Success, Happiness, and Testing

When I started my career in software testing, I thought success was measured in bug counts, automation coverage, or how quickly I could write a regression suite. And sure, those things matter. But over time, I’ve realized that real success runs deeper.

In his book The Personal MBA, Josh Kaufman puts it this way:

“Success is working on things you enjoy with people you like, feeling free to choose what you work on, and having enough money to live without financial stress.”

That definition resonated with me. It named what I’ve been reaching for all along in my work. But Kaufman doesn’t stop there. He also points out that what we often call “happiness” isn’t a single state you arrive at and hold forever. It’s more like a recipe, a combination of having fun, spending time with people you enjoy, feeling calm, and feeling free.

Together, those two definitions helped me see that success and happiness aren’t separate pursuits. They overlap. They shape and support each other. Work that feels successful also creates conditions where happiness can take root. And happiness, in turn, deepens the meaning of success.

If I could add one piece, it would be this: being of genuine service to others. I don’t think Kaufman’s definitions exclude this. In fact, I believe they imply it. Because the deepest joy in both success and happiness, for me, has come in those moments of helping others: a teammate finding clarity, a user getting what they need, a colleague discovering new energy because I made space for their contribution.

Testing, at its best, offers opportunities for all of this. There’s joy in discovery, in collaborating with people you respect, in finding freedom through good systems and practices, and in serving others—whether that’s your team, your users, or the customers who trust your product.

So when I communicate priorities, design processes, or mentor a teammate, my goal and aspiration is to ask: Does this help me serve others? Does it make space for freedom, calm, or connection? Does it move me toward the kind of success and happiness that really matter?

Because in the end, the work of testing is not just about code or coverage. It is about building a life and a community worth being part of.