What is "Making It"

[Drewbacca]

I'm the biggest success on TNL. I'm the benchmark everyone else fails to hit.

Of course when I say TNL I mean North America.

[Jetman]

I think maybe what Stone is getting at with the whole self-sacrifice thing is being remembered for doing something great and worthwhile.That would be "Making It". Being a hero that everyone looks up to and idolizes may be the ultimate form of "Making It" in the world.Too bad that you may be a little too dead to reap whatever benifts that might entail, but the thought of being loved on that level (OMG The Next Level)is a bit intoxicating.

[arjue]

"chests in atlantis", right? RIGHT?!

OMG YES...now...

Seriously, a friend and I are putting thousands of dollars behind this horror movie we're making. Lets just say that if we can find a safe-ish way to do it, you might see some of that chainsaw action from my av.

[Tojo]

I'll know when I've made it. It's one of those moments in life when you sit down and think, damn.

[Cowdisease]

For me, the moment of "making it" would be where you are at the point where money is no longer an issue to you and you can do whatever the damn hell you want without any financial repercussions.

Right now, I'm in a job I really like, and the part-time work I do on top of that is also nice. Yet I don't feel as if I "made it" because money is still an issue (college loans to pay, barely have enough to purchase a home, etc). I'm very happy where I'm at now, but I know there's more for me to achieve.

I think I can reach that point of "making it" 15 years after I obtain a Master's degree from Carnegie Mellon's Entertainment Technology program. With that degree in my hand, I could actually forge my own opportunities instead of taking advantage of those that come to me.

[toxic]

I have made 6 figures consistently for the previous 4 years. It took alot of hours of work (60-70 a week) and persistence. You sacrifice alot to earn alot of money. In the end, it is nice that I "got ahead", but it is no way to lead life ... I took a few steps back, and am alot happier now.

It was demoralizing to work all those hours, and see 30k given away to the government.

You truly 'make it' when you have raised a family that is still together after 30 years. That's the hardest, and most important thing to do.

[mannerbot]

This is somewhat off-topic, but Barbara Ehrenreich's "Scrubbing in Maine" deals with impoverished people trying to "make it." She's an affluent, educated woman who gives up her life for a summer to see if she can live on entry-level wages. She runs into a big roadblock when she applies for a job -- she needs a permanent address. Problem is, landlords won't rent apartments out to her without a job. Eventually she has herself working two jobs, and she still has to dip into her bank account to make ends meet.

So yeah, people working on minimum wage can't make it in society.

[Lordmrw]

For me, I can say I've made it if I'm ever in a position where I have a job that lets me pay my bills, help my family members if necessary, and to buy anything I want without having to sacrifice on other things first. If I get married, which is unlikely since I don't want to have kids, that would be nice, but if not, I'll still be content.

[Hero]

As long as I'm doing what I love and making enough to live off of, I'm good.

And to 'make it' all I need to do is be myself and have confidence in that. I think a lot of potentially great people never rise above mediocre because they aren't willing to put stock into their own worth.

[Calliander]

Seven figures, a new young wife every five years, pre-nups, a nice house in Greenwich, CT, and no kids.