I too just stumbled across your blog. It caught my attention because a few weeks ago, at a seminar with a room filled with over 200 educators, we also discussed this concept of what we considered success was and what our goals were in terms of ‘success for boys’. The decision was almost unanimous….success for boys was producing ‘happy’ men. There was also a lot of discussion regarding the social expectation that happiness equated to monetary possessions and certain career choices, but this was overwhelmingly rejected as a true measure of happiness.

It is a thought-provoking discussion. Most of the people in my small group could relate stories they knew of people who had (what society would consider) high rolling jobs, yet were not happy. Of people who had made life decisions to simplify their way of living and who deemed themselves to be much happier. Interesting!

glad you stumbled this way (long way to stumble to the land down-under)… when we get uncomfortable is when we learn and grow and change for the better… not always fun (when we’re in it) but always worth it.

Nice to meet you!

Stumbled upon your blog, and have been wandering around reading some of your articles … including this one (obviously).

I just turned 45 a couple days ago. Birthdays are usually a time of reflection for me. I don’t mind getting older, it is just the time when I do my “life check-up”. Perhaps another phrase would be, “balance the books (of my life)”.

Your thoughts on Success spoke to me … and I will be reading more from your blog as this part of my life’s journey continues. I’m presently thinking about that very thing — my definition of Success — and wondering what the next 25 years of my life will be in pursuit of. The 1st 25 were mostly about the “trappings” of success.

Today is Super Bowl day in the U.S.. I have a few friends coming over to enjoy the day and each other, then watch the game together.

I think my heart has been leading me to your premise in this post, “success is about being Happy”. And I would say that as the last 25 years neared an end, I found that I was less tolerant of doing things to “just” be financially successful. And more interested in learning how to be successful at life through my work. (I haven’t found the exact recipe yet.)

I’ll be interested to read further in your blog, particularly as I type this I see a post of yours that is entitled, “Wanna Succeed? …. Get Uncomfortable.”

I think I’m going to need to be “uncomfortable” for awhile to launch the next quarter century.

I’ll be checking in on your thoughts … thanks for the mental boost.

I’ve seen hot. I’m not it.

But thanks.

I doubt that anyone given the opportunity to have a life of unhappiness and misery, or a life of happiness would (honestly) choose to be unhappy.

I’ve worked with many clinically depressed people and I’ve never met anyone who WANTS to be unhappy (given the option of happiness).

But hey… wouldn’t the world be boring if we all thought the same!
Thanks for visiting and thanks for your thoughts.

I really enjoyed this post. I think people(well, a lot of people) never really take the time to define what success is for them. I know from personal experience I would always say I wanted to be successful without ever taking the time to define it.

I would question that everyone wants to be happy, though. Sounds crazy, right? But I was talking with my coach about confidence and she said that not everyone would want it. I thought she was nuts until she explained that people sometimes “enjoy” the emotional payoff of not being happy, so deep down they don’t want to be happy.

Thanks,
Colm