Having achieved success means that one's goals and objectives have been met. One way of looking at it is as the antithesis of a failure. Success is defined differently depending on the circumstances, and it may even be relevant to the perspective of the observer or the holder of the belief system. In situations of direct competition or zero-sum game, what one person considers a win may be a loss to another. Similarly, different people's perceptions of the success or failure of a given circumstance might lead them to different conclusions. What one person sees as a triumph could be seen by someone else as a failure, a qualified triumph, or even a situation that should be considered neutral. An illustration of this is the cult following that can develop over time for a film that was initially a commercial flop or even a box office bomb. In addition, if the criteria for success or failure are vague or poorly defined, it may be extremely challenging, if not impossible, to determine whether or not a given circumstance fulfils them. It can be a major challenge in and of itself to develop appropriate criteria (or heuristics) for determining whether a certain situation is successful or not.
ThriftBooks sells millions of used books at the lowest
everyday prices. We personally assess every book's quality and offer rare, out-of-print treasures. We
deliver the joy of reading in recyclable packaging with free standard shipping on US orders over $15.
ThriftBooks.com. Read more. Spend less.