Success

          "What does success means to you?" At one point of an individual's life, a time will come requiring the need to reaffirm their own definition of success. As per Henry David Thoreau's quote "Men are born to succeed, not to fail", it is an innate desire hardwired deep within humans to achieve a certain level of self and public recognition throughout their lifetime. Although the standard definition of success is the completion of anything intended, the answers garnered will come in varying degrees due to differences in individual approach on personal notion of success. Success can mean raking in a huge amount of profit to a businessman while it could mean raising a child with moral values for a parent. Though the circumstances have nothing in common, the context of success remains technically unaltered. The definition of success for each individual is largely dependent on the 'needs' and 'wants' in a given circumstance. The definition of 'needs' and 'wants' heavily influences an individual's concept of success because they perceive the value of material, contributive and spiritual success differently.

           Individuals who regard material success to be of the highest value will consider accumulation and substantial possession of money to be the absolute goal in life. ‘All About Philosophy (2002-2012)’ suggested that materialism can also refer to a doctrine that teaches material success and progress to be the highest value in life, a prevalent ideology in western society today. Working for money takes precedence over other goals to these people since they are obsessed with acquiring possessions that represent their financial superiority. Statistics from the Finnish Quality of Work Life Survey in 2003 shows that 33% of working mothers and 28% of working fathers from the current generation of parents feel that they have been forgoing familial relationships to achieve financial success. Contemporary media and society also worship the idea of wealth, thus heightening the value of material success as the most desirable and respectable to most people.

            Contributing in creating a better world for the future generation is a success in life for individuals who identify themselves as a contributor. These people are usually driven by their desire to make a difference in the world that benefits others, be it a worldly or daily struggle. A prime example of a contributor would be the late president of United States of America, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, who dedicated his short-lived life into uniting Americans to fight against racial discrimination, war, poverty, disease and tyranny. His support for racial integration and civil rights remain as one of his major contributions to American human rights. His devotion in shifting the paradigm of human rights in America won over the hearts of his people and propelled him into being one of the most successful presidents of United States of America. He remains as one of the inspirational figure for contributors around the world as a benchmark of success in making a difference


          Success, for those who regard spirituality as the most important fraction of one’s life,  is when they transcended themselves and reached enlightenment. Spiritualists are people who try to resist the desire for any gratifications offered in the material world and attempt to detach from emotions associated with negativity. According to one of Dalai Lama's quotes, success has to be judged by what you had to give up in order to get it. Although the quote implies the relationship between success and sacrifice as a technical exchange, it is based on karmic beliefs of what goes around comes around. He conveyed spiritual teachings through logical reasoning by appealing to the logos of people. As the symbol of peace, his efforts in promoting peace have also drew considerable attention and acclaim throughout the world.


          In conclusion, success is subject to perception of each individual based on their own personal values.
Because success is not quantifiable and measurable using one single standard, the manifestation of success largely depends on each individual engaging in the matter. Despite the differences in terms and actual appearance of success, the method employed and effort required to achieve this remains quite similar amongst its different kinds. According to Mark Twain, dictionary is the only place where success comes before work. Taking his words into account, it should not be forgotten that regardless of the kind of the success an individual is attempting to attain, this should be acquired through hard work and effort.

References

1. Midson-Short, D. (2009, January 26).Six Types of Success. Health Wealth. Retrieved from http://www.health-wealth.co.nz/home/free-articles/six-types-of-success.html

2. All About Philosophy. (2002-2012). Materialism - Definition and Doctrines. All About Philosophy. Retrieved from http://www.allaboutphilosophy.org/materialism.htm

3. Eurofound. (2005, October 10). Combining Family and Full-Time Work. Eurofound. Retrieved from http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0510TR02/TN0510TR02_5.htm

4. O'Brien, M. (2005, February 24). John F. Kennedy: A Biography (1st ed.). New York, USA: Thomas Dunne Books.