What attributes makes up the most successful person you know?

[Anonymous]

When you think of a friend or colleague, who you think is the most successful person you know? What makes them like that? For you and your definition. I know one friend who is a partner at his law firm, and seems to just have endless gobs of money and new and random ways that he spends it. so I would I find that a success, although he is very unhappy. So it’s not really my success, but I recognize it as his success and admittedly, I do have moments of being impressed because he is self made.

My other friend that I can think of makes totally reasonable money. She lives in a sought after neighborhood and they go to Europe once a year. But mostly I’m genuinely impressed because it’ll come out some times that she was just at dinner with Hillary and things like that. But she’s super low-key so that makes me even more impressed. That she would never point out that she texts Susan rice. For me I’m floored about that and think that’s so cool.

Recently, I’ve found some moments of job success with a fat new salary for our family and looking around and realizing I’m the top person at my company for my subject matter expertise. But I don’t think that anyone else is impressed that I know a lot about my field and that I make $500,000. Because no one cares about what I do outside of my work, and no one knows how much money I make. I’m still happy though! For the time being right? Things always ebb and flow.

Who out there do you really think, wow that is success!

[Anonymous]

Bible study and prayer

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bible study and prayer

So when someone tells you they study the Bible all the time and live a prayerful life, you think they’re successful? That’s genuinely interesting

[Anonymous]

I think people who have no desire to compare themselves to others and just live their lives are my definition of success. Honestly and truly, no snark on my part. And I find those folks are hard to come by in my circles in DC, sadly.

[Anonymous]

I agree w the PP. when I see actual serious authenticity in people I get really energized and a little envious, as I am working on being truly comfortable in my own skin

[Anonymous]

I know a woman who makes a lot of money with a super supportive husband who is happy with the set up and quite the man’s man if you will and I think that’s super successful. Something that might make other couples feel weird and they don’t give a single shit

[Anonymous]

The people.I know who achieved the highest levels of professional. Rungs on the ladder are for the most part genuinely awful people. Kiss asses and suck ups and sellouts who either have bad values or none at all. Willing to do Anything to get ahead. Sad but true.

[Anonymous]

One is a relentless hard worker with an amazing ability to solve problems and make the best of a situation and is very humble.

The other is extremely friendly supportive and low key despite running her department having three kids and having created and sold a company worth $32M. I am in awe.

[Anonymous]

The most successful person I know is secretly a nightmare, but he hides it well.

[Anonymous]

Doesn’t have the procrastination gene.

[Anonymous]

Success comes in many forms and has many different definitions.

I will say that as I get older I realize that the people who are most conventionally successful (money, power etc) seem to be on a sociopath spectrum. Is that an attribute?

[Anonymous]

PP here. Also, not at all shy, and has the ability to make just about anyone feel comfortable around them.

[Anonymous]

My best friend --

Super smart and hardworking
Proactive / go-getter
Got a useful degree (engineering) and applied it to a passion area that was off the beaten path (cities / urban planning)
Incredibly high EQ, makes friends and builds connections easily
Built her own company and sold it, now has a dream job in the public sector
Humble and a wonderful person / friend, despite all her success

[Anonymous]

There is a mom I know who has found a niche in her field that helps a subset of a population that’s pretty underserved, and she’s super advocacy focused and passionate and kind and is nationally known now. I really admire her and think that is pure success. It’s also really fun to see her in the media and doing talks on podcasts I listen to that I had no idea she was going to be on.

[Anonymous]

I cannot answer your question, OP, because everyone I know is successful is certain ways, and unlucky or struggling in other ways. So it's really impossible for me to rank them, or myself.