My definition of success is to live your life in a way that

Hear the words of Tony Robbins, teacher of fire and architect of human will, who declared: “My definition of success is to live your life in a way that causes you to feel a ton of pleasure and very little pain—and because of your lifestyle, have the people around you feel a lot more pleasure than they do pain.” In this saying, he lays bare the law of true greatness: that life is not measured by riches, nor by the noise of applause, but by the balance of joy and suffering we cultivate within ourselves and spread outward to others. To live well is not only to taste sweetness, but to plant sweetness in the lives that touch ours.

The ancients, too, pondered this truth. The philosopher Epicurus taught that the highest good was not in wealth or power but in pleasure rightly pursued: the pleasure of friendship, of peace, of freedom from needless fear. Yet he warned that unchecked desire leads to misery, and that true success lies in choosing wisely between fleeting pleasure and lasting well-being. Robbins walks in this tradition, yet carries it further—declaring that one’s own life cannot be deemed successful unless it radiates pleasure outward, lessening the pain of others.

Consider the life of Florence Nightingale, who in the horror of war sought not crowns or glory, but the reduction of human pain. By her devotion, she turned chaos into healing, despair into comfort. Did she not embody Robbins’ teaching? Her success was not her fame, though history remembers her, but the pleasure of rest she gave to the wounded, the relief she brought to the suffering. In her, we see the eternal law: true greatness is measured by the joy you create and the suffering you ease.

Robbins’ words also carry a warning. Many chase success as the world defines it—gold, status, dominion—yet find themselves living in torment, weighed down by inner pain, spreading bitterness to those around them. Their lives, though adorned with trophies, are barren of peace. What use is it to gain the world but poison the hearts of those you love? True success, Robbins declares, must be judged not by appearances, but by the daily balance of joy and sorrow in one’s life and in the circle of others you touch.

The lesson is both humbling and empowering: to live a life of pleasure and peace, you must first govern yourself. Guard your thoughts, master your desires, discipline your actions, so that your days are not filled with needless pain. But do not stop there—extend this mastery outward. Speak words that heal, not wound. Act in ways that bring comfort, not despair. Let your presence be like a lamp in the night, giving warmth to others. In this way, your lifestyle becomes not only your salvation but the salvation of many.

Practical wisdom follows: seek out the habits that create joy—gratitude, service, health, and love. Each morning, ask yourself, What can I do today to bring more pleasure than pain into the lives of those around me? Each evening, ask yourself, Did my life today add to the joy of others, or did it add to their suffering? Let these questions guide you, for they are the scales upon which your true success will one day be measured.

So let Tony Robbins’ words stand as a commandment for all who would live wisely: “Success is to live your life in a way that brings pleasure and little pain, and to shape a world where others feel the same.” This is no small task, but the highest calling. To pursue joy not selfishly, but generously. To lighten burdens not only your own, but those of your brothers and sisters. In this way, you will live not merely as one who succeeded, but as one who left behind a legacy of light, woven into the lives of all who knew you.