Success and Happiness

SUCCESS AND

HAPPINESS

By Rory Klein

Defining Success How does one achieve success? Money? Power?

Fame? Or something more personal? Everybody seems to have a different idea of success, perhaps because success does not work the same for everyone. Like with beauty, the eye of the beholder determines success. Take Jeff Bezos for example. Bezos, the founder of Amazon, has a net worth of approximately $90.6 billion. However, if he did not love what he does, if he felt unhappy with his life, he would not have success.

Thus, I define success as the fulfillment of potential in a way that makes one happy.

It feels gratifying to achieve and fulfill potential.

It also heavily correlates with typical definitions of success. Look to Apple and Microsoft, whose founders entered new territory and ended up shaping the world in profound ways. That exemplifies a fulfilled potential. Steven Spielberg, whose name often connotes a good movie among audiences, also exemplifies success; many people love his work and widely consider his films as classics, including the Academy -- he boasts 3

Oscar wins for best director throughout his career. Both of these examples also have acquired great deals of money, but that comes as a mere side effect of success.

Take Gandhi for example; although not wealthy, he achieved his goals of creating peace in India, and perhaps changed the course of the nation -- that sounds like fulfillment. So although some people say successful people need money, would a depressed drug addict with a million dollars truly feel more successful than a poor man who does what he loves?

Happiness often accompanies the fulfillment of potential. It holds perhaps the most important elements of success. Take it from Maya Angelou, a very successful poet: “success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.” Nothing in the world can beat happiness; when it comes down to it, happiness originates the pursuit of money, or pretty much anything else for that matter. Many money-crazy people don’t realize that they can skip the steps of money and fame (those things often r​ educe happiness anyways -- look to Charlie Sheen) and get straight to loving life -- meet new friends, develop a hobby, find something to

have passion about. Those things do not stem from money; anyone can do them.

I want anyone who feels lazy or scared of reaching for their goals to just do it. Following dreams may seem scary, and results may seem improbable, but even if nobody reads their book or watches their movie, hopefully, they could enjoy to make it and like to look back on it. Happiness will stem from doing this. I also want anyone stuck in some boring job or rabidly hunting for money to stop and find a hobby. Everyone has something; they just need to find it.

Profile in Success: Jordan Peele

Prior to 2017, the name Jordan Peele would have evoked little more than a laugh. Part of the comedic duo of Comedy Central’s K ​ ey and Peele​, he achieved a good reputation for his acting and writing skills.

However, nobody would have predicted that he would become a serious filmmaker. That changed with his debut film, G ​ et Out​.

Very few people can boast an Oscar nomination for best director, best screenplay, and best picture on their debut film; even more so for black people -- only two other black people achieved this feat before Peele (Gonzalez). Therefore, Peele achieved his dream; his success.

Get Out ​became so successful because it really meant something; Hollywood puts out plenty of average films every year, with pathetic reviews to follow -- in 2017, ​Baywatch scored an 18% on Rotten Tomatoes, while ​The Mummy​ and T ​ he Dark Tower both scored 16% (IMDb).

None of those films had any real value, and yet, Hollywood continues to put dozens of them out. G ​ et Out caused a rift in the sea of mainstream movies;

director Jordan Peele calls it a “social thriller,” which ultimately means that society causes the conflict in the film: racism. The film industry often stays away from controversial statements like the ones ​Get Out​ portrays, but as previously stated, these movies do not perform all that well. The cast and crew of G ​ et Out ​did not fear to point out the flaws in society or alienate some viewers, and yet, it outperforms every movie previously listed, at an almost perfect 99% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Get Out did not perform quite as spectacularly with money.

Although making plenty in comparison to how much they spent on it, a rather hefty sum of 255 million dollars, G ​ et Out​ made around half of T ​ he Mummy’s ​409 million despite much better reviews (IMDb). However, does money equate to a film’s success? T ​ he Mummy did not win any Academy Awards; G ​ et Out d ​ id. The film industry has an issue with valuing money over the quality of a film -- if the industry heads consider a film as having a small audience, they typically do

not make that film. As a result, society misses out on a lot of unique films, which some independent filmmakers can still create, but with much fewer resources than a Hollywood movie would have -- for the average independent film, the filmmakers spend $750,000 on production (Renée). This pales in comparison to the average for major studio films: $65 million (Mueller).

I want Hollywood studio heads to allow their studios to make more diverse and unique films. If this happens, audiences around the world will receive better films to watch. I also want aspiring filmmakers to take chances on their unique ideas, and perhaps they will create the next ​Get Out​.

Interview I sat down with Joanne Klein, award winning writer and mother of three kids, to understand her perspective on life, happiness, careers, money, and family. She worked for various publications around Cleveland and Akron, but eventually quit for the sake of raising her children Rory, Sage, and Nova.

What career did you have?

