Albert Schweitzer: Success Is Not The Key To Happiness

941 Words4 Pages
Albert Schweitzer, a German physician, once said, “Success is not the key to happiness, happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” This way of thinking shows how the love for one’s own actions plays into happiness, which plays into success. According the Oxford dictionary, the true definition of happiness is “feeling or showing pleasure or contentment”. While the Oxford dictionary is certainly not incorrect, Schweitzer’s view of what happiness means is much more in depth. The most intriguing part about his definition is the phrase “if you love what you are doing”. Though Schweitzer’s intentions might have been for that phrase to be interpreted as “if you love your job”, that’s not what was said. This phrase could mean many different things. It could refer to what a person is doing with their spare time, what church group they’ve become involved with, or a fixation as simple as their new living room arrangements. Happiness can be achieved through work and wealth, but does that mean it absolutely has to? Are there other things that a person can feel successful for? The answer is yes. A person can lead a happy life, and it depends upon a solid support system and loving family, and a passion and drive for what they do.
In order for a child to be happy, they need to be exposed to love from a young age. There are many simple ways to do this, and most of the work falls on the shoulders of the parents. “A parent is recommended to show