The American Dream is a large house, a speedy car, and financial freedom. For some, it includes a boat, a RV, and a cottage by the lake. However, another definition of success doesn’t list any of these. Success does not have anything to do with material goods but is rather tied to broader concepts.
One measure of success is how happy a person is. For some people, they might feel their happiest when they have luxurious items. However, this is not universally true and is consequently not a true measure of success. Happiness for most people is a happy and loving family. If this is someone’s definition of success, then their family is what defines their success. For some, this success might mean trying new things and a lifestyle that supports it. Success is tied in with happiness because they are both highly subjective.
Health can also be considered a defining factor in success. People feel unsuccessful if they, or someone they love, are not healthy. For instance, can father feel successful if his child is ill? This is why doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and hospitals are so important. Not only do they allow people to live longer, but they also allow people to feel successful in their life.
Finally, success can mean overcoming hardships. No one likes hard and rough times with tears and pain. Someone who has come through the pain often feels like he or she has accomplished something. An individual that has overcome an obstacle achieves a measure of success. As David Brinkley has stated, a man can be proud if he has laid “a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him.” The most valuable lessons can come from failures. Like Dale Carnegie said, “Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.” And who could understand the meaning of success if they did not experience disappointment? Light would not exist without darkness and success would not be truly achieved without failure. But we all hope that this failure is only temporary.
People want to achieve success and make plans to reach it. However, with a narrow interpretation of success, many people have no chance of finding it. They will continue to find themselves going the wrong way, missing out on opportunities, and happy moments along the way.
