How to judge success?

[Mikey]

I'm in a philosophical mood this arvo, and want to gauge you peeps on this topic. Do you judge success on what job you do, how much you earn, possessions you have, etc. Or do you judge success, by other means?

[seasprout]

If I am Happy and contented, then i am a successful.

[bubblewrap]

I'm a toothless budgie I'm bound to suck seed!

[lynda66]

for the last 18 years i've been bringing up my son, i'd always intended him to go to university, and get a good job ..... and he's off there in 2 weeks, i think thats being successful .... now i have to work out what to do with the rest of my life, without having to worry about him to the same extent....

but i have a roof over my head, food on the table, and happy contented pets, so although some bits of my life are s**t right now, i don't feel a failure

[Tracey]

I think how you judge success is based on your expectations. Someone with lowish expectations may judge success as a having a job and family, someone with very high expectations would only consider A**s, being the top of their profession, the 'perfect' family and riches as being successful. I've exceeded my expectations in terms of home, partner, children and financial security, so I consider myself successful in these areas.

[HeyWayne]

for the last 18 years i've been bringing up my son, i'd always intended him to go to university, and get a good job ..... and he's off there in 2 weeks,

You're sending him off to get Moobs!?!

I'm not sure what success is or how to measure it, but to me - friends and family come above anything else, and as long as they're all healthy and happy - I'm happy.

[squashysu]

success to me is being happy, doing a job i love, living with the man i love and kids i love (well sometimes LOL), i have some of the best friends in the world, i have a nice home and drive a nice car, i am not materialistic, but like nice things and strive to achieve them.

To be really successful is to be loved and liked by all who know me, i think being successful in others eyes, make you successful in your own eyes.

By the way MW, you are getting deeper and deeper with every thread, get yourself a beer and chill LOL!

[zazen999]

When I met the man of my dreams, that was for me the best thing ever. When my niece was born, i was on top of the world. Then another niece came along; so with my OH and his daughter and the 2 little ones, everything else is really a bonus.

[Hilary B]

Success? Like failure, it is an imposter (see Kipling "If"). Happiness is more important, and it cannot be fought for, or discovered by searching. It comes when you sit still and wait....
Life isn't measured by what you get out, but by what you put in.
Want any more armchair philosophy???<g>

[di]

I'm with most of the above & consider the only important success to be happiness!My Grandma has a plaque on wall(now feeling de ja vieu I've posted this before?~obviously important to me!!)"Happiness is wanting what you have,not having what you want"
We're not particularly "successful" in the material sense but have 2 wonderful kiddies,a great circle of friends & a loving extended family(most of them!)~& a very bountiful lottie!!!I'd class that as success.

[Alice]

You can only measure it by your own stick Mikey. If you've got what you want you're successful - if not, you're a failure.

[petal]

'Success' is a personal objective. Happiness is what we want to strive for and is an aptitude that is a reflection of our own view of 'success' dependent upon our social background. Some are happy being completely alone, some are happy having 5 kids, some find happiness filling their lives with material junk, some find happiness having 3 husbands, some need a very healthy bank balance, some need as many qualifications as possible, its all horses for courses!

[wellie]

Mikeywills, sod what everyone else thinks.... what do YOU think honey?

[lynda66]

, some find happiness having 3 husbands,!

that sounds like fun ...... unfortunately it's illegal

[Flummery]

One of my grandad's favourite sayings was, 'A man is rich according to the fewness of his wants'. I'll second that. Some outwardly very successful people are not contented and are always striving for more, bigger, better. I count success as the enduring happy marriage I have, the 2 intelligent children and their partners/offspring who bring us more happiness. You can be as successful as hell but not be contented. I know which I 'd choose.