Success is often measured by wealth and material possessions. Do you think wealth is the best measure of success? What makes a successful person?

Financial prosperity and material assets have always been considered as crucial measures of success. In my opinion, wealth per se may not bring lasting happiness or true success, but lack thereof can definitely be a hindrance to welfare and prosperity. Successful people, I believe, look at wealth as a means–not an end–to improve their overall wellbeing, be it mental, physical, or emotional. Some people assert that wealth cannot bring success, which I disagree with as it stands. Wealthy people can afford just about anything for themselves and their families and enjoy their lives to the fullest. By contrast, poor people have to struggle to fulfill even their basic needs. Wealthy people would usually enjoy life in a way that poor people could only have in their dreams. Some poor people even succumb to death due to illnesses that could otherwise be treated if they had the financial means. For example, in the current health crisis, research shows that in some developing nations the majority of people who died of Covid-19 come from impoverished families, who could not afford to get proper medicine, safe and effective vaccines, or did not have the luxury to just stay at home and depend on their huge savings. Many other young people cannot just go to university because they do not have a wealthy family to back them up. Success can be defined from different perspectives by different individuals. For instance, one may wish to become a successful athlete or a football player. For another, success may be synonymous with having a charitable organization. Another may take a thrill in becoming an actor rising to stardom. What is obvious, all other things being equal, wealth can always pave the way for all individuals to fulfill their ambitions in life. Nonetheless, to be truly successful, in addition to building wealth, one definitely needs to have the right mindset and use it in a wise way. To put it into perspective, some people win the jackpot on the lottery, but their life situation does not improve in actuality. They indulge in drugs and alcohol and may suffer bouts of depression ending in committing suicide. For such people, wealth is not going to guarantee success and may even be counter-productive, as they do not have the right attitude to life in the first place. To conclude, wealth can be the most important means to achieve success. Without it, the road to accomplishment gets longer and thornier. However, wealth cannot be deemed as an end, and, instead, can best be exploited when accompanied by a healthy attitude and responsible mindset