The planet doesn't need successful people. Success is not something to strive for at all.

Ecologist and writer David Orr, in one of his books, expressed an idea that has been haunting the AdMe.ru editors for a long time:

The planet doesn't need a large number of"successful people". The planet desperately needs peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers and lovers. She needs people who are good to live with. The planet needs people with morals who are willing to join the fight to make the world a vibrant and humane place. And these qualities have little to do with “success” as it is defined in our society

Of course, you can argue as much as you like that Orr is a representative of Western culture, in which success is equated exclusively with money and the ability to achieve a goal at any cost. Like, here in Russia everything is different, and highly moral We are spiritually rich right down to the genetic level. But that's not true.

And we have to admit that we ourselves are already quite firmly integrated into the Western value system, in which the principle of “faster, higher, stronger” becomes the only credo in life.
This is neither bad nor good. The problem is that this determines our way of existence on a small and cozy, but at the same time cramped and burdened with various difficulties, Earth.

Let's think for a moment about what professions we call “successful.” Famous actors and singers of all stripes, politicians, top businessmen - all those endowed with power, money or simply popularity - immediately come to mind. Try to imagine a “successful doctor.” Who is it: the one who knows how to perform complex operations at a high level and saves lives, or the one who opened a private clinic, got rich clients and made a fortune? Is a “successful writer” one who has created a truly outstanding work or one who is published in millions of copies? And combinations like “successful scientist”, “successful teacher”, “successful geologist” do seem like an oxymoron in this context.

This is where the paradox that David Orr initially spoke about arises: it turns out that the planet does not revolve at the expense of those whom we unanimously dubbed “successful” and placed on the podium. “Successful people” are not what we teach our children in school. “Successful people” do not cure our colds. “Successful people” do not save the Earth from global warming. “Successful people” don’t bake bread, drive trams, or wash the floor in your office. But those who do this are objectively much more useful to society than the entire army of pop singers, managers and oligarchs.

But the most interesting thing is not even this. The most surprising thing is that in modern society “success” does not equal “happiness” under almost any conditions. For example, “successful women” are usually called careerists, and for some reason “happy” women are still referred to as wives and mothers. “Successful men” are again considered to be those who know how to earn money and provide themselves with material wealth, and “happy men”... Honestly, when was the last time you heard someone called a “happy man”?

Existing model success excludes happiness and is fundamentally unhealthy. A psychological study was conducted at the University of British Columbia, which found that many top managers come from a small percentage of the population prone to psychopathy. This is because such people are willing to compete tooth and nail for any opportunity that gives them an advantage over their more level-headed counterparts.
It is clear that the psychopathic model of success simply must be destructive. Maybe that’s why there are so many wars, bloodshed, endless economic crises- do we simply put “successful” psychopaths above ourselves, sacredly believing in their normality and trying our best to become like them?

The world of such “successful” people is extremely lonely: they are surrounded only by subordinates, competitors and sometimes partners who can turn into competitors at any moment. By and large, they have nothing to value except their own “success” and the benefits that it gives. Therefore, destructive actions directed outward, into a hostile, competitive world, are quite natural and even internally justified. They will not add happiness, love, or beauty, but they may well consolidate “success.”

Perhaps it's time to reconsider our idea of ​​success? We will consider successful those who make the world a little better every day - a little, to the best of their abilities, without pretensions to a global scale. Just “get up in the morning, wash your face, put yourself in order - and immediately put your planet in order.” Let us value the wise, and unprepared speakers, evaluate actions and motives, not words. We will do our job well, not because it will bring some ephemeral “success”, but because we like it. And if we don’t like it, we’ll leave and look for something we like so that we can do it well again. We will value our families and treat our children carefully. And then - amazing thing! - Before we even notice, there will be many more successful people. There will be as many of them as there are happy people who understand that they are not living in vain. And the planet will already need such people, because they will have no reason to destroy it. Finally, we will start creating.

Svetlana Gorbunova,

The planet doesn't need successful people
Success is not something to strive for at all.
Ecologist and writer David Orr, in one of his books, expressed an idea that has been haunting the AdMe.ru editors for a long time:

“The planet does not need a large number of “successful people.” The planet desperately needs peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers and lovers.
She needs people who are good to live with.
The planet needs people with morals who are willing to join the fight to make the world a vibrant and humane place.
And these qualities have little to do with “success” as it is defined in our society.”

