The Question of Success

The Question of Success: Psychology, Society, History, and Personal Meaning
Success is one of the most commonly used and least clearly defined ideas in modern life. People are encouraged to pursue success in education, careers, relationships, creativity, and personal development. Yet what success actually means—and how it is defined—varies widely across historical periods, cultures, and individual experiences.
For some, success is associated with wealth, status, recognition, or professional achievement. For others, it may mean autonomy, purpose, intellectual fulfillment, meaningful relationships, or inner well-being. Because of this diversity, success is not only a personal aspiration but also a social and psychological concept shaped by historical context, cultural values, institutions, and collective expectations.
This session will explore how the idea of success is formed, pursued, and experienced. We will consider how social structures, cultural narratives, and psychological processes influence what people strive for, how they evaluate their lives, and how they interpret achievement and failure.
In this session, we will focus on the following topics:

• How different cultures and historical periods have defined a successful life
• What psychology reveals about motivation, ambition, and the drive to achieve
• How society—education, work, and social expectations—shapes our idea of success
• The inner side of success: self-belief, identity, and personal values
• Why success does not always lead to happiness—and what failure teaches us
• Who gets the opportunity to succeed—and how we might redefine success today

This will be an open and reflective conversation grounded in historical perspectives, psychological research, social structures, and personal experience. Together, we will examine how success is constructed, how it influences our decisions and identities, and how individuals and societies might rethink what it means to live a successful life.
📅 Event Details
🗓️ Date: Sunday, 22 March 2026
⏰ Time: 14:00
📍 Location: Hardenbergstraße 10, 10623 Berlin
📱 WhatsApp (for prep materials and directions)
Group Chat