Teaching English in China is not a career for foreigners; there is no job security, no career track and the vast majority of FTs are not qualified teachers by any academic standard. There are a few professors of English of Western Universities that do short term assignments in China, usually as part of their employer's partnership with a Chinese University.

Success is a personal yardstick. Individuals define their own goals and evaluate their achievement of them. I've observed FTs who find great satisfaction in their interaction with their students and enjoy the challenge of living in a foreign county. Not surprisingly, they are not found at expat bars and posting daily on forums. They have lives.