Success

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Success has become synonymous with financial wealth, influence and status. But can we define success in another way — one that welcomes a broader range of accomplishment? It may not be as obvious as you think. In this hour, TED speakers share ideas for what makes us successful. 

Motivational speaker Tony Robbins, who advises all type of people — from CEOs to heads of state to Olympic athletes -- discusses the "invisible forces" that motivate everyone's actions. University of Pennsylvania psychologist Angela Lee Duckworth explains her theory of "grit" as a predictor of success. Ron Gutman, founder and CEO of HealthTap — free mobile and online apps for access to health answers and tips from a network of over 38,000 US-licensed doctors, muses on the hidden power of smiling. Mike Rowe, co-creator and the host of the series Dirty Jobs, believes blue collar workers are unjustifiably degraded in society today — and might be the most successful people. Alain de Botton, who started the School of Life in London, examines our ideas of success and failure. 

Learn more or listen again to this week's episode, which originally aired on November 3, 2013.

Banner image: George Doyle/thinkstock.com

Credits

Host:

Guy Raz