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So what makes someone a successful person?

S

squarecut1

Platinum Member
The word success is used a lot in our society. All the time. But what makes someone a successful person?

I have heard different definitions. To be good at what you do. Ted Bundy was very good at what he did.

To be able to derive satisfaction in what you do. Again, Bundy did, and then some.

But that aspect is one part of success, and perhaps not even the most important one. There are people who have more millions than they can count, but their offspring don't ever even talk to them. Are they successful? Maybe they are. I don't know.
 
Everyone has their own metric but my own personal one is how much they improve the world before they die.
 
xeemzor said:
Everyone has their own metric but my own personal one is how much they improve the world before they die.
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I do believe that one should try to leave the world at least a lit bit better place than the one they came into. Does not have to be on any grand scale.
 
By being here on ATOT. B/c all ATOTers are successful people who make a MIN of 500k a year, drive $100k sport cars, have hot babes to bang every night AND have super huge lux houses.
 
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.

Mine: Don't kill or hurt anyone. Do whatever the hell you want that makes you happy.
 
Drive,persistence,problem solving skills,being able to focus on a problem and a good attention span.
 
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Too many people think. Attaining a college degree = I will be successful.

That is incorrect.

College degree != successful person.

There is a long line of very successful people with only a high school degree. You cannot teach success in college.
 
To be successful is based both on personal aspirations and other people's view. Society usually attributes success to money and influence; family to the overall character; and the individual to what they want out of life... either way - every success is characterized by the drive and will power (ie: hard work) to make it happen. For a serial killer like Ted Bundy - he was successful in his own eyes and as you have pointed out the traits that made him so are the same that makes anyone successful.
 
A successful person is so content in his life that he never worries about how other people view his success
 
squarecut1 said:
So what makes someone a successful person?
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It's a personal definition. In the eyes of the world, success usually means you're actively contributing to society, have made a lot of money, and have a nice car & big home. That's like the high school reunion version of "being successful" - people look at you & feel envy. Bonus points if you're in shape!

But I know plenty of rich people with screwed-up families because they're workaholics or have trust-fund kids or are obese & have health problems. I also know competitive bodybuilders who barely make more than minimum wage doing personal training, but they're happy because they're doing what they love. There are people who go off & become traveling doctors in Africa who never make any money or get any real recognition. There are people who work two or three jobs to provide for their families & are real heroes, but never make it big or get a pat on the back.

Defining success in your own life is important, otherwise you'll just be driven by the expectations of other people (at least, if you're motivated to work for things). I think in general, though:

1. Contribute to society (typically via being active in the workforce)
2. Keep your promises
3. Be a moral person (don't be a scammer or a thief or a murderer etc.)
4. Render service in some way (soup kitchen, philantropy, anything really to give back a little bit)
5. Be active in your kid's lives, if you're a parent - i.e. teach them the stuff above

Because look at the opposite:

1. Don't contribute to society - be a mooch
2. Be a lair - don't do what you say you're going to do
3. Be immoral - lie, cheat, steal, scam, hurt, kill
4. Never donate or give any type of service
5. Don't be active in your kid's lives or teach them any kind of real responsibility

And of course, even those circumstances differ - if you're severely handicapped or crippled, it's hard to contribute to society much. If you're a solider, you may have to kill - but in the name of defense rather than out of poor morals. Or you may not have a chance to have kids & raise them up right. So I think it means a lot of things to a lot of different people, but mostly I think it boils down to be a good person, be a good family member, be a good worker, and be a good member of society. It's hard to feel good about yourself if you're doing things that you know aren't right, and it's hard to be successful if you haven't defined what success is and if you're not working on those things.
 
Kaido said:
It's a personal definition. In the eyes of the world, success usually means you're actively contributing to society, have made a lot of money, and have a nice car & big home. That's like the high school reunion version of "being successful" - people look at you & feel envy. Bonus points if you're in shape!

But I know plenty of rich people with screwed-up families because they're workaholics or have trust-fund kids or are obese & have health problems. I also know competitive bodybuilders who barely make more than minimum wage doing personal training, but they're happy because they're doing what they love. There are people who go off & become traveling doctors in Africa who never make any money or get any real recognition. There are people who work two or three jobs to provide for their families & are real heroes, but never make it big or get a pat on the back.

Defining success in your own life is important, otherwise you'll just be driven by the expectations of other people (at least, if you're motivated to work for things). I think in general, though:

1. Contribute to society (typically via being active in the workforce)
2. Keep your promises
3. Be a moral person (don't be a scammer or a thief or a murderer etc.)
4. Render service in some way (soup kitchen, philantropy, anything really to give back a little bit)
5. Be active in your kid's lives, if you're a parent - i.e. teach them the stuff above

Because look at the opposite:

1. Don't contribute to society - be a mooch
2. Be a lair - don't do what you say you're going to do
3. Be immoral - lie, cheat, steal, scam, hurt, kill
4. Never donate or give any type of service
5. Don't be active in your kid's lives or teach them any kind of real responsibility

And of course, even those circumstances differ - if you're severely handicapped or crippled, it's hard to contribute to society much. If you're a solider, you may have to kill - but in the name of defense rather than out of poor morals. Or you may not have a chance to have kids & raise them up right. So I think it means a lot of things to a lot of different people, but mostly I think it boils down to be a good person, be a good family member, be a good worker, and be a good member of society. It's hard to feel good about yourself if you're doing things that you know aren't right, and it's hard to be successful if you haven't defined what success is and if you're not working on those things.
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In general, your message here is good but there is some middle ground.

I don't contribute to society (unless you mean paying taxes) but I'm not mooching either. I also refuse to have kids, I want my bloodline to die with me.
 
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