that not success to him?

 

[Custard_Angel]

Someone who sets themselves the lofty goal of lying in a gutter in a pool of piss and shit and achieves this is a great success according to their own goals.

Someone who pursues a PhD, spends years undertaking gruelling research and eventually makes an important discovery is a great success according to their own goals.

Success is entirely subjective.

 

[SomethingUnrelated]

Success is reaching happiness in life. I think it's as simple as that.

 

[Timmaaaah]

happiness and tats it... if youre miserable ten wat is te point of life? Einstein was te one wo said Try not to be a man of success, but rater a man of value. Tere are too many keys broken on my keyboard. uess wic ones and win a fabulous prize!

 

[Sticky Squid]

Money and power.

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

You know that seek.com.au ad voiced by Matt Berry? That is success.

 

[Sexual Harassment Panda]

I don't define success. But if you pointed a sting-ray at my heart and demanded an answer, I'd probably say something like this.

Someone who sets themselves the lofty goal of lying in a gutter in a pool of piss and shit and achieves this is a great success according to their own goals.

Someone who pursues a PhD, spends years undertaking gruelling research and eventually makes an important discovery is a great success according to their own goals.

Success is entirely subjective.

Work to your own criteria. If I'm being honest, I probably view my success in life as being how little I have to work. My current plan is: Get transport, form small band, gig my ass off, have fun whilst saving as much moola as possible. This will probably mean sleeping at my parents house, but the plan is to spend fuck all time at home, so splashing lots on rent would be pretty silly.

 

[OmniscientOstrich]

I don't buy that "I'm poor, but I'm happy, therefore I am successful" bullshit. Money isn't everything, but if all your life you haven't achieved anything that is remotely impressive or desirable by other people, you are nowhere near success.

And no, ugly girlfriend with a "great personality" doesn't count.

Yeah, but I think most people would rather be poor and happy rather than a successful, introverted, morose ****. Not that I'm saying there's a correlation between sucess and happiness, just that some people are happy with what they have and the measure by which other people might call them 'successful' is no longer relevant to them.

 

[AlkalineGamer]

I think succes is very subjective to the individual in question.
And i think there are different kinds of succes. Depends what people value, be it money or happiness.

I'd rather have both really.

 

[Craorach]

Overall, I consider emotional wellbeing, happyness and such things more important than the outward trappings of success.

However, I believe more specificly that success is a constantly changing thing. I am happy now, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to continue to try to better myself and my situation.

 

[King of Wei]

Knowledge. If I can learn something - anything - each and every day I consider that day a success. And if I'm able to apply seemingly useless knowledge to solve or reduce a problem, I consider that a success. Basically: Knowledge is power, and power is nice!