Yeah I Wrote This!

I am sure that we all have numerous interpretations of what a successful person really is.  Many would be quick to say that success is measured through obtaining and maintaining material possessions.  Others would declare that success is overcoming obstacles and accomplishing goals.  And even more would proclaim that it is actually having a well paid job, higher education or even having a loving family.  However, I suggest that society’s idea of success is flawed.  I contend that there are too many emphases on the trimmings of success rather than on the basic simplicity of it; for truly, success is much more simplistic in nature.  Unquestionably, success has to do with contentment, enjoyment and self-worth, which allows for the conclusion that success is simply being happy!

Thorndike Barnhart Intermediate Dictionary defines ‘successful’ as being “prosperous” and “fortunate.” It further develops the word by saying that success has to do with “favourable results” and “a wished-for ending.”  Definitely through these definitions one can conclude that being successful is actually subjective.  For being prosperous and fortunate varies from society to society.  In parts of Africa owning two cows may be considered as being prosperous and successful, whereas in Western cultures having a vast amount of wealth may be the indicator of when someone is essentially doing well.  Nevertheless, though the importance of such possessions is subjective to culture, both possessions beyond doubt is a sign of accomplishments and gives pleasure to its possessor.  Therefore, it is safe to proclaim that a common thread exist in regards to success in all societies and that common thread is that success is based on having possessions that makes one happy, ‘happy’ being the operative word.

Surely, in our society, it maybe safe to say that everyone would love to own that enormous, spectacular house with the fine furnishings; who would blame a person for desiring that gigantic, well manicured property with the huge winding driveway accompanied with the big luxurious cars parked out front?  More so, I am sure that everyone would be ecstatic to have that vast bank account to purchase all the frills and comforts of the world at a whim.  Wow, just picturing that now, makes me shiver.  But really, is that success?  Well, some say that money is the answer to all things and some would even dare to say that money can purchase happiness.  But can it?  Certainly money can purchase things and trinkets, but usually these items are just transient in nature, a corridor to actual happiness.  This can be seen through observing many women who claim that shopping for shoes makes them happy.  (Like men, many women tend to measure a person’s success by their possessions, in this case shoes).   But, what happens after the shopping spree?  Will there still be happiness and contentment?  Nope!  Sadly, even with a room full of expensive shoes, many women find their once happiness fleeting.  As a result, there is always a need to perpetually feed their desire for more shoes in order to maintain their enjoyment.  Likewise, having wealth too is undeniably fleeting, accordingly the rich is often seen pursuing more wealth, in order to fulfil their quest to be successful.

Then there are some who claim that having power is what makes one successful. Certainly a misconception of success, for having power is just a tool to obtain success.  Having the ability to make things happen and to affect the end result is miraculous to say the least.  But like Lord Action said, ‘power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely,” (Random House Webster’s Quotationary).  Power corrupts because of what persons tend to do and sacrifice in order to maintain it.  Similarly to those with a never quenching desire for wealth, those who have power unendingly seek out more power in order maintain their success.  Mikhail Bakunin in a pamphlet entitled “Science and the Urgent Revolutionary Task” states that ‘political power and wealth are inseparable.  Those who have power have the means to gain wealth and must centre their efforts upon acquiring, for without it they will not be able to retain their power.  Those who are wealthy must become strong, for, lacking power, they run the risk of being deprived of their wealth,’ (Random House Webster’s Quotationary).  If Bakunin’s statements are in fact correct, (that wealth and power go hand in hand), it is safe then to conclude that they both share the same faults, that is both are fleeting, therefore not depicting true success.  In fact, this is clearly seen in wars.  Nations conquer other nations in order to obtain wealth and power, however immediately after one conquest is done, there is always the need to seek out yet another nation to conquer, never being satisfied, always in search to quench the lust for power.  This was clearly seen with Hitler’s conquest to conquer the world.  Hitler invaded Czechoslovakia, Austria, Poland, Belgium, Denmark and France in his conquest to be the world’s supreme leader.  Sadly, his thirst to be supreme leader and with his discontentment of being just the leader of Germany led him to suicide when his forces failed and his homeland Germany borders were breached by allied forces. 

Now let us consider the concept of having a well paying job as success.  Clearly this too is subjective, as what one may consider as an interesting or a fulfilling job may be too demanding and boring to another person.  Nevertheless, being self fulfilled with your job is the key to success.  For if one is not content with it, one could never consider oneself as being successful.  Imagine having that job making let’s say $100,000 dollars a year, (my eyes just watered at the very thought of that); however, the job requires backbreaking or emotionally taxing work, certainly many would reconsider selecting this particular job as it may not add to their personal fulfilment.  One may want to settle with a $21,000 dollar a year job because one simply enjoys the task.  Truly the enjoyment is what seems to make one successful!  This idea was seen in one of the analogies that Dr. Martin Luther King used in one of his speeches, when he said that ‘it isn’t by size that you win or fail’, but by ‘being the best of what you are’.

Leonard Roy Frank in his book Quotationary states that ‘success means only doing what you do well (and) letting someone else do the rest.’  Wow, that is truly a profound statement.  This statement reinforces my idea that success is based on happiness, for I maintain that success is accomplishing your goals and moving no further.  My theory lies upon the point of satisfaction. That is, when one is no longer satisfied with the point at which one exists, one’s success has become transitory.  In deed, if we do consider Thorndike Barnhart Intermediate Dictionary’s ‘successful’ definition as a “favourable result” or “a wished-for ending” we must conclude that success must have a definite culmination, consequently without the culmination, there is no success.  And what is this sort after culmination?  Happiness by performing endeavours.

But what about pursuing an education or becoming skilled in the arts, how do they bring happiness or contentment, you may ask?  How can one measure success from something one does for recreation?  Well both the arts and education have to do with accomplishing goals and overcoming barriers, subsequently both have to do with self worth and personal development.  One tends to improve upon one’s self in order to ensure self worth and to maintain happiness, consequently to become successful.  Once again, we can conclude that success is the quest of making one feel good about one’s self.

In conclusion, when we are considering what a successful person really is, we should consider Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.  We must consider what motivates someone to become successful, what drives him to want to be happy.  Maslow’s theory consists of five points:  Physiological, safety, love, esteem and self actualization.  The first three desires on the list of needs are centred on survival; however, esteem and self actualization are centred on accomplishing goals and self-worth.  It seems as if there is a natural need for persons to be happy, therefore, there is a natural desire for persons to be successful.  If we consider this, we can conclude that success is subjective to a person’s needs.  Some persons need a little and others need a lot.  For that reason, to say that success is having a large number of material items is unmistakably flawed, as success is truly being happy with what you have achieved.

Works Cited

Frank, Leonard. Random House Webster’s Quotationary. New York:  Random, 1998.

King, Martin Luther. “Quotes from Martin Luther King Jr.”

http://members.aol.com/klove01/marquote.htm. April 9, 2004.

Scott, Foresman. Thorndike Barnhart Intermediate Dictionary. New Jersy: Scott, 1985.