2007-01-23 11:14:29 · 9 answers · asked by Henry 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
"To laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded."
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
I have always loved that quote.
In the end, if I am surrounded by people whom I love and whom love me, I will feel like I lived a successful life.
I don't think that when I am old I will look back on my career and measure my life by that.
I want to look back on my life with no regrets, only happiness achieved.
2007-01-23 11:27:45 · answer #1 · answered by Swanky1 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would measure success as a Large funeral (of course I don't want to be buried) so a large wake. I would measure it by the love I showed others and the love I got back(selfish) I know. I would measure failure as the loneliest person in the world. You know the types they are always on the go and never enough time for anyone except their careers and then when they get old no one is there for them and to me that is really lonely and a failure
2007-01-23 11:29:20 · answer #2 · answered by truely human 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
By the number of people I've managed to help, to one degree or another, along the way.
That's why I've told my brother (he's been designated as my executor) that I want the lyrics to "The Impossible Dream" on my headstone.
To dream the impossible dream,
to fight the unbeatable foe,
to bear with unbearable sorrow,
to run where the brave dare not go...
To right the unrightable wrong,
to love pure and chaste from afar,
to try when your arms are too weary
to reach the unreachable star!
This is my quest --
to follow that star
no matter how hopeless,
no matter how far --
To fight for the right
without question or pause,
to be willing to march into hell
for a heavenly cause!
And I know
if I'll only be true
to this glorious quest
that my heart
will be peaceful and calm
when I'm laid to my rest.
And the world will be better for this
that one man, scorned and covered with scars,
still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable stars!
2007-01-23 11:22:29 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you had a successful life, you will be missed. If you were a failure, you won't be. Material possessions are nothing since you can't take it with you. But if you loved and were loved then you made the world a better place.
2007-01-23 12:48:44 · answer #4 · answered by truthseeker221 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Living happily, being productive and positive minded would all be measures of successful living.
2007-01-23 11:34:50 · answer #5 · answered by LaLa 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No matter what you do in life, no mater what you achieve, whether you have money, or a family or whatever. As long as you are happy, and have been, your life has been a sucsess. What is the point of living if you are not happy? You only have one life, why waste it serving other people without first serving yourself?
2007-01-23 11:21:38 · answer #6 · answered by Liz 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
By the relationships I've built with others.
2007-01-23 11:27:51 · answer #7 · answered by Shrieking Panda 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If, by and large, I found it enjoyable, and ideally, that more people benefited from my presence than were hurt by it.
2007-01-23 11:23:04 · answer #8 · answered by mattzcoz 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
is it not enough
to have lived light in spring,
to have loved
to have felt
to have breathed
probably not the exact quote
2007-01-23 11:37:50 · answer #9 · answered by richard 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