A man cannot be said to succeed in this life who does not satisfy one friend.

A single friendship is set as the minimum bar, and it is a harder test than it sounds. Achievement, money and reputation can all be built without ever being reliable to one person, and plenty of admired lives fail this particular measure quietly. Being there for even one person, and glad of them, counts for more than much of what usually gets called success.

If you are unsure where you stand, the check is simple and slightly uncomfortable. Who would call you at two in the morning, and who would you call? If nobody comes to mind, that is not a verdict on you, it is the thing to spend this year on.