Success and Happiness by Emerson
May 1st, 2024 (6 months ago) • 2 minutes
To laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intelligent people and
the affection of children;
To earn the approbation of honest critics and endure
the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty;
To find the best in others;
To give of one's self;
To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child,
a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition;
To have played and laughed with enthusiasm and
sung with exultation;
To know even one life has breathed easier because you
have lived -
This is to have succeeded. (Emerson 1-15)
I came across this beautiful poem by Ralph Waldo Emerson on his definition of success.
Different from contemporary, materialistic views of success, Emerson's definition is more about the impact one has on the world and the people around them.
On the same note, I also like this quote by him:
The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, honorable, compassionate, and have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.
Reading about this made me think about how happiness is temporary - they ebb and flow as we go. They are temporary.
Money, fame, power, status - they come as they will go, but the true contributions you make to the society or in the lives of others will last for generations. The good life is about making a difference in the world, not just about chasing happiness and living a comfortable life.
And to know what do means finding your mission, purpose, or Ikigai in life then applying it to the real world.
In a sense, this is what everyone wants to do but only the agentic few actually do. Most people won't.