What Is Your Definition of Success or Having "Made It"?

You're taking that $150k number too far. "Those types of people." Lol smh.

My eventual goal is to own my own company. I would rather not say what kind, and it's not a tech startup or app, but I'm envisioning a relatively stress-free lifestyle in my later years.

So long as I can travel a shit ton, keep a stable relationship with my SO, afford to send my kids to any school they choose, have a nice Kassad Inc. portfolio with a few properties + investments, afford funemployment within reasonable timeframes, and drive an M5 or AMG C63 or whatever electric sedan goes really fast, I'm golden.

If I die with $20mm in net worth, I'd consider my life to have been a 10/10, outstanding success.

Starting my own successful holding/investment company + wealth and a happy family.

Make enough money to go into politics to reform the U.S legal/incarceration system. I am centrist on most issues, but how America handles crime disgusts me to my core.

From shackling nonviolent juveniles with 20 pounds of chains, indiscriminate strip searches regardless of type of prisoner, sex offender registry for teens who sext because it is 'child porn', solitary confinement on the mentally ill, etc.

"The degree of civilization in a society is revealed by entering its prisons." - Fyodor Dostoyevsky

"A successful man is one who can lay a foundation from the bricks others throw at him."

If I am to have a successful life by its ending, I will have proven wrong all those who wrote me off when I was a lesser man.

The ability to use my time as I wish, whilst adding economic value to the community/society that I belong.

Success is defined as the ultimate goal reached after facing lot of hardships, obstacles and struggles that lead to a beautiful destination.

3 commas or bust

I personally thought I had "made it" when I no longer had to take jobs I didn't like or want. Having different choices and opportunities (about jobs, location, countries) make my life more free and enjoyable.

Net worth of atleast $100mm for me.

Ran the number's when I graduated college, need to grow my net worth by like 28% per year. I've been averaging like 45% or so but I'm still in that stage where income/ savings are driving my net worth growth, not investments, so it will probably level out in the next couple years.

IMO, Success is being able to fulfill your passion while meeting basic needs.

My bar is relatively low. $1.6MM in the bank is enough to do the entrepreneurial stuff I want (open a gym, launch a few apps, buy a farm, write some books, etc), trade a little on my own, and raise a family in the country. I suspect most people on here have a much larger number and ambitions of power. Yeah, I'd rather be a $3 billionaire, but I'm a pragmatist first.

Rich enough to have your own jet. Rich enough not to waste time. Fifty, a hundred million dollars, buddy. A player. Or nothing.

speaking from someone who manages money of people who've "made it," I can attest it's not a number. IlliniProgrammer thinks like this too, but the happiest wealthy people I know have the comfort to know they can walk away from work whenever they want and live their lives off of their war chest. if that means you want to have enough to give your dogs rolexes and fly a new private jet every year, so be it, but that number is different for everyone.

so there it is, the definition of success. I'll feel successful once I've reached that point myself, but I think being born in America, graduating college, getting married, and having a good career is already a healthy amount of success, so if everything implodes tomorrow, I'll still probably be happy.

Having the "safety" saved or well-invested money provides to quit my job whenever I want but not doing so because I like it.

I actually have loved my job since I started, so I think I wouldn't mind playing it out to the end. However, I hate having to come to an office everyday. I just want to get to the point where I can work from home, and maybe come to the office every now and then to structure deals for some of the bankers when they want to go through my desk. My boss does this, makes a mil a year and lives in an entirely different state because he's so good - goals.

no yacht, no happiness

I want to be able to self-fund a senate campaign by 55 without damaging my QoL. Estimate for that is 100mm. (Assuming by that point a senate campaign in the states I'm targeting [MT, WY, KY] has roughly doubled in cost to 20-30MM).

Moving to a farm to open and run an animal sanctuary, raising a good family with children who are fiscally responsible, ensuring my parents are proud of me. Oh yeah, and money for the farm and animal sanctuary.

I don't need a private plane or a yacht. I want to do my parents proud and make sure I have enough money saved to send my kids to the best schools possible.

Having grown up in and around the city I honestly want to move to a secluded place, am in love with upstate NY as well as Maine

Life is too short, yes it's a cliche / catch 21 but it is true.

What are we doing to better our community? We can make money and have an impact on people... all you have to do is have the guts to step put of sync and do something you care about.

Do I have the guts yet? No. Therefore I have not made it.

I want "fuck you" money too, much like other people. I'm following this subreddit called "FatFIRE" or financially independence, retire early.

I'm working in my job right now to learn skills that will eventually allow me to buy property and live off the cash flow. I want to drive around in nice cars, life's too short to not ball out (within reason of course).

I'd say my goal is $10-20mm. I enjoy some of the tasks I have to do, like cooking and driving, but I also want the option of hiring help if I need it/don't want to do it.

I don't believe there is such a thing as making it in life. Life will always be challenging and money will change your problems or challenges but it doesn't eliminate all problems magically. In my 20s I felt differently, of course. I understand the ask is also about success, at the core I think someone who is truly content with what they have chosen to accomplish is successful imo, even if that may be considered undesirable or not prestigious by others.

If this really is a serious question, I would define success as making enough money for you to not worry about everyday needs, to feed your family (or your future family if not married yet), and most importantly be able to have at least couple people who you could call Mentor and Mentees.

Just be happy. Don't overly compare your self to your peers or agonize over why you did't get in this year's 30 under 30. Try to enjoy what you have accomplished so far and the future you envisioned.

Having a luxury car, $100+ million mansion all sounds good (to me too), but not a must.

Fine if you disagree

Happy kids, with an understanding of work ethic that also have their education paid for. A house on a lake with more boat than is needed, a nice farm that is paying for itself (ideally paid off and taxes). A small motorcycle collection, large gun and guitar collection. Enough time/money to go on a few hunting adventures. Maybe a small plane, think Cessna. Finally, enough cash remaining for my children to feel secure off of, but adding to in order to hand down to the next generation and so on.

Simple answer:

$10 is a lot of money if all your wants and needs are $9. $10 is not a lot of money if your needs are $11.

Add(subtract?) as many zeroes as you need to make that happen

Buying the Houston Rockets