I really like Norm Brodsky's Inc column and find it consistently insightful. I thought this one was very good and blogged about it when it came out http://www.skmurphy.com/blog/2008/10/26/norm-brodskys-guidel... In particular his definition of successful resonated with me:

"By successful, I mean a business that lives off its own cash flow, provides a good living for its owners and employees, and generates the profit it needs to keep growing."