Of course, you can argue as much as you like that Orr is a representative of Western culture, in which success is equated exclusively with money and the ability to achieve a goal at any cost. Like, here in Russia everything is different, and we are highly moral, and spiritually rich, right down to the genetic level. But that's not true. And we have to admit that we ourselves are already quite firmly integrated into the Western value system, in which the principle of “faster, higher, stronger” becomes the only credo in life. This is neither bad nor good. The problem is that this determines our way of existence on a small and cozy, but at the same time cramped and burdened with various difficulties, Earth.
Let's think for a moment about what professions we call “successful.” Famous actors and singers of all stripes, politicians, top businessmen - all those endowed with power, money or simply popularity - immediately come to mind. Try to imagine a “successful doctor.” Who is it: the one who knows how to perform complex operations at a high level and saves lives, or the one who opened a private clinic, got rich clients and made a fortune? Is a “successful writer” one who has created a truly outstanding work or one who is published in millions of copies? And combinations like “successful scientist”, “successful teacher”, “successful geologist” do seem like an oxymoron in this context. This is where the paradox that David Orr initially spoke about arises: it turns out that the planet does not revolve at the expense of those whom we unanimously dubbed “successful” and placed on the podium.
“Successful people” are not what we teach our children in school. “Successful people” do not cure our colds. “Successful people” do not save the Earth from global warming. “Successful people” don’t bake bread, drive trams, or wash the floor in your office. But those who do this are objectively much more useful to society than the entire army of pop singers, managers and oligarchs. But the most interesting thing is not even this. The most surprising thing is that in modern society “success” does not equal “happiness” under almost any conditions. For example, “successful women” are usually called careerists, and for some reason “happy” women are still referred to as wives and mothers. “Successful men” are again considered to be those who know how to earn money and provide themselves with material goods, and “happy men”...
Hand on heart, when was the last time you heard someone called a “happy man”? The current model of success excludes happiness and is fundamentally unhealthy. A psychological study was conducted at the University of British Columbia, which revealed that many top managers come from a small percentage of the population prone to psychopathy. This is because such people are willing to compete tooth and nail for any opportunity that gives them an advantage over their more level-headed counterparts. It is clear that the psychopathic model of success simply must be destructive. Maybe that’s why there are so many wars, bloodshed, endless economic crises in the world - we just put “successful” psychopaths above ourselves, sacredly believing in their normality and trying our best to become like them?
The world of such “successful” people is extremely lonely: they are surrounded only by subordinates, competitors and sometimes partners who can turn into competitors at any moment. By and large, they have nothing to value except their own “success” and the benefits it gives. Therefore, destructive actions directed outward, into a hostile, competitive world, are quite natural and even internally justified. They will not add happiness, love, or beauty, but they may well consolidate “success.” Perhaps it's time to reconsider our idea of ​​success? We will consider successful those who make the world a little better every day - a little, to the best of their abilities, without pretensions to a global scale.
Just “get up in the morning, wash your face, put yourself in order - and immediately put your planet in order.” Let us value wise men rather than trained speakers, evaluate actions and motives rather than words. We will do our job well, not because it will bring some ephemeral “success”, but because we like it. And if we don’t like it, we’ll leave and look for something we like so that we can do it well again. We will value our families and treat our children carefully. And then - amazing thing! - Before we even notice, there will be many more successful people. There will be as many of them as there are happy people who understand that they are not living in vain. And the planet will already need such people, because they will have no reason to destroy it. Finally, we will start creating.

on Bright Side.. Everything seems to be written so correctly and beautifully.. The author correctly places the emphasis in the publication. The text definitely makes you think...

A few quotes:

***
“The planet does not need a large number of “successful people.” The planet desperately needs peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers and lovers. She needs people who are good to live with. The planet needs people with morals who are willing to join the fight to make the world a vibrant and humane place.”
***
The most surprising thing is that in modern society “success” does not equal “happiness” under almost any conditions. For example, “successful women” are usually called careerists, and for some reason “happy” women are still referred to as wives and mothers.
***
Try to imagine a “successful doctor.” Who is it: the one who knows how to perform complex operations at a high level and saves lives, or the one who opened a private clinic, got rich clients and made a fortune? Is a “successful writer” the one who has created a truly outstanding work or the one who is published in millions of copies?

But is all this true?.. After all, all my life I have strived for success. As a colleague once told me, “Your parents raised you and set you up for leadership, so you will definitely be successful in life.” And so I strive for it, and here it is...

And that's what I thought about...

1. What is "success"? For me, success is motivation. First of all, thinking about success a person motivates himself to achieve some goal. Success can be understood as different things - financial well-being, fulfillment of a dream, harmony with oneself, family... You cannot measure success with some KPIs. Everyone has their own success. The author talks rather flatly in the publication. He measures success by “an army of pop singers, managers and oligarchs” and substantiates this with the empirical “representatives of which professions do we call successful?”

