Are You A Success?

Published on January 17, 2005 By dynamaso In Misc

What is a success? Is success money or power? Is success fame? Is success freedom to choose what, how and when? We so often hear of people who seemingly have everything but are plagued by mental problems, addictions and obsessions or are just nasty and temperamental.

Too often I hear folk lamenting the failures of their life or ranting about how others have got it so much better. They’re jealous of the hard work others do to gain success. They’re envious of material possessions, are judgemental without really knowing one another and bitter because their own lives aren’t better. They blame everybody else for their problems except themselves and then wonder why no one likes them.

I prefer to think as follows:

I have a great relationship with my wife therefore I am successful.

I live in a really great suburb in arguably one of the most beautiful cities in the world therefore I am successful.

I can afford to live a lifestyle far superior to many less fortunate people therefore I am successful.

I am surrounded by friends who love and support me therefore I am successful.

I am happy, healthy and have the ability and resources to maintain a reasonable level of education therefore I am successful.

I have a great deal of personal freedom therefore I am successful.

I am able to stretch out my hand and help those in need therefore I am successful.

I am able to laugh at myself everyday therefore I am successful.

I have a wonderful home, plenty of food in the fridge, fresh water on tap and only have to work 8 hours a day therefore I am successful.

I chose the life I have therefore I am successful.

Cheers,

Maso

Comments

Texas Wahine

on Jan 17, 2005

Beautiful. I enjoyed this . . . and I agree . . . what you've described sounds like quite a satisfying, successful life.

dynamaso

on Jan 17, 2005

Thanks so much Tex. Shine on...

BlueDev

on Jan 17, 2005

Ultimately I think for me a successful life is one in which my family and I share our love for each other and we strive our best to live our beliefs. The rest is icing on the cake. I can't deny that material success would be a welcome bonus too, but when I really get down to it my family and my faith will be the ultimate markers of my success.

Manopeace

on Jan 17, 2005

Great thread Maso....
According to your guidlines, I am successful as well.

dynamaso

on Jan 17, 2005

BlueDev, it occured to me last night the one element I didn't include in this list was the great relationships I have with all my family. This should have been high up the list but it completely slipped by as I was writing. With so many family units split apart these days, I count myself as blessed to be part of a large, loving and giving family. I believe without them, I probably wouldn't be the 'success' I am today.

Mano, as far as I'm concerned, we're all successful in our own ways. Thanks for your comments.

Cheers,

Maso

island_gurl12

on Jan 17, 2005

That's a really good thread Maso

I'm glad you're so successful. And thanks for showing me that i'm successful too...

island_gurl12

on Jan 17, 2005

That's a really good thread Maso

I'm glad you're so successful. And thanks for showing me that i'm successful too...

dynamaso

on Jan 18, 2005

IG, as I said to Mano, everyone, well at least everyone on JU is successful, if they really think about it. Thanks for dropping by. It is always a pleasure.

Cheers,

Maso

scatter629

on Jan 18, 2005

Congratulations, Maso. Kudos as well to those who've discovered how successful they already are.

KellyW0498

on Jan 18, 2005

I chose the life I have therefore I am successful.

I think this sums it all up. To me that is success.
KellyW.

Toblerone

on Jan 19, 2005

They blame everybody else for their problems except themselves

I think this is a self-esteem saving/building mechanism. Commonly If something bad happens to you you attribute it to bad luck and if something good happens you tend to want to attribute it to your hard work or good planning.

In truth all events that happen to us are a mixture of luck and our own actions. The important thing to remember is that our own actions/perceptions help us cope with our luck good or bad. They (meaning researchers in a study I can't be bothered recounting now) have found that people who consider themselves lucky are usually more optimistic and outgoing. These attributes mean that even if they do have bad luck they can see other opportunities and take advantage of them. Someone who is too pessimistic may dwell on their bad luck for too long and miss their next opportunity.

Another thing to be aware of here is that it isn't entirely fair to attribute either the successs or failure of other people to hard work or laziness repectively. This is because your outlook, whether it be optimistic or pessimistic, tends to be based on whether you've had more positive or negative experiences This is why I feel it is important that occasionally you give someone you consider to be a bit of a loser the benifit of the doubt and give them a helping hand. Sometimes it just take one good experience to change someones outlook on life and hence how they cope with the inenvidible bad luck that befalls us all at some time. Of course you do get the occaisional person that is just plain self-destrcutive but we can't alway assume that they are hopeless cases.

dynamaso

on Jan 19, 2005

Scatter629 and KellyW, thanks for your comments and for stopping by.

Toblerone, thanks to you too. You raised a few good points, particularly with respect to experiences. I've had many negative experiences in my life but view them all as part of my attaining some idea of wisdom. Sure, I am an optimist. But I also like to think I can pass on my optimism to others. I agree with you about giving people the benefit of the doubt. Too many folk out there make assumptions and cast judgements on people based on their speech, clothes, job, education etc. As for the luck issue, I have the best luck when I don't gamble.

Thanks for your comments. I really appreciate them.

Cheers,

Maso

Angloesque

on Jan 22, 2005

Maso, congrats. You get the first insightful I've given out in ages.

-A.

dynamaso

on Jan 23, 2005

Angloesque,

I'm pleased you enjoyed the article. Thanks so much for the insightful. It surprises me everytime when someone acknowledges my little ramblings like this. It has me feeling like I might be making some sense.

Thanks again.

Cheers,

Maso

dynamaso

on Jan 23, 2005

Bugger...damnnewfangledkeyboardythingumees...

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