Is success the road to happiness? How can we achieve success? Is there perhaps a special recipe for it? What should we do to be successful? In order to answer these questions we must ask ourselves this question first: What is success? In the answer to that question we can find the key to our success.
Have you ever thought about the real meaning of success? And what will make you a successful person? Have you ever wondered why you want to succeed? Do you think success is the road to happiness? The truth is that our own definition of success determines whether we are successful or not.
I have always wondered about success, as I grew up with the belief that happiness was the result of success, therefore I always believed that in order to live a happy life one should succeed first. Years later, I not only realized that my belief was wrong, but I also found out that my ideas about success and how to be successful were also wrong, and that was the reason why I struggled and struggled to be successful always failing at it.
“Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.” – Francis Chan
The problem is that our society teaches us that success is equal to having money, or having fame, or power or material things, or a particular social status, or a degree, a good job, a special talent, or a good-looking appearance, or all of the above. Therefore, we go through our life seeking for those things in order to achieve success, but would that be a real success? Can we consider success as being the act of achieving superficial things? Or is it success something more profound?
Therefore, the rule N.1 to achieve success would be to investigate, define and understand the meaning of the word success. According with the dictionary, success means: The favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors; the accomplishment of one’s goals. Therefore, if success is the achievement of one’s goals, wouldn’t anyone who has achieved its goals be a successful person? Even if those goals don’t involve power, fame or fortune? Or in the end, it’s all about how we measure success? That is to say that success can only be measured in a superficial way?
“Stop chasing the money and start chasing the passion.” – Tony Hsieh
Let’s think about this: There are two people with law degrees, who would have wanted to study something different. One of them works in a prestigious law firm, while the other one has decided to make his hobby a profession; he quit his job to travel the world. The first of them has his life assured with a degree, a great job, and an excellent salary but the second one doesn’t, he lives day by day, doing what he loves. Therefore, who is successful?
I guess most people, judging the way their lives look; would determine that the first one is the one who is successful. But what if they could see deeper? What if you could see and feel what they feel deep inside their hearts? What if you could feel the pain and suffering of the first person for not doing the things he would love to do? And what if you could feel the joy and happiness of the second person? Would you change your mind?
“The first step toward success is taken when you refuse to be a captive of the environment in which you first find yourself.” – Mark Caine
Once again everything depends on your own definition of success and your personal goals, dreams, and desires, and what you do or cease to do to achieve those things determines your success. Therefore, if you want to be successful, find your own definition of success, find what would be true success for you, and make it happen. Success is being who you really are, always believing in yourself, and doing what you love regardless of how many material things you possess.
In my case, I discovered that success is doing what you love, success is being happy for who you are and what you have. Success is facing challenges every day, not giving up, and rising every time you fall. Success means conquering your fears, without letting them conquer you. Success is not allowing adversity to defeat you. Success is being who you really are whenever you want it, without being limited by others’ opinions about you.
“Success? I don’t know what that word means. I’m happy. But success, that goes back to what in somebody’s eyes success means. For me, success is inner peace. That’s a good day for me.” – Denzel Washington
Successful people are those who have always believed in themselves, successful people are doers, dreamers, believers, adventurers, and risk-takers, and they never give up. Successful people are those who have dared to follow their own dreams. Successful people are all children and adults, women and men, rich and poor, famous or unknown, with a degree or not, who are out there being happy, doing what they love, chasing their dreams, being who they really are, without trying to please everybody.
To conclude – Is success the road to happiness? As Albert Schweitzer once said – “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” If you want to be successful: Be happy, do what you love, follow your dreams and make them happen and above all be whoever you want to be, otherwise you will succeed being someone else, and having a life you don’t want.
