Can we be happy, self-sufficient and successful all at once?

Nobody has it all figured out all of the time. That’s the beauty of life: we can learn from one another, if we are open to it, every day. It helps to be reminded of the important values in life and I was reminded by a friend a few days ago.


I don’t have much to add to his words, so I asked his permission to share them verbatim.

Here they are, excerpted from a longer e-mail:

“Being self sufficient and successful can be lonely. Success takes a lot of time and self. Success doesn't mean personal happiness. Success means that you reached your goals. That's all. Happiness also means that you can share your success with that special person, not ony with your children or dad or sister. Find a way to be self sufficient with somebody you share your bed with. How many successful people sleep alone? Probably too many. Success is overrated and happiness is unappreciated.”

“Some of the profiles of success come at a cost to those who succeed. And most of the time their success comes from a need or a crisis. So they have succeeded at that task, but nowhere can anybody know that they are happy. Now they can pay their rent and more but they can also be just as lonely before their success. But, you know this already.”

“Being self sufficient is a fine value. But, be both happy and self sufficient at the same time. Compromise.”

Thank you for sharing, friend!

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