k_def_of_success

See also

• serenity^successZ #passiveAcceptance .. another important harmony. A contrast of zqbx against serenity … “passive” acceptance of Negative situation. In contrast, the current bpost is about Positive, Satisfactory situations
• 碌碌无为^successE^successZ #xpSelf .. another important harmony

Exec summary of a paradox: we need to harmonize/reconcile the positive and negative aspects of zzcl[知足常乐].

• contentment [zzcl/知足常乐] is a positive attitude, related to successE. SuccessE is always defined based on wellness + well-cushioned livelihood, so constant effort is required by definition.
• slippery slope from contentment to negative attitudes of laziness, stagnation, complacency, comfort zone, 生于忧患死于安乐, 安于现状.. collectively referred to as failingZ [opposite of successZ].

— burn-n-rot (time mgmt) .. I used to feel guilty about comfort. Comfort used to mean rotting, failing successZ,,,

I feel rotting usually in a context without adversity.

Nowadays I adopt zzcl to combat the poisonous burn-n-rot perception.

— fat-n-happy .. a neutral term. Traditionally not positive, but used positively in my blogs.

Obviously, we want zzcl[知足常乐] without complacency.

I feel fat-n-happy (in the positive sense), but not complacent or lazy esp. in my career.

— accept 碌碌无为 kids, non-academic kids, mediocre kids .. important to my zzcl[知足常乐]

— professions and companies with moat .. are enviable, admirable, even though they are associated with comfort zone and low drive for zqbx.
* eg of no-moat: Andy Grove “Only the paranoid survive”. The fat-n-happy won’t survive. 危机意识
* eg of no-moat: Singapore government guarding its position and staying exceptional. The leaders endure zqbx[自强不息] so that citizens and (the wider) residents of Singapore can enjoy zzcl[知足常乐].
* (main eg) My focus in this bpost is individuals, not organizations. So the main example is older doctors. They are the exception to prove the “Rule” that most of professions require us to stay actively engaged in continuous learning and self-renewal… zqbx rather than fat-n-happy.

On the other hand, doctors and some other professions [including WStC] are /entitled/ to enjoy the fruit of our earlier (decades of) labor, and enjoy zzcl[知足常乐]. This zzcl is not laziness, and not failing successZ[自强不息].

— Q: what if this individual adopts a relatively laid-back attitude, like Chonglei.Qi’s ezlife attitude, without struggle (See proactive^passive acceptance/Resignation)? How is his successZ?

I think it is fine if not too lazy, and not a dead weight to other people like the homeless beggars, or Tanko’s brother (based on hearsay). Basically, successE with some successZ is a good life, a decent goal.

Wellness is a key factor. Wellness requires successZ (自强不息, self-regulation, self-motivation and can include self-improvement). If an individual takes responsibility to maintain personal wellness, then she is unlikely to become a dead weight.

Similarly, frugality is a 2nd key factor. It too requires sucessZ (self-regulation).

Therefore, self-regulation is the basis of successE. In fact, it is a basis of all four successes.

A laid-back blue-collar worker in a welfare state like CA or Denmark can have quite an enviable ezlife and enjoy better life chances (and livelihood) than even the high achievers in an impoverished community. After they pass on, each of them will be forgotten due to 碌碌无为.

Women tend to become dead weight so women need 独立 more than generations before.