Poem: What is Success? by Bessie Anderson Stanley

Speed writing

How would you define success? Write down everything you think of when you hear the word success. For three minutes, you are not allowed to stop writing - your teacher will time you. Don’t worry about grammar or structure, just empty your mind and put everything down on paper.

After you have finished, compare notes in groups. Try to come up with a common definition of what you think constitutes a successful life.

Few people have heard of Bessie Anderson Stanley (1879-1952). She was never a renowned writer, but still managed to produce a poem which today resonates with a lot of people. In 1904 she participated in a magazine writing contest where the task was to answer the question ”What is success?” in 100 words or less. Her entry won first place and the prize was $250, which was a large sum at the time.

The poem has later erroneously been attributed to the much more famous writer Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), and its language has also been paraphrased and modernised. Below you will find two versions of the poem. The first is the original from 1904, while the second is the version we usually see today.

Success

He has achieved success
who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much;
who has enjoyed the trust of pure women, the respect of intelligent men and the love of little children;
who has filled his niche and accomplished his task;
who has left the world better than he found it whether by an improved poppy, a perfect poem or a rescued soul;
who has never lacked appreciation of Earth's beauty or failed to express it;
who has always looked for the best in others and given them the best he had;
whose life was an inspiration;
whose memory a benediction.

Success

What is success?
To laugh often and much;
to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;
to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
to appreciate beauty;
to find the best in others;
to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;
to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded!