I left out 'in the eyes of others' because I didn't want to have to bring up a second false dichotomy you were implying, namely between 'success in the eyes of

I left out 'in the eyes of others' because I didn't want to have to bring up a second false dichotomy you were implying, namely between 'success in the eyes of others' and 'success in your own eyes.' I mean most people have pretty similar ideas about what constitutes success. If you try to make the most of yourself and feel you've succeeded, and you are still not 'good enough' for someone else, then I don't think that would make you unhappy. At that point you'd probably peacefully accept that something wasn't to be and that you were not to blame. On the other hand, if you never fulfill your potential, if you never really give it a try, and are left wondering what might have been, that seems a surer root to unhappiness. Though it will creep up on you after years of just having 'enough' money and maintaining the same relationships. Value isn't just the domain of money, it's also the domain of creativity and of personal qualities/virtues. Relationships, self esteem, etc, are not exempt from the concept, recognition and exchange of value. Although a lot of people talk like they are, which I think is at the bottom of this argument here.