So what makes someone a successful person?

[squarecut1]

Common definition: 6-figure job, hot wife, 2-3 kids, huge mortgage on a house, BMW or Mercedez, work 60+ hours a week at the same company your entire life, job title that includes "executive" or "manager", and never have a spare moment to yourself.

.

I know people like that. Some are related to me

 

[rsbennett00]

Cause he was a killer.

Evil does not mean unsuccessful, see wall street.

I personally didn't know Bundy so I couldn't tell you if he felt successful.

 

[Mixolydian]

Most people's definition of success is solely based on money.

More money = more successful.

 

[Kaido]

A lot of retired people, well at least some, make valuable contribution to the society

Sure, but if you're asking for society's definition of success, that's not it. You won't see the gossip news crews following a rich grandpa who is helping at the soup kitchen around, you know? The common media viewpoint is what Imp said - big paycheck, big house, cute wife, 2.5 kids, etc. That's why you have to develop your on definition of success. Assuming you care about having goals, which a lot of people simply don't - a lot of people are fine with just existing & not really making progress towards anything. Now excuse me while I go back to my Netflix marathon

 

[waggy]

the answer to this is not clear cut. When i was younger i thought it was having a big house, successful business, and nice cars. I had all of that. I worked long hours and gotta admit i was not always happy.

after having kids i have to say to me being a success is raising great kids who are productive members of society. Who are happy and well mannered. who in turn do the same.

 

[Kaido]

the answer to this is not clear cut. When i was younger i thought it was having a big house, successful business, and nice cars. I had all of that. I worked long hours and gotta admit i was not always happy.

after having kids i have to say to me being a success is raising great kids who are productive members of society. Who are happy and well mannered. who in turn do the same.

It's interesting how things change. Lately I've been caring a lot more about my personal health, which has never been very good. Exercising, eating healthier, and getting sufficient sleep has really changed not only my physical level of energy, but also my mental abilities - I don't run into brain fog nearly as much as I did when I was younger. If you had told me when I was younger that I could feel better & think more clearly by eating better foods, I wouldn't have cared less. Youth is definitely wasted on the young

 

[utahraptor]

Genetically a person is a success if their children have children.

Morally they are a success if they stand up for what is good and oppose evil.

 

[KlokWyze]

Success = Winning

Charlie Sheen IMO

Morality. Good & evil (lol). Morality will not make you happy or make you successful. That's not the way the world works. Human beings are inherently predatory and highly immoral to each other, even in the pettiest of things, more so in "important" things. What matters is: Good relationships with your people, happiness and the necessary evil: money.

Well, that's as long as you can live with cutting a few throats.

 

[bryanl]

Common definition: 6-figure job, hot wife,

Especially if hot wife also has 6-figure job.

 

[OlafSicky]

Money is the only measure

 

[solsa]

prestige over those who have the same trade.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Someone who makes their own and other peoples lives better.

 

[coloumb]

As each person is different - I think the definition for success is different for each person.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

As each person is different - I think the definition for success is different for each person.

The secret is to not measure your life by someone else's definition.

 

[rsbennett00]

The secret is to not measure your life by someone else's definition.

Very well said.

 

[Imp]

Especially if hot wife also has 6-figure job.

No, no... Not unless you make 7-figures. If your wife also makes 6-figures, are you really successful or is it she?

This superficial bullshit does indeed have rules!

 

[JMapleton]

Freedom. The freedom of time. Freedom to buy what you want regardless of price. Personal privacy.

Success is to live your life on your own terms.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Well, it depends on what metric you're measuring success. If your goal is to make a lot of money, then being wealthy is a great measure of success. I used to think that being financially-motivated was a bad thing (i.e. wanting to get & be rich) but I have several friends who are only motivated by money, but not in a bad way - it's just what happens to light their fire & doesn't mean they're addicted to money. I like playing with new gadgets & that's half my job at work - fixing them, buying them, setting them up, everything from computers to cell phones to TV players to whatever. So my views on that have changed a bit over time - while I don't think it's great to be in love with money, I don't think being motivated by money is a bad thing, either. A lot of doctors & dentists I know love the paycheck but not the job, and I appreciate that they do it when I break my arm or need my teeth cleaned or whatever, so there's that aspect too!

And as much as I hate to say it, I don't even know if true success is improving the human condition - a lot of us like to abuse our bodies with alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, late nights, unhealthy diets, etc., so how do you improve the condition of people who don't want to improve? We have access to fresh veggies & fruits year-round, yet we're all addicted to McDonalds, Pepsi, and Doritos. But that's not necessarily a bad thing, because enjoying a yummy treat is a form of improving the human condition, and having the technology to create things like Doritos in mass production is a pretty amazing thing.

A successful person is a good person. A good person sacrifices themselves for the sake of others. A bad person sacrifices others for the sake of themselves.

Success = being good
Failure - being bad

perhaps improves the human condition is too vague, should instead be, "helps people"