“Success is getting what you want; happiness is wanting what you get.”The time-honored quote from legendary Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman inspires people all over the world. She was renowned not only for her elegance and superb performances but also for her intelligent approach to life. According to Bergman, ambition may help people reach their goals; however, it is gratefulness to existing things which can bring happiness.First of all, there is a definite difference between happiness and success. As a rule, success is attained when a person achieves his/her goals, whereas happiness is associated with gratitude, satisfaction and valuing present moments.
Success is not equal to happiness
There are lots of people who have spent many years striving to get promotion, earn money or reach some personal goals thinking that such an achievement brings happiness. However, the happiness is always ephemeral. In the statement made by Bergman, success means being able to achieve what we want, but true happiness lies in learning to be thankful for the results of our efforts rather than always craving for more.Gratitude is the basis of happinessThe first and foremost thing that one should understand from this quotation is that gratitude is very important. When one is grateful for his/her family, friends, health, job, and daily life, one can achieve true happiness.By being grateful, one starts focusing on what one has rather than on what one does not have. Rather than making comparisons, one feels blessed.
Ambition should fuel, not consume
The saying does not dissuade people from having ambition. On the contrary, setting goals and working hard are important aspects of development and self-improvement. But the saying is a reminder that ambition should not be achieved at the expense of tranquility.A person can strive for an ideal future without forgetting about the present. In other words, people need to find the balance in order to be happy on the way without thinking that happiness lies beyond each milestone.
Focusing on little things
Sometimes happiness is experienced in everyday life during an inspiring conversation with family members, good health, the morning quiet, or any little victory. Such situations may not look very significant, yet they are the key contributors to one’s well-being. Being grateful for all that a person has, people adopt the mentality of abundance instead of scarcity.In the context of modern rapid pace of life, one may often find oneself losing in the race due to excessive use of social networking sites and comparisons.As stated by Bergman wisely, happiness cannot be found in getting more and more money and possessing more things. Quite on the contrary, happiness is attained when a person appreciates the fact that he or she has something, enjoys their successes, regardless of how small they are, and appreciates the people around.The words of Ingrid Bergman show that there is a connection between happiness and success, but at the same time, they are two different concepts. Attaining success is crucial, but happiness comes from appreciation of success. Only such a combination allows a person to lead a happy and successful life. Sometimes, happiness is in the appreciation of what a person already has.
