I'm talking about being happy with your life. Some people are driven to achieve and are never satisfied. Over time they are profoundly unhappy no matter what they achieve. Achievement in and of itself is not what human condition is or should be about.
The pursuit of happiness in the Declaration of Independence is no minor thing. It the core essence of ones life and they knew it. If you take it away, you take away their very being.
Happiness isn't all about oneself as in me, me, me. Happiness involves relationships with others. Giving, caring, loving. Achievement, in and of itself is about none of those things.
Achievement can often be a wonderful thing and is a noble cause. I think of myself as an achiever. I've worked very hard nearly all my life and I've achieved materially more than most. But it is no substitute for happiness. So yes, I hope my children achieve their dreams, that they achieve what their potential is, but foremost I want them to be happy in life.
Well, unfortunately, even the most loving and well-guided childhood can’t guarantee a happy adulthood. An over-disciplined child could end up happy or miserable, or an under-disciplined child could end up happy or miserable. It seems to depend on the sense that the child has, growing up, of whether he is part of a greater whole than himself, or whether he feels alone in the world. But that’s just my own personal opinion. I suppose none of us knows the correct formula for certain. However, a disciplined childhood, if disciplined in the right way, will at least provide the child with the tools to succeed financially or otherwise, whereas an undisciplined childhood might leave the child as so many are now - uneducated and ignorant of why they fail. Poverty when you are single is nothing, but poverty when you are married with children is quite a source of stress. It seems best to provide the child with the tools he’ll need to cope with either situation.