The Meaning of Success According to Ralph Waldo Emerson

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 little 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 the meaning of success.

Quick Facts About Ralph Waldo Emerson

• Ralph Waldo Emerson was born May 25, 1803 in Boston, Massachusetts. He died April 27, 1882 (aged 78) in Concord, Massachusetts.
• Ralph Waldo Emerson was a philosoper, essayist, poet and transcendentalist. He has influenced many with his views and writings and has imparted great wisdom.
• Emerson graduated from Harvard in 1821 after which he became a schoolmaster. Later he went back to Harvard and emerged as a Unitarian Minister.
• In 1836, he published his first essay called Nature. Emerson became a well known author and subsequently made a living as a popular lecturer in New England. He was considered a great orator.
• Emerson was widely associated with Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry David Thoreau.
• Emerson was greatly influenced by the the Bhagavad Gita and this showed in his many writings.