I was a magazine and newspaper journalist in Cleveland and Akron for 20 years before my triplets were born, ranging from rock journalism to society writing, to business journalism, arts and culture journalism, and hard news.

Could you list someone who has succeeded in that field?

Maureen Dowd is really successful in that field, but J.K. Rowling, I know that’s just writing, not journalism, but she’s about as successful as a writer could be.

What makes them successful?

Actually having something to write. Someone told me in college a line that I’ve never forgotten: that if you’re becoming a writer, actually have something to say.

How does money correlate with success?

Can you list some of the awards you received as a writer?

I have three Cleveland Press Club Awards -- one for column writing, one for arts and entertainment writing, and one for general reporting. I have a Women in Communications Akron Bureau Award for feature writing, and I have a National Association for Area Business Publications Award for feature writing,

Do you believe you have fulfilled your potential as a writer?

I probably did not fulfill my potential ​as a writer b ​ ecause my career was cut short by having my triplets and wanting to raise them, but I consider myself just as successful as I could be from writing by raising my kids.

Would you say that raising your kids makes you happier than your career as a writer?

They’re different kinds of happiness and success, but I wouldn't change anything that I did.

Beyond having enough money to survive fairly happily, money may actually be a detriment to success, and I’ve read countless stories of people whose favorite points of their lives were when they were striving to become what they ultimately became, not at the point of becoming that.

If writing had given a minimum wage, would you still have pursued it?

At the beginning of my career, it virtually did. But i certainly didn't go into journalism for the money, there are plenty of other things i could have done to become rich, but i chose journalism because it was a way of getting the key to the world.

Klein’s stance overall conveys that her idea of success comes not from money, but from the experiences of writing and the happiness of raising a family. She knew going into journalism that writing would not turn her into a millionaire by any means, but decided to follow that path because she felt passionately about doing so.

Advice

Dear Rory, I recently graduated from University of Southern California, and I want to start a career as a filmmaker. I have tried pitching a bunch of scripts to big studios, but they keep rejecting them. Quite frankly, it makes me doubt that I can really make a living off of this, or that I should have gone to college for film; maybe I just do not have the talent I need to make movies. Should I start off in a new career, or should I keep trying? Should I try writing more generic Hollywood-esque films?

From, Steve

Steve - I believe you should not lose hope to become a filmmaker, but you focus too much on money -- you doubt you can “make a living,” but you really should focus on if you can make art. If you stick to the ideas you feel passionate about, someone will like it eventually, and it will probably make you happier than making millions off a mediocre mainstream superhero sequel. However, you may want to choose studios to pitch to with their intended audiences in mind.

Focus Features, for instance, would more likely work with you on an Oscar-worthy drama (Anderson-Moore).

Also, if you get to the point where you do not even have the money to pay for food, take note that the majority of low budget filmmakers have a second job, such as employment as a waiter (Bernstein). Keep trying!

Dear Rory, I have worked as a fairly successful banker from Goldman Sachs, and I feel dedicated to my job, but as the years keep passing, I have begun to realize one thing -- I have let my life go on without me as I spent time at the office or on business trips. My children will go off to college in a few years, and I have hardly witnessed their their childhoods. I do not want to end my career, but I also value my family. What should I do?

From, Rick

Rick - I understand that you both like your job and, assumably, the money that comes along with it.

However, I feel like family ought to come first. You only get one shot to watch your kids grow. Do you want to squander it? I can tell from your words that you have “let your life go on without you” that you feel regret for not seeing your family more, so you should prioritize them. If that means quitting your job, I say go for it. Besides, if you do not have a job, you could explore some passions and hobbies that you simply do not have time for currently.

As for money, I’m sure decades at Goldman Sachs has gotten you more than enough to get by.

Movie Reviews

The 1997 film ​Good Will Hunting​ tells a very impactful story about life, love, and happiness. The film tells the story of a genius janitor, Will Hunting (Matt Damon), who works for MIT, after a professor discovers Hunting’s potential. However, Hunting feels very troubled, and after a violent outburst, the courts let him off with the catch that he must work with Professor Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgård) on mathematics, as well as receive therapy. Through his experiences with his therapist, Sean Maguire (Robin Williams), Hunting finally starts to come to terms with his past of abuse and anger, and in a final scene mirroring a story Maguire mentioned during therapy, Hunting leaves his opportunities with his career to live with his girlfriend, Skylar.

Throughout the whole movie, but especially

exemplified in this scene, Good Will Hunting c ​ onveys the message that happiness matters more than money, whether that happiness comes from love, or anything else.

The 2011 documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi​ tells the story of a perfectionistic 85 year old man, Jiro Ono, who runs a sushi restaurant in Japan. Jiro strives every day to fulfill his potential, and despite many ravings about the unparalleled quality of his sushi, matched by the $300 price tag, he feels he can still become better.

