We write lotsofstoriesaboutsuccess here at Business Insider, but we don't always agree on its definition.
Merriam-Webster defines it as "the fact of getting or achieving wealth, respect, or fame," but this interpretation doesn't feel complete.
With that in mind, we researched what foremost authors, inventors, and entrepreneurs consider success to be.
Read on to see how Richard Branson, Maya Angelou, Deepak Chopra, and others define success.
Huffington Post founder Arianna Huffington says that money and power aren't enough.
Huffington says that while we tend to think of success along two metrics — money and power — we need to add a third.
"To live the lives we truly want and deserve, and not just the lives we settle for, we need a Third Metric," she says, "a third measure of success that goes beyond the two metrics of money and power, and consists of four pillars: well-being, wisdom, wonder, and giving."
Together, those factors help you to take care of your psychological life and truly be successful, or as the title of her new book suggests, "Thrive."
Legendary basketball coach John Wooden says it's a matter of satisfaction.
With 620 victories and 10 national titles, Wooden is the winningest coach in college basketball history.
But his definition is more about competing with yourself than the other guy:
"Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming," he said.
Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh says success is about living in accordance with your values.
"Your personal core values define who you are, and a company's core values ultimately define the company's character and brand," Hsieh writes in "Delivering Happiness," his memoir about building Zappos.
"For individuals, character is destiny," he says. "For organizations, culture is destiny."
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