If you are still asking what defines you as successful, a new nationwide UK study suggests the answer has moved well beyond fat pay packets, flashy motors and thousands of Instagram followers. For many people, real success now looks more like good health, loyal friends, a partner who feels like your best mate, and a Sunday night that does not arrive with the emotional weight of a court summons.
The old trophies have not disappeared entirely. People still enjoy holidays, meals out and a life with a little comfort in it. We have not suddenly become a nation of monks in waterproof jackets. But the hierarchy has shifted. Status is being quietly elbowed aside by connection, kindness and the kind of everyday contentment that does not need a filter.
The New Success Symbol Is Human, Not Flashy
According to the research, two-thirds of people across the UK, 64%, believe life’s little joys matter far more than money or social media fame. That is not a small cultural twitch. It suggests the public mood has moved from “look what I have” towards “look who I have around me”.
The strongest signs of being rich in life are strikingly grounded. Being someone who treats others with kindness was chosen by 64%, staying healthy by 59%, and surrounding yourself with people who are always in your corner by 43%.
That is a fairly comprehensive defeat for the gleaming status symbols of old. A luxury car may still turn heads, but a friend who turns up when your life has gone sideways appears to carry rather more value.
The Little Wins Are Doing Heavy Lifting
The study found that making people laugh was considered a sign of success by 30% of respondents. The same proportion said having a best friend you trust with your life also counts. Giving a pet a happy and secure home came close behind at 29%.
Then there is the parental holy grail: 23% said having teenagers who actually like spending time with you is a sign of being rich in life. Anyone who has attempted meaningful conversation with a teenager while they are wearing headphones will recognise this as a major life achievement, possibly worthy of a small statue.
The more traditional markers still have their place. Being able to enjoy a holiday every year was chosen by 26%, while eating out twice a week was picked by 17%. Pleasant, certainly. But neither outranked kindness, health or strong relationships.
Real Friends Now Beat Social Media Approval
One of the more telling findings is that real friends who celebrate your successes now rank above social media likes, with 38% choosing the former. That feels like progress, or at least a sensible correction after years of confusing digital applause with actual affection.
A personal cheerleader is also seen as a greater sign of success than having savings, both recorded at 30% in the research. That does not mean financial security has stopped mattering. It means people increasingly understand that a full bank account and an empty emotional life is not much of a bargain.
For many, success is defined by everyday emotional security. Having someone to call in a crisis was chosen by 27%, having children who tell you about their day by 34%, and having a partner who is also your best friend by 31%.
These are modest-sounding things, but they are not minor. They are the quiet architecture of a decent life.
The Meaning Of Being Rich Has Changed
More than half of respondents, 51%, believe the meaning of a rich and successful life has changed over the past 20 years. A further 57% agree it is now less about what is sitting in your bank account.
There is something revealing in that. The national idea of success once came dressed as a job title, a bigger house, a louder car and the haunted look of someone who has not had an unscheduled afternoon since 2006. Now, it seems to be softer but stronger: health, trust, recognition, kindness, laughter and people who are pleased when things go well for you.
Almost nine in ten people surveyed, 85%, say they already consider themselves rich in life. In the current climate, that is an unexpectedly cheering figure. It suggests people may be recalibrating success not because ambition has died, but because the old scorecard was always a bit thin.
Encouragement Still Has Proper Value
It does not take a grand gesture to improve someone’s day. The research found that 70% say a small word of encouragement can completely turn their day around. Meanwhile, 27% say recognition from friends and family means more than praise from their boss.
That last figure may not surprise anyone who has ever received a workplace compliment with the emotional warmth of a printer notification. Praise matters most when it comes from someone who knows the road you have walked to get there.
Three-quarters of those surveyed, 75%, believe it is important to celebrate the little wins in life and have someone cheering them on, whatever the achievement. Around six in ten, 61%, say they already have someone who always celebrates their successes.
Partners topped that list at 52%, followed by mums at 38% and best friends at 34%. So there it is: the country’s emotional support network appears to be held together by partners, mothers, loyal mates and well-timed words of encouragement.
A Smile On The Commute Still Counts
The study also shows that small social moments outside the home carry surprising weight. Half of respondents, 50%, say something as simple as receiving a smile or hearing a friendly “hello” during their commute makes life feel richer.
That may sound almost laughably small, but it is not. Public life often runs on tiny signals: a door held open, a nod, a smile, a brief moment of not being treated as a human bollard on the way to platform four.
The point is not that these gestures solve everything. It is that they remind people they are seen. Some days, that is plenty.
Newcastle Takes The Supportive Crown
The findings also singled out Newcastle, where residents were the most likely to say they regularly celebrate the achievements of friends, family and colleagues. With 41% saying they do so, the city earned the title of the UK’s most supportive city.
That feels fitting for a place with a reputation for warmth, straight talking and an ability to turn communal feeling into something close to a civic sport.
Why The Cheer Matters
The research was commissioned by HARIBO, which has launched its “Here for a Cheer!” tour to recognise everyday efforts, little wins and quiet achievements in communities across the UK this summer.
Philip Murphy, Chief Marketing Officer & MD at HARIBO, said: “Success means different things to different people, but our research shows that having people to cheer you on and celebrate everyday wins, no matter how small, is what helps people feel fulfilled.
“Whether it’s reaching a major milestone, achieving a personal goal or simply making it through a tough day, everyone deserves a little recognition.”
The brand tie-in is cheerful enough, but the broader finding is more interesting than any campaign: the old theatre of success is being downgraded, while the substance beneath it is being quietly upgraded.
Flashy purchases, social media popularity and impressive job titles now sit well behind strong relationships, good health and feeling connected to the people around you.
A rich life, it turns out, may not be the one making the most noise. It may simply be the one with someone laughing beside you, someone rooting for you, and a Sunday evening that does not feel like the opening credits of a disaster film.