Director David Gelb tries to prove that making a lot of money cannot truly satisfy someone; rather, the feeling of a job well done does the trick. Additionally, the film explores nuances in the habits of Jiro, such as his attention to the reactions of his customers when making subtle changes in the recipes of certain dishes, emphasizing his commitment to perfection.

The film also explores Jiro’s relationship with his son, who plans to take over the business one day.

Ultimately, Jiro has a good relationship with his son, despite subtle hints that he could not live up to Jiro’s legacy.

Overall, I would prefer to watch ​Good Will Hunting​, in large part due to my preference of the style of a fictional drama in comparison to a documentary. However, Good Will Hunting​ won the Oscars for Best Actor in a Supporting Role and Best Original Screenplay for a reason; the film tells a compelling, important story with a top notch cast and crew to support it (IMDb).

Moreover, the film explores much more intimate and emotional areas of its characters’ lives than ​Jiro Dreams of Sushi​ does (perhaps one should expect this due to the ability of the screenwriters of a fictional film to include whatever they please, rather than hope for the best from the subjects of a documentary).

Regardless, both films convey a strong message of the true meaning of success: the happiness of fulfilled potential.

Works Cited Anderson-Moore, Oakley. “How to Pitch Your Film: A Step-By-Step Breakdown.” ​No Film School​, NONETWORK, 22 Mar. 2017, nofilmschool.com/2017/03/how-to-pitch-your-movie-tv-series. Accessed 19 Apr. 2018.

Arms Raised in Field. 7 July 2017. ​Pxhere​, 7 July 2017, pxhere.com/en/photo/1412860. Accessed 19 Apr. 2018.

BagoGames. Chris in Chair. 6 Mar. 2017. ​Flickr​, 6 Mar. 2017, www.flickr.com/photos/bagogames/33251490846.

Accessed 19 Apr. 2018.

Bernstein, Paula. “How Do You Make a Living as an Independent Filmmaker? It’s Not Easy.” ​IndieWire​, Penske Business Media, 16 Dec. 2014, www.indiewire.com/2014/12/how-do-you-make-a-living-as-an-independent-filmmaker-its-not-easy-66929/.

Accessed 19 Apr. 2018.

Filmmaker at Camera. ​Pxhere​, 26 Mar. 2017, pxhere.com/en/photo/1276693. Accessed 19 Apr. 2018.

Glasses and Newspaper. ​Pxhere​, 14 Mar. 2017, pxhere.com/en/photo/1141377. Accessed 19 Apr. 2018.

Gonzalez, Sandra. “Thanks to ‘Get Out,’ Jordan Peele is in a league of his own.” ​CNN​, 26 Feb. 2018, www.cnn.com/2018/01/23/entertainment/jordan-peele-get-out-oscar-nominations/index.html. Accessed 19 Apr. 2018.

IMDb. "Baywatch (2017)." IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2018.

IMDb. "Good Will Hunting (1997)." IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2018.

IMDb. "The Dark Tower (2017)." IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2018.

IMDb. "The Mummy (2017)." IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2018.

Mueller, Annie. “Why Movies Cost so Much to Make.” ​Investopedia​, 23 June 2011, www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0611/why-movies-cost-so-much-to-make.aspx. Accessed 19 Apr. 2018.

Renée, V. “Sundance Infographic Reveals Some Promising and Not So Promising Numbers in Independent Film.” ​No Film School​, NONETWORK, 12 Jan. 2014, nofilmschool.com/2014/01/sundance-infographic-numbers-in-independent-film. Accessed 19 Apr. 2018.

Rotten Tomatoes. "Get Out." Rotten Tomatoes. Fandago, 19 Apr. 2018. Web. 20 Apr. 2018. <https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/get_out/​>.

Rory Klein Rory Klein is a 17 year old from Chagrin Falls, Ohio. From a young age, he has taken on various interests; most prominently in recent times, Klein has expressed interest in film and politics. He has made various short films under the label of Klein Studios, most of which he has posted to his Youtube channel of the same name. His channel has 115 subscribers and over 20,000 views. IMDb, a film database, credits Klein as a director, writer, cinematographer, editor, producer, and composer; users of the site rate his film, E ​ xposed 2, as his best​. His past successes in his filmmaking endeavours include winning the Chagrin Falls Middle School Film Festival, winning the Safe Routes Texting and Walking Video Contest, and winning the Bainbridge Library Book Trailer Contest. In addition to filmmaking, Klein has partaken in politics, beginning with his volunteering for the Hillary Clinton campaign in 2016. Later, Klein volunteered for the Ohio Democratic Party, and frequently tweets about political issues that he feels passionate about.

Academically, he has taken many AP classes, including AP English Language, AP Government, AP United States History, AP Psychology, AP Calculus. and has engaged in the gifted program since 5th grade. Klein plans to double major in film and political science in college.