A lot of times, it seems like society is telling us what we need to become in order to be considered “successful.” And what does success look like? We’ll tell you. You should have a job that pays a lot so that you can have a nice house, buy a lot of nice things, and go on nice vacations. You should be married by your early thirties and have a few children.
Just about every famous person is considered successful, although many people look up to them simply because they are famous. They think that famous people have it made because they have a lot of money, star in movies, and have nice clothing. For some reason, achieving fame and fortune is the epitome of success for many individuals. However, celebrities are people too, and not all of them are happy, despite their “success.” Wealth does not make everyone happy, and while many married people with families are very happy, not all of them are. But you do not need to achieve any of these things in order to be happy. This is because you define your own success, and not everyone wants the same things in life.
To me, happiness and success go together hand and hand. I don't think that I need to have a high paying job, lots of possessions, or marry the “man of my dreams” to achieve happiness and success. If I have a job that I like, can live comfortably, and am happy with where I am, I will consider myself successful.
Don't let other people try to influence you to live your life one way or another, and don't let other people's visions of success get in the way of yours. If you aren't achieving what you define success to be and you aren't happy with where you are, consider why this is. Think about whether or not you are doing everything you can to make sure you are where you want to be, and if you aren't, ask yourself why. Then go ahead and make the changes that you want to make so that you will be happy and feel successful.
It is silly to compare yourself to other people, because you don't know how they truly feel and whether or not they are happy with their lives. For all you know, a seemingly happy person with a well-paying job and beautifully manicured lawn could feel like they are missing something from their life and be miserable because of it. They could also be genuinely happy, because they feel happy and successful in their own right. A person living in a trailer with only their dog and who does not have a high paying job could still be living the life that they want. They can love their job and the simplicity of their life, and they can feel the same success as someone with a well-paying job and beautifully manicured lawn. Everyone is different and wants different things. It is okay to not meet society’s definition of “success,” because its definition does not ultimately matter.
