Financial Success

I don't define my success in life by financial success, because I have been down that path before and am fully aware of how painful those self-inflicted wounds are. But for young-of-heart who do, understand that there are two rival definitions of financial success: "career" vs. "financial independence."

Career

The career based definition of success basically requires someone to make at least $75,000 per year before they reach a threshold where they don't need more money:
http://www.inc.com/news/articles/2010/09/study-says-$75,000-can-buy-happiness.html

For example, if you are making $35,000 per year, even in a low cost of living area, you easily get into a cost spiral where you don't have enough money. If you don't live in a place where you can get to work, church, school and entertainment without a car then that quickly begins to add up. If you are in a place with harsh weather, you may need an even more expensive vehicle, etc.

I know one guy who makes $200,000 per year and supposedly can't afford to pay his own $2,000 per month health insurance. That's shockingly high health insurance costs, but what is he doing with that other $175,000 per year besides paying taxes? This problem of never having enough money leads us to the question of frugality.

Financial Independence

The frugality definition of success says that though financial success is defined by financial independence, the way to get there is primarily to control spending rather than try to achieve career heights. The general game plan is to get the best job you can and spend nearly nothing an anything for 10 years saving it all, and then from that time forward you will have enough money to live on having become used to not spending anything hardly at all. Mr. Money Mustache is the cheerleader of that movement:
http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2011/04/08/mr-money-mustaches-own-story/

There are other "life hack" ways people achieve financial independence, such as living in 3+ generational households or becoming successful small business owners or a hundred other things, but all those life hacks are highly dependent on frugality.

A side note is there are no get-rich-quick schemes that work (besides Mr. Money Mustache.) Multi-Level Marketing NEVER works without making you yourself a criminal, and nor do other pyramid or ponzi schemes or any other get-rich-quick schemes.

Conclusion

IF you are going to define your success in life by financial success - and I strongly recommend that you don't - but if you do - you must chose one of the two above paths. You either make plans to make $75,000+ per year, or you make radical frugality plans, or you plan for (self-defined) failure.

For those of you who are haunted by that inner voice constantly pushing you to move forward, check out this advice from the Mustache himself:
http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2012/05/21/embracing-the-nagging-voice-of-success/

No, it is not just you who feels the drive to succeed (financially or otherwise) so strongly that it is uncomfortable. Welcome to life: