Success is Not the Key to Happiness

Often time the question is asked about the role of success in happiness. People answer that success is not the key to happiness and the question is asked: a man owns a car, owns an enormous and successful business, has a beautiful wife and great kids and he’s contended, what more does he need and why should you say that success is not the key to happiness?

It is noteworthy that Albert Schweitzer, a Lutheran theologist, humanist, philosopher, and physician confessed that success is not the key to happiness. He adds that when you love what you do; when a man is passionate about his work and he appreciates what he does, such man will be successful. This is also enforced by Sigmund Freud’s allegedly statement that work and love are the fundamentals of normal life.

By this, the philosophers establish a reasonable ground to identify with the importance of the role of happiness without the societal expectation of success. Success has different levels: a man can be a successful farmer and remain in the lower class; a man can be successful yet remain in the upper-lower class; also middle and upper classes. The categorization has thus defined the world in the fashion of economic and material possessions. However, happiness isn’t in economic and material possessions and success isn't defined by it.

To different people, their lives and experiences, success means different things. However, consideration will be given to the definitions of success outside material needs.

Someone defined success to mean contentment. To be happy and contented with who someone is and to continue in the strife with oneself to improve and become the goal that has always been cherished. Success is also considered as the recognition of doing things for other people and acknowledging the day is successful with a good deed done.

Success also means being independent; to be able to do things by oneself without external assistance as this will measure one’s achievement as ordered by a conscious pace taken by the person.

Summarily, success is subject to contentment, happiness, and recognition of one’s zeal and passion. Success is in the way of life, the culture we respect and we do not need to break our bones or work ourselves out for it. Success is the result of happiness and this is why happiness cannot exist without success and the feeling of success can only exist when a man is happy with what he does.

People chase after material things and think that having the world at their toes is the success that matters. They also think that when someone is successful, one equates to being happy but this has been discovered to be false. In a study of the Psychological Bulletin of America in 2005, it is discovered that happiness doesn’t equal success, and success doesn’t equal happiness. Instead, happiness brings success.

The study shows that happy people are more likely to succeed than people who seek success to be happy. The study also reveals that people receive the urge to challenge themselves, devote themselves to newer goals, and improve their lives because they’re happy doing the things they do and it enhances positive emotions and optimism. It should be emphasized that work performance is more strongly predicted to be a result of well-being, good health, rather than job satisfaction.

If this is considered realistically, no job satisfies human wants. Human wants are endless and seeking success for the attainment of wants means seeking material prosperity beyond what the present can afford to enhance the life of choice. It then becomes a complex situation because often, man doesn’t achieve what he desires and worry set in. This is responsible for the reasons why people do things they do not love.

However, a significant pointer of success in today’s society is income. It can be questioned, are happier persons high-income earners? This question, according to the Psychological Bulletin of America, is answered as yes. The factors responsible for this is simple: people live an easy lifestyle and they are contented with what they have. They have love, life, and work and they live with the happiness it brings. This enhances mental development and mental healthiness which improves growth to external development in other areas of life.

Happy people often experience positive moods and this is responsible for positive action at work. This also increases their reaction to challenges as a means to be better and improve on such activities.

The extent at which happiness is measured isn’t on success, happiness is rather measured on peace of mind, contentment, love, and the mental state. A sudden path is cleared when we are happy because we can think easily and come up with sustainable solutions to challenges that have impeded material success. Then, this level of achievement enhances the success that is sought for.

On the path to success, happiness, passion, and dream are integral as they are what remains when disappointment kicks in or when success kicks in. While chasing goals and dreams, giving up isn’t an option because a level of happiness is dependent on it. This is why it is safe to keep up with positive confession and optimism which also plays a part in keeping one’s mind at ease on success.

It is important to also note the words of Shakespeare, “a merry heart goes all day, your sad tires in a mile” which suggests that an appreciative lasts all day and the sadness that encroaches is but for a moment.

To be successful by feeling happy, one must exhibit gratefulness, optimism, application of strength, and resources when they’re critical, exhibit kindness, and tolerate other people.

Success is not the key to happiness, happiness is the key to success. This happiness comes from being passionate about what you do, recognizing satisfaction, and staying with the people who love and appreciate us as we do to them. All these will enhance a healthy mind, an optimistic mind, and ultimately permit positive energy to work. Success isn’t farfetched when the source of happiness is unique and immaterial.