One always hears people talk in terms of success and failure. But defining, what success is can be somewhat difficult. Here is one of the better definitions I have found.
To laugh often and love much;
to win the respect of intelligent persons
and the affections of children,
to earn the approbations of honest critics
and endure the betrayal of false friends;
to appreciate beauty;
to find the best in others;
to give 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 is to have succeeded.
A Definition Of Success