Philosophy Discussion Forums | A Humans-Only Club for Open-Minded Discussion & Debate

[Austin Rhodes]

I doubt the validity of this statement. I don’t believe success is a choice because everyone are not equal. People get opportunities and privileges over others. Basically, the world is unfair.

[Abdul Jah]

I agree with you. Success is definitely a choice, but it's not as simple as just "choosing" to be successful. It requires hard work, determination, resilience and the willingness to take risks and face challenges. So it's a choice that doesn't come easy.

[Moisés Alcántara Ayre]

I also believe in personal agency as a critical factor to achieving success. The successes I have seen in my personal and professional life are the result of working hard (my decision), perseverance, ongoing learning, responsibility, and lots of discipline.

Moises

[Dera Ezeakolam]

Success is not attained by accident because a treasure lies in hidden places rather than an open field, and no one goes to a hidden place by accident but by choice.

[Isaac Oh]

I don't agree with this. I believe that nobody's choice is failure. Everyone wants success but not everyone gets it. Factors like hardwork, luck and connections play a role in success.

[Ukaegbu Confidence]

Luck is not a factor for me. I have seized opportunities and calculated collective steps. I have clear and deliberate goals. If something needs to be achieved, it will be written down and planned. Nothing happens by chance.

[Emmanuel Asamoah 5]

Even though I appreciate your perspective that success is primarily a matter of personal choice and responsibility, I would hesitate to state this view so categorically. Individual circumstances, systemic barriers, and elements of chance do play a role in outcomes for many people, even if they are putting in great effort. That said, I agree that taking full responsibility for one's choices, honestly defining one's goals, and pursuing them wholeheartedly is crucial for success. Perhaps the reality involves a combination of factors - both the choices within our control and the circumstances that are not. These are complex issues without easy universal answers.

[Risper Ouma Lisa Anyango]

Some times you work really hard to be successful bit things just don't go your way. You practically explained things based on luck but not everyone counts on luck. Some people have tried so many things to make billions but just aren't getting it.

[Victory Stone]

Success is really a choice because some lazy people out there who doesn't want to be successful in life are moving about freely without nobody disturbing them about it. If ones works towards success it maybe hard to come but it will come at the right time.

[Mark Maxwell 2]

Of course, Success is largely a matter of choice and dedication, using personal goals and career advancement as examples. While acknowledging that some goals may be more challenging to achieve, the focus is on the commitment and effort required to reach them which comes from the platform of choice.

[Alida Spies]

There are many examples to confirm what you are saying, people who were determined to achieve what they defined as success. Sometimes luck did play a role, and we don't know whether they would've achieved the same amount of success without it. Mostly it was determination, hard work and taking ownership. Not all of them were happy, even after they achieved what they wanted. It becomes a cycle of wanting things, which relates to your other topic of achieving self-actualization.

Many things are not in our control and affect what we are able to do or achieve. Some things are simply a choice: don't overeat, don't drink, don't use drugs. I'm not implying it's easy, just that it's something that you have to choose yourself, nobody can do it for you. All the programs, clinics, etc. won't help if you have not made the choice to stop. All goals are something you have to choose and commit to; sometimes you also need health, all your limbs, not being called to go and fight in a war, etc. Those are extremes, but many people contract incurable and/or debilitating diseases, with their only hope a miracle from God. It's much higher than .1%.

[mark liu]

The mindset to enable success is most certainly a choice. That being said, actually obtaining success is more than a mere thought process.

[Tom Gada]

Success can certainly be influenced by choice, though it's not solely dependent on choice. Choices can impact one's odds of success, but external factors such as systemic oppression, privilege, socioeconomic circumstances, and unexpected events can also play a role.

Though, certain choices, such as education, hard work, perseverance, and a growth mindset, can significantly improve one's chances of achieving success. In this sense, success can be a choice, or at the very least, a choice to increase the probability of achieving success.

[Stacey Omondi Akinyi]

I think choosing success often involves making deliberate decisions and taking actions aligned with one's goals and aspirations. It requires determination, perseverance, and a willingness to learn and adapt along the way.

[BRIGID Wandera]

I usually set myself 10 goals at the start of each year. In a typical year I would fail about half of them. I don't think there is anything wrong with failing those goals for the most part. Usually it's because priorities changed, something was harder than I thought it would be, or there were things that happened that I didn't expect. Occasionally I just decided I couldn't be bothered with that one. I still set new goals again the next year though despite knowing I won't achieve them all because it helps guide my thinking around how I should prioritise my time during the year and decide what really matters to me.

Success is a choice but that doesn't mean we should necessarily internalise failure as us failing to make good choices. Sometimes deciding to fail is the best choice you can make.