Tuesday

Success & Failure

An very interesting talk defining the philosophy of success by Alain de Botton

The core idea is that the definition of success is often absorbed from external suggestion - if a person is a banker or a consultant he must be successful, being rich or achieving renown is success and so on. However, while these are completely untrue, they are ideas that are perceived as "successes" purely because of marketing and common perception and we tend to take them to be true. It is, as the speaker says, very important to have one's own definition of success.

This set me thinking. When do I think I will be successful?
  • When I am doing something that I am good at. Something that brings me respect and satisfaction.
  • When I have enough wealth to sustain me and my family
  • When I am in love with a beautiful girl who completes me and gives me a family.
  • When I have enough number of good friends who share my happiness and sorrows.