How do you define "success"?

[Zunder]

I'd like some feedback.

Picture this in your head......you overhear someone on the street say to their friend "Oh, him, he's successful..........
but a big truck roars by and drowns out the rest of the conversation.

Now. What do you think they were referring to with the term "success'?

I venture to say that 99.99 % of people would assume his "success" related to him having a good job / business that is raking in the cash.

You wouldn't assume they were talking about how good his PUA skills are, and he's fvcked 20 gals this month already. That would be some "success" alright! But no- you wouldn't be picking that would you.

You woldn't be picking that his "success" related to him leading the interclub darts competion at the local pub, woud you? Of course not.

In short: career + money = "successful". The total package.

or; career + money + hot blonde wife = "doubly successful".
This fits especially well for toplfight sportsmen. They all have hot blonde wifes (bar Roger Federer), or so it seems.

But - what say you you earn only an average wage, live in a caravan, and are an upstanding, law abiding citizen.
Would you be thought of as successful?
Not a chance.

Women especially (but most men too) judgeth a man by how much filthy luka his chosen career allows him to pull.

Lets face it. You can be a total pr1ck, but if you earn good coin, you are going to be thought of as a "success", and the women will (generally) want you - no matter that may you have the face of a fried gumboot.

Thus it my contention that a woman does not marry (or have an LTR )with you, she marries a "package".

Your thoughts?

 

[Andy_Dufresne]

I'd like some feedback.

Picture this in your head......you overhear someone on the street say to their friend "Oh, him, he's successful..........
but a big truck roars by and drowns out the rest of the conversation.

Now. What do you think they were referring to with the term "success'?

"Success" is relative.

Just as each human has a distinct fingerprint, everyone's definition of "success" is a unique identifier.

Based on my personal experience, I view success as three-tiered, kind of like a triangle. The three points ("apexes" if you will) in the triangle stand for career, family, and relationships.

Given the scenario above you would have to consider the source.

 

[Hooligan Harry]

No man working 50 hours a day for a boss is successful. Sorry, I have high standards for what I classify as successful.

Richard Branson is successful. Donald Trump is successful. Stephen Hawking is successful. Tiger Woods is successful. Some random executive earning 200k a year is not "successful".

Society tends to classify those that conform to their ideals of normal as successful. Which is why women who are 25 will tell you that they have a successful career. I dont buy into that all I am afraid. To me, for your to classify yourself as successful, you need to achieve something pretty spectacular. If you achieve something that is only average, or slightly above, how exactly are you a success? Do you deserve a pat on the back for being able to keep up with the pack?

Now, the definition of success depends more on what you want as an individual. Some people have no desire for career or money. I do not classify those people as losers, they are just people with different motivations. Those that achieve the extraordinary are successful.

 

[STR8UP]

Depends.

Are you talking about life in general?

Is this from one person's perspective?

My definition of success is being personally fulfilled. Honestly, by this definition no man would ever really be "successful", because you should constantly be striving to improve yourself. If you possess a healthy amount of testosterone you should ALWAYS be hungry.

I could have all of the money in the world and I can guarantee you that I would STILL be working on new business ventures. It is in a man's nature never to be truly "satisfied". This is what builds civilizations. We always strive for more.

 

[Zunder]

No man working 50 hours a day for a boss is successful. Sorry, I have high standards for what I classify as successful.

Richard Branson is successful. Donald Trump is successful. Stephen Hawking is successful. Tiger Woods is successful. Some random executive earning 200k a year is not "successful".

Society tends to classify those that conform to their ideals of normal as successful. Which is why women who are 25 will tell you that they have a successful career. I dont buy into that all I am afraid. To me, for your to classify yourself as successful, you need to achieve something pretty spectacular. If you achieve something that is only average, or slightly above, how exactly are you a success? Do you deserve a pat on the back for being able to keep up with the pack?

Now, the definition of success depends more on what you want as an individual. Some people have no desire for career or money. I do not classify those people as losers, they are just people with different motivations. Those that achieve the extraordinary are successful.

This is EXACTLY the way I feel, and you articulated it all here for me.
Excellent.

 

[Zunder]

Depends.

Are you talking about life in general?

Is this from one person's perspective?

My definition of success is being personally fulfilled. Honestly, by this definition no man would ever really be "successful", because you should constantly be striving to improve yourself. If you possess a healthy amount of testosterone you should ALWAYS be hungry.

I could have all of the money in the world and I can guarantee you that I would STILL be working on new business ventures. It is in a man's nature never to be truly "satisfied". This is what builds civilizations. We always strive for more.

Well you see - in my OP I was hinting at what other people thought of you. Do they think you are successful? And if they do, it's usually because you are raking in some dough.

But the key for me is that (and certainly this was not always the case) I now no longer give a rats ass whether other people think I am successful or not - just becasue I don't have the bank balance of the CEO of a big corporation, let alone a Branson or a Trump.

I have challenges I want to take on that don't include making a lot of money - but certainly involve adventure, risk, and a certain amount of balls to leave my comfy little existence I currently enjoy. But to me the rewards of this life-change will outweigh everything, if not materialistically, then certainly for my own inner peace. And really - what is more important than that?

This of course would seem to exclude a certain type of women from being attracted to me - but thats life.

 

[iqqi]

Good post, Z-cat.