SUCCESS

 What is Success? The quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson is appropriate here.


          To laugh often and love much;

          To earn the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;

          To find the best in others;

          To give of oneself;

          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 to have succeeded.

                                                                
       To know whether you are successful or not you need to have a worthy goal & righteous means to achieve them. Achieving the goal should be for the common good of all.The simple and general understanding of success is to attain a set of goals or a desired result. .I would not define success only as achieving the desired result but as attaining lasting peace and happiness as a result of consistently following the path of virtue

       Every success need not be praiseworthy nor every failure censurable. Sometimes a failure is nobler than success.Both the goal and the means to achieve the goal are important factors in  evaluating success. The nobler the goal, the greater will be the strength one gains. I want to rob somebody and I do succeed in my attempt-is such a success praiseworthy? No, because the goal itself  is immoral. I pass an exam by copying, cheating, threatening or bribing. Such a success is not noble not because of the goal but because of improper means/path adopted to attain the goal.

       People are successful in their particular fields but they do not feel happy and fulfilled in their life. There may be health problems, wealth problems or relationship problems. Some are experts in handling certain problems but get shattered in facing others. True success means to be able to face all situations that arise. One who has fulfilled his life and has balanced all the areas of life situation viz. health, wealth, relationship & spirituality  and inspired many others alone can be called a truly successful person.
  
       4 factors of success:-
       1. Attitude.The most important factor of success is having a positive attitude towards life.
       2. Skill.The skill or knack of performing an action so that it will bear the desired fruit is called efficiency.
       3. Knowledge.Knowledge:

     - of the goal

     - of the means to attain the goal

     - of oneself

     - of our ability in reaching the goal. &

       4. Effort.We have to work even though we would love to succeed without work. There is only one place where success comes before work and that is in the dictionary! So work is a must for success.Following quote on effort is interesting:
               He worked by day and toiled by night.
               He gave up play and some delight.
               Dry books he read, new things to learn.
               And forged ahead , success to earn.
               He plodded on with faith and pluck.
               And when he won men called it luck. 

       I wish you all a great Success & lasting happiness.


       References for this post(courtesy) :
       1. Right Thinking by Swami Tejomayananda.
 ...
       2. Towards Greater Success by Swami Tejomayananda.