How do you measure 'success' in life?

For me its changed over time. Right now its about keeping the bedrock solid (family, friends, finances) and achieving that next fun goal (project, development, triathlon, holiday etc). Post-kids race cars are sadly on stands for a while.

 

Pre sick: My car was always a means to measuring my success along with "things" playstations, computers, big TV's, anything that screams "expensive" to the world.

Post sick: Being able to walk every day on the beach with my missus, that will be my success, Don't need to be rich, just comfortable .

I believe your success can only be measured by the intensity of your smile .

Amazing how the perspective can change, I am physically the same person (ok minus a few bits internally) but emotionally and mentally I am so so different (for the better) now

 

Success in life for me is currently a 1:47 around Sydney Motorsport Park

Half kidding. Success is when you can chase your passions, do what you want to do, whenever and wherever, with whomever, free of constraints that don't directly contribute toward the life goals of yourself and those closest to you.

Money is just an interim token between effort and reward; it is not a goal itself.

 

This

 

Its very true for my partner and I. I mean look, I'm not saying money, wealth, cars, holidays is not important to me because obviously I'd be lying. It is. But think about it, what is the use to have all that (and more) if at the end of the day you don't have someone really special or a great family or great friends to share it with? there is only so much we can spend and enjoy by ourselves. I could be the wealthiest person in the world, but if I didn't have special people to share it with and enjoy the journey then really wtf is the whole point.

 

I was talking about this with my hubby this morning. We could lose (nearly) everything material, and still be happy. That is success to me. It pretty much gives you a life without fear.

 

Sounds like you are him are each other's everything

 

Couldn't agree more with your whole post!! But gee, minus which bits though? Sounds like a rough thing you went though

 

Just some bits of bowel (most of my descending Colon all of my Sigmoid and all of my rectum I think, can't quite remember) and stuff due to Cancer. It was a terrible year of my life but I gained so much from it, I learned who I really am, I learned a lot about human kindness (much of which was from this very forum with the people who reached out to me in support), I became a bit softer as a human being and I think for me personally, Cancer made me a better part of the world than I used to be.

I feel lucky to know the people I do and to have the family that I do (especially my wife) and going through it sharpened my focus on being where I need to be. 6 weeks after my final surgery we flew to the Gold Coast and bought a house which we move into on Dec 14 this year, changing our life to be exactly what we need it to be .

Most people on here are aware of my trek down cancer street (there are a couple of threads on it from the old days) and I tried to be an open book whilst going through treatment in the hopes that people start getting tested and possibly avoid what I went through (8 rounds of Chemo, 3 surgeries and a Colostomy bag for a year).

 

Cosign, with the addition of the intangibles of being happy, healthy and with good people

 

Well, not really - we adore each other but are also pretty self sufficient. That's what we like about each other.

 

This is such a great thread!
For me... I am loving life. It's my birthday weekend. We both took the day off work and we made it down to the Southern Highlands, staying at the Fitzroy Inn, heaps of history, amazingly friendly service and I can totally recommend it. Absolutely beautiful gardens, and apparently it's the site of the oldest tennis court in Australia!

I see gorgeous wildlife, scenery, nature, we have fresh air... just love it.

Success... to be able to do this sort of thing... love it. A blessed life

 

I was just talking to my wife about this as we walked our dogs. For us it is waking up each day and choosing what we do. We are working on becoming full time property flippers and our version of success has us engaged full time in this activity. Ive been working toward it for years and will be in a position to get a building license at the end of 2018.
A big part of choosing what we do each day also involves living a healthy lifestyle, enjoying the natural environment and travelling to new places.
So I guess success is a reno project next to a national park with all year round training options plus a month os holiday each year.
Yeap that will do it.
Thanks for a thought provoking thread.

 

Coming home each day to a wife and child and the first thing they do is smile

Spending time with family and friends each week

Cracking open a coldy after work

Going to nice restaurants with the wife

Playing golf and not worrying a bout a thing in life

Being respected by my colleagues and clients

Success to me a few years ago was earning good dollars, investing being told your successful. Now I couldn’t care less about these. Yes they do happen but I don’t care about them. Be happy first in your life and success willl follow

 

Blacky jnr said to me "I love you Pappa" on skype the other day - without prompting. He just said it.

Life doesn't get much better than that does it?

 

I always admire people that are grounded when they 'make it' and they go on to become even better people because they have the means to help another human being. I know this sounds controversial but sometimes it's a fine balancing act of helping someone that wants help or just using you to better themselves at your expense.

 

This
cliche..... but the Power of positive thinking, has got a lot to do with being happy. See the glass half empty or seeing it half full???

 

Success in my professional life is; the more money I can make with the least amount of effort, the more successful I am.

 

Success to me means helping the people in need no matter how impactful it is.

 

I think you can be happy and successful without a partner.. I never expect to have one again and don´t want one, for me now a relationship would be a high risk to happiness and wealth, not worth it. I see my kids often (most days) and help them grow, still have my health and have sufficient money to enjoy what I want to do without working, that´s enough.