I wondered, what is success for me? Do I consider myself successful? Do my career achievements or my marital status make me successful?.. Not really. Of course, family and career affect my satisfaction with life, but I would never feel good if all this did not exist in general harmony.. If everything wasn’t good for me at home, I would never have found the time to pursue a career. If I didn't have the opportunity to succeed in my profession, I would be constantly tormented by thoughts of missed opportunities. All this is so interconnected that it is inseparable.. In addition, my real and true friends, hobbies, interests, which can exist without material investments, bring me just as much pleasure in life.

2. Success reaches not only careerists, but also altruists(I couldn’t find a more suitable contrast). Is not it so? It all depends on goal setting and life priorities. And in general, it depends on what a person means by the concept of “success”. If we talk about extremes... History knows many examples when a person does not have wealth, but is considered successful and significant. Vysotsky, Pasternak, Mozart, Andrei Mironov, Assange, Nelson Mandela.. And in general, all those who set a goal in life - to change the world, help society, do a good deed, engage in creativity.. And if these people succeeded in life It was in their field that they earned nothing - can they really be called losers? They also succeeded - they spent their entire lives doing what they loved and were appreciated.

And in general, if you look at all this from a different angle, isn’t this selfishness?.. All your life you do what you love and don’t stress about financial well-being, while someone else works, works hard and supports you?

3. Why can't a successful woman be happy? In general, what emotions does the phrase “successful woman” evoke in you? Isn’t the aggression of “successful women” (and a woman needs to have a lot of endurance and acumen to succeed) a reflection on social pressure? The author asks the right question. How many successful women do you know who can be called happy? Probably, in the eyes of society there are few such women. Isn't it society that makes them unhappy?

It's more difficult for women. Always. In a career, in love, in society... I don’t know a single successful woman (including those who came to success on their own) who has not experienced social pressure. And it hardened them. They became tougher, more aggressive, more constrained, more withdrawn. In public. And they are completely different among family and friends.
Therefore, to say that a successful woman cannot be happy is at least incorrect. A successful woman can be happier. Moreover, a successful woman is happier than any other because everything in her life is real. When success comes, illusions disappear and only those who do not need anything remain nearby.

4. Is success not something you should strive for?.. For me this is a completely controversial thesis. Without gradation of statuses, development is impossible. It is impossible to grow both intellectually and financially without motivation. Imagine a society in which everyone is equal. Everyone dresses the same, reads the same literature, eats the same food, listens to the same music, and the musicians play the same. How to understand what is good and what is bad? How to distinguish quality product from poor quality? How to understand what you are not yet perfect in and in what areas you need to improve your level of knowledge?
If there are no successful people, then what will our society become? What will we strive for? Who will we take as an example?

So... I think that the planet really needs strong, successful people. Those who know what they want from life. After all, most people either a) don’t want anything from this life, or b) don’t know what they want. And successful people in this case focus attention and motivate others to achieve.

What do you think? Do you want to be successful? How has success changed your life?

Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people and this tradition dates back to 1391. Tibetans believe that their spiritual mentor is reborn in different guises, preserving the wisdom of the ages.

The current 14th Dalai Lama is Danjing Jamtso. He survived many trials during the invasion of Chinese troops into Tibet and dreams of creating a zone of peace and non-violence, harmony between man and nature on the territory of his country. In 1989 he was awarded Nobel Prize for a plan to restore peace and human rights in Tibet.

His lessons of goodness and light are followed by millions of people who have realized that there is nothing more important than peace and tranquility in the soul:

• Every morning, when you wake up, start with the thoughts: “Today I was lucky - I woke up. I’m alive, I have this precious human life, and I won’t waste it.”
• People were created to be loved, and things were created to be used. The world is in chaos because everything is the other way around.
• Remember that what you want is not always what you really need.
• Be kind whenever possible. And this is always possible.
• Prosperity comes through action, not through prayer.
• If God wants to make you happy, then he leads you along the most difficult path, because there are no easy paths to happiness.
• Arrogance is never justified. It comes from low self-esteem or temporary, superficial achievements.
• The topic of compassion has nothing to do with religion. This is a universal matter, a single condition for the survival of the human race.

