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Recommended: What does success mean
Imagine yourself ten years from now. From now till then, you will have short and long-term goals that will either be achieved or ignored. The achievement of success is by accomplishing goals with the happiness that comes along with it. Achieving goals is an ongoing process throughout the lives of humans until there is no more to gain. Although, society makes people believe success is measured by money and monetary items.
Of course, money is important to have in possession to constantly pay bills and support your family. Without money people will starve and become homeless (Debate 1). The detriments of not possessing money lead to lack of necessities. Money is what allows people to have shelter, food, and clothing which are basic needs. In people’s eyes, being unclothed, homeless, and starving is rather unsuccessful (Debate 1). People who become homeless or unsuccessful are shunned or sympathized by other people. There are people in society that use their own success to help others that are in need, such as helping a homeless person by offering them money or shelter.
Success is not defined by the clothes people wear or the size of your house. The United States is known for the citizen’s materialistic obsession (Seger 1). We attain satisfaction from the objects we possess and often we enjoy our envious neighbors. Money is a symbolism for the definition of people’s success (Seger 1). The amount of money a person has determines the different objects they can acquire. The bigger the diamond ring the more successful you are. However this is not the true definition of success.
Success can be defined from all countries around the world (Seger 1). In countries outside of the United States of America, success is havi...
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...Web. 9 Feb. 2014. .
"In today's society, what's the median of success: money (yes) or moral values (no)?." The Premier Online Debate Website. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2014. .
James, Geoffrey. "What Is Success? Here's a Better Definition BY Geoffrey James." Inc.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2014. .
Smith, James. "Looking Forward Quotes." BrainyQuote. Xplore, n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2014. .
Blasingame, Jim. "Do You Prefer Success Or Achievement?." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 7 May 2013. Web. 13 Feb. 2014. .
There are many different definitions of success, and many depend on the person defining it. Success can be achieving your goal of running a mile or not failing a math test. It can be independence or not embarrassing yourself in public. To achieve these versions of success, you need to practice and put in effort. After all, Gladwell says if you work hard enough you can do anything and “Achievement is talent plus preparation.” (Gladwell 221). The above definitions of success are similar to my own. I define success as reaching my goals, not being in debt (money wise), and having independence. I also agree with Gladwell that wealth, power, and fame are indicators of success, however, I do not gauge my own success on power or fame. My definition of success has not changed because of the Outliers, but it has changed over time. As I age, my view of the world changes and so does my definition of success.
What does success mean to you? I think the idea of success is affected by the social system. In America and Hong Kong, which are capitalistic societies affected by the American Dream, success means money and fame. In other societies, success might have different meanings. Some people said money and fame is the true meaning of success, but I think that the true meaning of success is to follow the interest of your own and being good at it, but not money and fame. Overemphasizing on these two factors can only lead to negative effects. Therefore I think the definition of success in capitalistic countries should not be focused on money and fame, because it restricts people from following their real dreams.
It seems our definition of success is related to our own individuality. Our view of success is rooted in the outcome of competition among individuals. Americans seem quick to claim that we have each succeeded through their o...
...at the American culture places economic success at the pinnacle of social desirability, without listing legitimate ways for attaining the desired goal (Merton 672-682). Today, the American Dream no longer reflects the dream Adams had, but instead, the idea that one can only call themselves truly successful if they have become rich, regardless of the way they got there. The American Dream does not guarantee happiness, but rather the pursuit of it, but with the media strongly persuading people that money guarantees happiness, people are encouraged to do whatever it takes, even it means disregarding their morals, so that they achieve ‘success.’ The inability to achieve this goal often leads people to destructive, and ultimately life-threatening criminal behavior as their feelings of anxiety and frustration over this vision of the “American Dream” get the best of them.
Living in one of the wealthiest countries in the world, our culture has naturally valued prestige and luxuries. We admire fancy items and often judge other individuals by the clothes they wear, the car they drive, and the schools that they attend. The “American Dream” serves as a motivational factor for people; believing that hard work and dedication can bring “success” to ones’ life. Although this is partially true, it is difficult for individuals in the middle class and lower class.
