In the life of every man or woman in North London, there is an indescribable amount of desire to succeed. Thoughts of Lamborghinis, Ferraris, or a house on an island too foreign to utter contribute to sleepless nights. All of life is about getting bigger and getting better in hopes of getting to the point where you can say, “I'm a success.” Success, especially in North London, is not a fixed point, rather it is a progression in building a lifelong project plagued by an unparalleled desire for peer gratification. Success, therefore, is not the measure of the three common central factors: appearance, status and career. It is the legacy produced by a life well lived that encompasses these factors. Before you can even speak to another person, the judgment has already been made based on his expensive suit, shiny watch and designer shoes. How can one be able to measure another's level of achievement by the shirt on their back? Whether you recognize it or not, success is initially measured by appearance, you will work tirelessly to get the perfect wardrobe and the nicest car to show off. This derives from the fact that the abundance of material goods, new or expensive, is an indication of wealth; commonly identified with success. In The Sweet Smell of Success by Laurence Shames, the reader observes how Shames deals with the idea of ​​keeping up appearances:...record numbers of young people continue to flock to law school...because it's considered a sure ticket... .according to external standards they will be 'successes'. They will own homes, eat in better restaurants, dress well, and in some cases do community service. (Shame) As Shames expresses, many young men and women seek out MBAs as an escape route to secure a field where… middle of paper… success is a forever unfinished project in the life of every North Londoner. Through appearance, merit and career there is a search for gratification among one's peers. However, upon closer examination, it turns out that the success is not due to their modern wardrobe, refined reputation, nor their great office work. For success, it is the totality of all this and more. To be successful, the destination is truly the journey. Works Cited "Ecclesiastes". Biblehub. Biblos.com and Web. 22 February 2014. .Lincoln, Abraham. NP Network. February 22, 2014. Shame, Laurence. “The sweet smell of success isn't so sweet after all.” New York Times 12 April 1986, n. page Print.Tzu, Lao. "Lao Tzu." Clever quote. Np, nd Web. 27 February 2014. .