The Buddha praised worldly achievements such as having a good reputation, good friends and vocational skill & learning. Refer to Maha-mangala Sutta & Sigalovada Sutta.
The Buddha taught you will succeed at what you want to achieve if you have four qualities, which are: (1) love & devotion (chanda); (2) energy & persistence (viriya); (3) mental focus (citta); & (4) analytical investigation (vimansa).
One who desires progress and success in life, be it in the field of
education, occupation or livelihood, is advised to abide by the
following principles:
A. The principles of growth: to practice according to the teachings
that guide life to prosperity and eminence known as the four cakka
(the conditions likened to the four wheels that carry a vehicle to its
destination):
Patirupadesavasa: choosing a suitable environment; to choose a
suitable location in which to live, study or work, where there are
people and an environment conducive to learning and betterment in
life, to the pursuit of the truth, virtue and knowledge, and the
generation of goodness and prosperity.
Sappurisupassaya: associating with good people; to seek association or
alliance with people who are learned and virtuous and who will support
one's pursuit of the truth, virtue and knowledge, and one's
advancement and growth in a rightful way.
Attasammapanidhi: establishing oneself rightly; to establish oneself
firmly in virtue and a right way of life; to establish a clear and
virtuous goal for one's life and work, and set oneself resolutely and
firmly on the right path to that goal, not wavering or being
negligent.
Pubbekatapunnata: having a good "capital foundation"; one portion of
this capital foundation comprises innate qualities such as
intelligence, aptitude and a healthy body; the other is, on the basis
of that foundation, knowing how to rectify or improve oneself, to seek
further knowledge, to strengthen good qualities and to train oneself
in preparation for when these qualities are needed, to be ready to
welcome success, to bring about welfare and happiness and to advance
to even greater heights.
(A.II.32)
B. The principles of success: practicing according to the four
conditions that lead to the success of any undertaking, known as the
iddhipada (pathways to success):
Chanda: having a heart of zeal; to be keen to do something, and to do
it for the love of it; to wish to bring an activity or task to its
optimum fruition, not simply doing it to get it out of the way or
merely for reward or material gain.
Viriya: doing with effort; to be diligent and apply oneself to a task
with effort, fortitude, patience and perseverance, not abandoning it
or becoming discouraged, but striving ever onward until success is
attained.
Citta: committing oneself to the task; to establish one's attention on
the task in hand and do it thoughtfully, not allowing the mind to
wander; to apply one's thought to the matter regularly and
consistently and do the task or action devotedly.
Vimamsa: using wise investigation; to diligently apply wise reflection
to examine cause and effect within what one is doing and to reflect
on, for example, its pros and cons, gains and shortcomings or
obstructions. This can be achieved by experimenting, planning and
evaluating results, and devising solutions and improvements in order
to manage and carry out the activity in hand so as to achieve better
results.
When applied to the work situation, for example, these four conditions
may, in short, be remembered as love of work, tenacity, dedication and
circumspection.
http://www.mahidol.ac.th/budsir/Part2_2.htm#9