As children, we have all fantasized about being wealthy; owning a stunning home, driving extravagant cars, and being married to Prince Charming. Throughout society, people concentrate on certain things to push them to prosper in life. The focus people have is to live a life that is far from poverty, to succeed and get to the top, rather than to beg and be unsuccessful. Fundamentally, we dream of the flawless life with the picture-perfect spouse. Generally, this idea is known as the “American Dream”, which is the feeling that if one works hard, that person will prosper by becoming wealthy. When people think of the “American Dream” it is often associated with happiness and wealth. As society would have it, it takes money to be happy and economic standing to be acknowledged. As all of these modules may make one “happy” out of obliviousness, they will never grasp the happiness they are truly in search of.
In America today, the standard way of calculating success is in terms of material gain. Wealth and acquisition of bigger and better possessions are the driving force behind our culture as well as our capitalist economy. “Keeping up with the Jones’s” is a familiar cliché that accurately describes the goals of the average American for the latest and greatest and the biggest and the best. This is how most people believe we are measured in society. 19th Century American philosopher and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson had a different concept of success, however. Emerson says “To laugh often and much, to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends, to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better…to know one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.” ("Ralph Waldo Emerson")
You use money to buy food, water, shelter, healthcare, and several other items that are needed for survival. However, money is the driving force of living for some; it influences career choice, specific job choice, which eventually leads to spending even more money on items to destress. Others will tell you
For some, happiness is all that matters. Happiness is achieved in many ways, and it doesn’t always involve money. There are many things that contribute to making a person feel happy and successful. One can feel successful without a lot of money at all. For example, feeling loved is something that makes everyone happy. Many believe that without love life is not thoroughly complete, thus never truly achieving success. Ones line of work can also affect how happy he is. Some feel that it is more important to enjoy work and get less money than it is to hate work and get paid more. Another factor in achieving psychological success is ones ability to enjoy what life gives him. There are many qualities of life that are overlooked. Everyone is dealt family and it is important to value that.
'One has achieved success who has lived well and laughed often.'; This quote seems to sum up what is meant by success. If you are able to laugh often and much then you have definitely achieved happiness. The idea of living well, though, is a very broad statement. In order, then, to define success in relation to this statement, we must first define what it means to live well. There are three levels of success, in my opinion: societal success, personal success, and academic or professional success. If someone can achieve all of these three levels of success, they are someone who has lived well.
Success is a buzzword that many people use to define their accomplishments. Many people view success as an achievement of a plan or a set of goals. Even though they know what success is, they are still not able to reach the goals they have set for themselves. What is the reason for this? Could it be their lack of proper planning or lack of effort to achieve their set goals?
Ever since the times of the BC era, wealth had defined success (Definition of Success). A wealthy person of those times would be looked at as a superior being, they would be someone you’d show respect for. They were successful. Although that's the definition of success back then, does it mean something different now? Like every human being, and every past structure of society, the word evolves with time because society's’ values change. The definition of the word “success” was often considered as the achievement of wealth, but now it has become modernized to fit into today's society. Today, success is thought as an individual doing what makes them happy in life, generally doing their best, or even contributing positive things to the world to make it a better place (What does success mean).
Accomplishing your aim or purpose can be the true definition of success. You must want to achieve your goals at hand. You must want to earn everything. You really should put in the effort needed to become a successful person. Becoming a successful person requires you to be an extraordinary character. This means you have to be a very self-disciplined, competent, and trustworthy person. That allows you to become more trusted within the community and earn more respect. Learning from your mistakes is essential to your success. Every time you fail you become more knowledgeable on a subject. You can fail as many times as you want but eventually you will learn what is right from wrong. This will lead to you to become open minded and achieve success. You will have to put in the time and effort. Planning ahead allows you to have a schedule so you won’t be behind. If you have a plethora of skills, you will have a higher chance of success than other people. Skills allow you to qualify for certain positions and allow you to excel in what you need to. You can have time to achieve your goals and predict what else you need to do. Success can come in many ways including family, money, fame, respect, and achieving your goals. There are many ways to achieve success but these are only a few ways. Only you can decide who you want to be and determine your own goals. You’re the only person who can judge your
Success takes many different definitions. People have different interpretations of what success really means. For me is as simple as: living well and laughing often. The idea of living well is a very broad statement. Living well, in my opinion is getting success in personal, social and professional life. If I can achieve all of these three levels of success, I believe that I have lived well.