Following on the considerations of the idea of success, I previously spoke about internal manifestations of success — success as the consistent achievement of a goal, something you become rather than something you reach. But it doesn't hurt to attain external manifestations of success either.

There's a certain kind of person who insists that money doesn't matter, that beauty is shallow, that power corrupts — and they're usually saying this from a place of either great privilege or great denial. The real world runs on tangible things. And a truly successful person isn't just internally sorted — they're also well-resourced, well-positioned, and frankly, thriving in the visible sense.

Here's what I think makes up this side of success:

Quality — Quality refers to the staying power of a thing — its ability to defy entropy and stay relevant. Quality clothing looks good after a long time, always looks new, survives every weather. Quality people are full of life and never boring, regaling you with thrilling conversations and showing up the same way every single time. Quality software is fun to use, hard to hack, and somewhat addictive. Quality work doesn't need defending — it speaks, and people listen.

Money — A brilliant invention that allows you to represent your resources without having to physically lug them around. Instead of trading three goats for a cart, you hand over a number — and increasingly, not even that, just a tap of your phone. Money is stored labour, stored time, stored options. It doesn't have feelings about you — it simply goes where you direct it. Direct it well and it multiplies. Direct it poorly and it disappears.

Beauty — The quality of a thing that makes you want to keep looking at it. Not always symmetry, not always conventional — but always the result of someone paying attention. A beautiful room was arranged by someone who cared. A beautiful sentence was written by someone who revised. And because humans make snap judgements constantly, beauty is communication — one that works before you've opened your mouth. Beauty captures attention, and really, in a sense, that's all we have to give.

Sex — One of the clearest signals that you're doing alright. A healthy intimate life regulates you in ways that are hard to quantify but very easy to notice when it's missing — your mood, your confidence, your energy. Tend to it, and a lot of the rest quietly falls into place.

Power — The ability to make things happen. Your calls get returned. Your ideas get considered. Things move when you push them. The best kind is quiet — it doesn't announce itself, it just works. Not a flattering thing to talk about, but you need some form of power to protect your resources.

Resources — Everything that isn't money but functions like it. Time, energy, knowledge, access, networks, tools. A well-rested body is a resource. A mentor who's been where you're going is a resource. A laptop that doesn't crash mid-presentation is a resource. Know what you have, know what you're burning through, and know what you need next — because everything else runs on top of this.

None of these are dirty words. Quality. Money. Beauty. Sex. Power. Resources. They're just the other half of the picture — the part that shows up in the world, that other people can see, that makes your internal success legible on the outside.

These things require consistent effort and work against entropy to achieve, maintain, and keep - best of luck.