Having the courage to do what he wants. Being happy. That's success. People who don't admire that and have pride in that are simply jealous.

What is it that defines you as a success sir?

Success is subjective, IMO.

But, if there was any way to measure success objectively, then happiness would be the only way to do so.


Some people will tell you making lots of money means one is successful, some people will tell you it's ones ability to attract numerous hot women/men, or how often one gets laid. Other people will tell you all of that is superficial and meaningless, and that all that matters is being a good hearted, kind, generous and giving person. To them, that's what defines success. Some people will say they feel they achieved success simply be giving their unconditional love to the family they raised, their partner, their children and their extended family.

All of these people would feel that they have achieved personal success if you asked them. Hence, success is subjective.

The only way to measure it objectively is by saying 'Is this person happy in their life'?

If the answer is yes, they have succeeded, and objectively so. If it is no, then they have failed, and objectively so.

So, in fact you have never meant a single person that was happy and also a failure, because no such person could ever possibly exist.

If you are happy in your life, you have succeeded, period!


"When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy.’ They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life. "

- John Lennon

Not living in a shoebox for starters!

^ this is a pretty big shoebox imo, and costs $186/mo before bills - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1W2LBTA8Jf8

I have a friend who is an alcoholic.

He inherited some money and is living off of that.

The last time he saw the doctor, the doctor told him he would be dead in 2 years if he didnt stop.

He is only 27.

He is happy, in a weird sort of way he knows whats happening but he is happy.

I never viewed him as a success before, but after reading your post I guess he is sucessfull.

Its OK, but is there a kitchen?

no, just a basic sink and counter in corner. but in thailand you can eat out all the time, it's the same price as buying at a supermarket and cooking yourself. and frees up time. there's a restaurant downstairs that delivers if you do wanna eat in room

some ppl like to rent cheaply so they have more money for other things, and they are only really in their room to sleep

I know 2 guys like that, and both are extremely happy and have no intentions of changing their ways. They just want to live life hard and fast and when it ends it ends.

Thats probably where Im looking at things differently.

Im planning on coming over for 6-12 months, and Ill be grinding there. Ill probably be in the apartment 16 hours a day , most days (6 hours grinding, 8 hours sleep, couple of hours chilling)

Well obviously there are some extreme examples that are the exception rather then the rule.

I would still say, if he feels happy, he has achieved personal success. Also, my point is it doesn't matter if you view him as a success or not, only that he views himself as one.

I think most people that measure their success in life based on other peoples perceptions of the concept, regret it more and more the older and older they get. We must strive to detach ourselves from societies views of what success is, from our friends views of what success is, even from our families views of what success is and instead ask ourselves...

What is it that I, in my life, will consider personal success?

ebffs post is a great testament to this. As he said, at University he had achieved success by any ones definition of the word. He could have gone on to have a very, what society, his friends and family all would have considered a very successful carrier in a field that can be very lucrative and rewarding, both financially and emotionally.

But he was able to take a step back from all of that (something most people are unable to do,) and realize that he wasn't going to be happy living in Vancouver his whole life (a city many consider to be one of the top in the world for quality of life,) and that he wanted to live a life on the road, traveling at his discretion to and from exotic locals, with better climates then the one he had lived in his whole life.

So, he gave up a chance at what his society, peers, friends and family would have considered success, so that he could achieve personal success, and thereby achieve happiness.

He figured out, it doesn't matter if other people think you are successful or not, only that you feel you have succeeded.

Yeah, I have given up trying to change him, he has to want to change himself.. He is a good friend, we grew up together, somehow it dosent seem right to sit back and watch him kill himself. He is a clever lad too, had some bad luck etc but he really could do well.

But he is happy.

Im not exaggerating about him killing himself, apparently he cant even just give up even if he wanted to, the doctor said that the withdrawal could kill him too, so he would have to take a course of medication and reduce his drinking down over time.

whoa jspill is it furnished at that price? maybe bangkok isnt out of my budget, and again i am blown away at how much nicer places over there look than anything cheap in PI looks


guys this thread is so huge its mind$%**ing to try and actually learn anything from it, there starts to be a good informational discussion for noobs to read and then things just go off on tangents and much time is wasted

ive already signed up for one thailand forum, but if anyone knows of any others it would be very helpful cuz this thread is very hard (or time consuming) to get info from

@jspill

Even without a kitchen that still looks quite good for $186 a month. That's not in Bangkok is it?

^ see the vid, the main furniture in that (bed, sofa, TV) is included for that price yeah, that was an available room i visited the other day. it didn't have the tablecloths, plants etc. in the website photos

it is bkk yeah, 15 mins walk from On Nut BTS or 5 mins on 10 baht motorbike taxi http://uceplace.com/

this sounds exactly like me

except im not an alcoholic, didnt inherit any money, havent been told im gonna die soon, and have been totally wasting the past few years of my life

but other then that me and this dude are the same

jspill u think u could get a room furnished like that but with a kitchen also for say $250ish a month?

aint many Duka-Duka's where you are staying

kick2dante hmm not sure, kitchens add quite a lot of cost in my experience. if you did i think the flat would be miles from a BTS/MRT. which sucks, you end up spending a lot more on travel anyway

you could find it for $350 close to BTS/MRT imo

kitchens are very over rated in thailand, you can eat out for cheap and buy cooked chicken from street vendors for even less

jspill sorry my mind is kind of on information overload right now, this is the area u were talking about the other day that isnt in downtown bangkok, but is close to the trains that get you there in like 25 mins right?

is that a safe area?

are these trains convenient? or are they the jam packed style ones that look like hell to be in? are they jam packed during rush hours but ok the rest of the day?

also when u say that food can be delivered from downstairs, how much does that cost per meal?

also was there a refrigerator?

just trying to figure out if its doable to live in a place without a kitchen when playing online poker every day

thanks again im trying to not ask to many ?'s (not doing a good job of it) but like i keep saying this thread is a bitch to learn from

really should have kept the thailand chatter thread going imo, or have a much smaller for travel noobs to ask ?'s only master thread sort of thingy imo

might just have to start one

agreed, and even if you're lazy to go out many places have attached restaurants that deliver to your door. or just get the number and menu of a place down the street. or just stock up fridge with microwaveable meals from 7/11 lol

get yourself down to Tony's gym, 3rd road, pattaya. Get lifting with all the steroid boys who think a perm and a handlebar moustache are still the height of fashion back in the western world. Great gym though, 200baht per day or 3,500 baht per month.

I suppose if you can genuinely do away with a kitchen then living in a studio is fine.

When I was a student I was in a studio with a small kitchen.

Being a studio, there was no separate bedroom, all my clothes in the wardrobe smelt of cooking and the noise of the fridge etc would keep me up at night.

I might have to give some consideration to not having a kitchen.

.

example menu, prices in thai baht (thb), 31 thb = $1

was from S Apartment, which is ~5k baht/mo studio accommodation on Inthamara soi 3, I lived there for a year then got bored http://www.s-apartment.com/en/



some places will have western dishes like steak and chips too, will be bit more expensive (120 baht / $4)