How do you measure success? Is it by comparing your achievements to the accomplishments of others, or against the fulfilment of your own ambitions? And when it comes to judging the success of others, it's probably pretty pointless using your own aspirations as the standard by which to do so, because they simply may not have been aiming at the same target - nor shooting the same kind of arrows in order to hit whatever target they were aiming for.
I once freelanced for IPC's top-selling boys title, 2000 A.D. I had my name in print, people requesting my autograph, and - best of all - money! Was I success? Well, in one way, yes - but in another way, not really. I'd never had any particular ambition to work for 2000 A.D. per se, only to work in comics in some way. The fact that I started my 15-year career on the most popular adventure comic in the country was merely a bonus.
Was I any more of a 'success' than someone whose first job was as a shelf-stacker in Sainsbury's and who then worked his way up to the position of store manager? Well, no, not really. Is he any more of a success than me? Just how do you measure it? It may never have been his ambition to work in a supermarket, but it was mine to work in the comics biz - and I actually achieved that. (Interestingly, back in 1988, MARVEL U.K. contacted me to offer me work - I never had to approach them. That's being a failure?)
If you're happy (or content) with your achievements in life, then, in a very real sense, you're a success. Whether you're a biscuit salesman or banker, if you've attained the goals you set for yourself then that's an accomplishment. (Unless your ambition was to be a failure - now there's an interesting paradox.) Remember, you can't be said to have failed at something you've never tried (after all, you've got to be in a race to win or lose it), so don't ever waste a second paying heed to those smug, self-satisfied types who regard their own personal career situation as some kind of 'international standard'.
Deep down inside, they're extremely insecure people who need to feel that they've done better in life than anyone else in order to feel good about themselves. Sad but true.
