What character trait or personal quality is needed to live a successful, satisfying life?

Answer 1

This, of course, is a very subjective topic and as you know there is no single answer. That said, I believe that the ability to shake off negative events and move on is one of the more important characterisitics of content people. Bad stuff happens to everyone, all the time. By "bad" I don't just mean calamities, I mean simple life events; like getting the short end of a business deal or being treated in an insulting manner. Some people respond to these events by internalizing them, stewing over them, plotting revenge, fantisizing about alternative outcomes...in short, never letting go and moving on. No matter how successful that individual is in other measures, they are perpetually unahppy and unbalanced. They have no sense of scale; any item can throw them into a tizzy and they expend all their energy on maintaining the anger and injustice they feel about it.

The opposite trait enables a person to accept the vagaries of life and not let it touch their true core. These people don't take themselves so seriously, their sense of ego and pride is more in check, they have the facility to assess a situation and move on. This is not about being happy and naive, it's about understanding that most of life's ills are perpetrated by ourselves on ourselves. If someone succeeds in "ruining your day" -- you enabled them to it.

I think that the trait of being able to let go of emotions and psychological baggage that drags you down, is fundamental to having a satisfying life. Without it you're like a pin ball in a pin ball machine, forever reacting to outside events and bouncing around without any control over your life.

Answer 2

i guess the most important trait would be the ability to define 'successful' on a spiritual level rather than a material one. then another trait would be to be able to find satisfaction in the small joys that life gives us every day.

we spend our lives waiting for that big event which will change our lives forever and which will, in one single explosion, give us all the happiness we desire. but this will never happen to any of us. satisfaction is cumulative. it grows with every successive little event we are able to find joy in. so the trait that is needed is the ability to gather all these little joys together to create bliss for ourselves.

Answer 3

That's an awfully broad question. You asking it as if everyone marches to the same drummer. I march to my own. You want a main steam answer. I have never been a main stream person and I think I've been happier than any main stream person can even comprehend.

Answer 4

Well some people find sucess and satisfaction making life hard for others where as the truely sucessful person treats others as he wants to be treated and as a result earns their respect which if you don't have the respect of others, you can't really be sucessful.

Answer 5

For successful life be lie-yer AND for satisfying life be honest

Answer 6

A sense of humor and interest in the welfare of others.

Answer 7

honest

Answer 8

take time to meditate & pray to god everday

Answer 9

if you are at peace with yourself you will be happy,