It is true that money does not always equal success, but it does make life a lot easier. There are many many people in life who have jobs that don't make them nearly the amount of money they want, but it nonetheless brings them happiness and joy, because they are doing what they want to do. Therefore, in their minds, they are successful in life. Like you might have imagined, success is completely self-determined and up to the individual. No one can define one's success but yourself.