post written by: Marc
Stop Keeping Score. Happiness is the True Measure of Success.
Too many people try to numerically measure success. Most of these numbers relate to wealth, age, intelligence, and seniority. The problem with trying to numerically calculate success is that it doesn’t account for personal feelings, thoughts, and general happiness. That which makes one person happy does not necessarily make everyone happy. Thus, the qualities that make one person successful do not automatically represent a universal measure for success.
As tragic as it is, you must keep in mind that some of the most famous, wealthy intellects fall victim to addictions and suicide. Why? Because even though these folks possess numerous quantifiable elements that society typically uses to measure success, nobody can accurately estimate how they truly feel about their personal lives.
Take away all the excess minutiae. You cannot be successful if you are unhappy, and happiness cannot be measured in numbers. It is impossible keep an accurate score of success when the game is based on personal feelings and beliefs. The key is to realize that success is multidimensional. Just because someone is visibly successful at something they do, does not always mean that they are successful in life as a whole.
To be truly successful you must never suck it up to being unhappy for extensive periods of time. Life is just too short for that kind of sacrifice.
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7 Comments
September 17th, 2007 at 1:14 am
You made good point about success and happiness. We live our lives differently from others and comparing it based on their success is irrelevant.
September 17th, 2007 at 9:39 pm
True. We can’t just measure our success, especially by comparing it with other people. We should learn how to trust ourself and be happy with our performance.
September 18th, 2007 at 8:08 pm
Great points guys! Sometimes people spend far too much time seeking someone else’s interpretation of success instead of concentrating on the things that truly make them happy. Thanks for the input!
September 23rd, 2007 at 3:35 am
[…] and Angel presents Stop Keeping Score. Happiness is the True Measure of Success. posted at Marc and Angel. You cannot be successful if you are unhappy, and happiness cannot be […]
December 15th, 2011 at 12:49 am
I tried and tried to explain this to a friend of mine, over and over again, but it is like talking to a brick wall!!! We have two different opinions on what success should be! I think it is based on a feeling of attaining wisdom and knowledge, whereas he sees success as gaining money and having alot of it!!! We don’t do well on this subject at all!!! The reason I can tell him what I know for sure is because I have acquired some things I wanted at 18 at 25 and none of them made me feel successful! My feelings of success came out of me due to the experiences I endured while gaining wisdom and knowledge, but not through gaining material possessions!
January 11th, 2012 at 9:23 am
I’ve heard lots of people measure the happiness they feel they, or their spouses, should have by the cars in the driveway, number of bedrooms in their houses, income per year, and yet what consistently comes up missing is a sense of fulfillment. Fulfillment comes from awareness, practiced appreciation, and follow through on personal interests and goals. Stuff can be great for physical comfort, but love, connection, and growth are necessities for emotional and spiritual fulfillment.
July 20th, 2012 at 3:11 pm
Success is the fulfillment of your goals. We should try to dream of goals which are sensible , real and meaningful… then every thing will be good.
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