• If you can help, help. If not, at least do no harm.
• I don't celebrate birthdays. For me, this day is no different from others. In a way, every day is a birthday. You wake up in the morning, everything is fresh and new, and the main thing is that this new day brings you something important.
• The goal of our life is to become happy.
• By maintaining a positive attitude towards life, you can be happy even in the most unfavorable conditions.
• Our enemies provide us with the perfect opportunity to practice patience, perseverance, and compassion.
• I believe that truly true religion is a kind heart.
• We must dominate technology, not become its slaves.
• Great change begins with individuals; world peace is based on inner peace and peace in the heart of every single person. Each of us can contribute.
• Each of us is responsible for all humanity. This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart - this is our temple; our philosophy is kindness.
• The planet does not need a large number of “successful people”. The planet is in desperate need of peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers and lovers of all kinds. She needs people who are good to live with. The planet needs people with morals and love who will make the world alive and humane. And these qualities have little to do with “success” as it is defined in our society.
• The Dalai Lama was once asked what amazes him most. He replied:
  – Human. At first, he sacrifices his health in order to earn money. Then he spends the money to restore his health. At the same time, he is so worried about his future that he never enjoys the present. As a result, he lives neither in the present nor in the future. He lives as if he would never die, and when he dies, he regrets that he never lived.

Success is not something to strive for at all. Ecologist and writer David Orr, in one of his books, expressed an idea that has been haunting for a long time: “The planet does not need a large number of “successful people.” The planet desperately needs peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers and lovers. She needs people who are good to live with. The planet needs people with morals who are willing to join the fight to make the world a vibrant and humane place. And these qualities have little to do with “success” as it is defined in our society.” Of course, you can argue as much as you like that Orr is a representative of Western culture, in which success is equated exclusively with money and the ability to achieve a goal at any cost. Like, here in Russia everything is different, and we are highly moral, and spiritually rich, right down to the genetic level. But that's not true. And we have to admit that we ourselves are already quite firmly integrated into the Western value system, in which the principle of “faster, higher, stronger” becomes the only credo in life. This is neither bad nor good. The problem is that this determines our way of existence on a small and cozy, but at the same time cramped and burdened with various difficulties, Earth. Let's think for a moment about what professions we call “successful.” Famous actors and singers of all stripes, politicians, top businessmen - all those endowed with power, money or simply popularity - immediately come to mind. Try to imagine a “successful doctor.” Who is it: the one who knows how to perform complex operations at a high level and saves lives, or the one who opened a private clinic, got rich clients and made a fortune? Is a “successful writer” one who has created a truly outstanding work or one who is published in millions of copies? And combinations like “successful scientist”, “successful teacher”, “successful geologist” do seem like an oxymoron in this context. This is where the paradox that David Orr initially spoke about arises: it turns out that the planet does not revolve at the expense of those whom we unanimously dubbed “successful” and placed on the podium. “Successful people” are not what we teach our children in school. “Successful people” do not cure our colds. “Successful people” do not save the Earth from global warming. “Successful people” don’t bake bread, drive trams, or wash the floor in your office. But those who do this are objectively much more useful to society than the entire army of pop singers, managers and oligarchs. But the most interesting thing is not even this. The most surprising thing is that in modern society “success” does not equal “happiness” under almost any conditions. For example, “successful women” are usually called careerists, and for some reason “happy” women are still referred to as wives and mothers. “Successful men” are again considered to be those who know how to earn money and provide themselves with material wealth, and “happy men”... Honestly, when was the last time you heard someone called a “happy man”? The current model of success excludes happiness and is fundamentally unhealthy. A psychological study was conducted at the University of British Columbia, which revealed that many top managers come from a small percentage of the population prone to psychopathy. This is because such people are willing to compete tooth and nail for any opportunity that gives them an advantage over their more level-headed counterparts. It is clear that the psychopathic model of success simply must be destructive. Maybe that’s why there are so many wars, bloodshed, endless economic crises in the world - we just put “successful” psychopaths above ourselves, sacredly believing in their normality and trying our best to become like them? The world of such “successful” people is extremely lonely: they are surrounded only by subordinates, competitors and sometimes partners who can turn into competitors at any moment. By and large, they have nothing to value except their own “success” and the benefits that it gives. Therefore, destructive actions directed outward, into a hostile, competitive world, are quite natural and even internally justified. They will not add happiness, love, or beauty, but they may well consolidate “success.” Perhaps it's time to reconsider our idea of ​​success? We will consider successful those who make the world a little better every day - a little, to the best of their abilities, without pretensions to a global scale. Just “get up in the morning, wash your face, put yourself in order - and immediately put your planet in order.” Let us value wise men rather than trained speakers, evaluate actions and motives rather than words. We will do our job well, not because it will bring some ephemeral “success”, but because we like it. And if we don’t like it, we’ll leave and look for something we like so that we can do it well again. We will value our families and treat our children carefully. And then - amazing thing! - Before we even notice, there will be many more successful people. There will be as many of them as there are happy people who understand that they are not living in vain. And the planet will already need such people, because they will have no reason to destroy it. Finally, we will start creating.