Imam Ibn Al-Qayim wrote,

Amongst the signs of success in this life that will lead to success in the akhirah:

is that when a person increases in ilm he increases in humbleness and mercy as well.

The more good deeds one does the more fear of Allah he has.

The older the person gets the less he cares about his health.

The richer he gets the more generous he becomes.

The more powerful and famous he becomes the closer he gets to people and the more he helps them.

As for the signs of failure in this life which lead to painful punishment in the next:

they are whenever one increases in knowledge, his arrogance grows.

The more good deeds he does, the more he grows in pride and disrespect of others.

The older he gets the more careful he becomes of his wealth.

The richer he is, the more miserly he becomes.

As his fame and power grows, he cuts himself off from people.

All of these things are tests from ALLAH, thru which some of his slaves attain happiness and success while others attain wretchedness and failure.

When Sulaiman (a.s) saw the throne of Bilqees infront of him, he said:

''This is from the blessings of my LORD to test me, will I give thanks or will I disbelief''. (Surah: NAML: 40)