The real criterion of success is that people give up their bad habits. Not only that they give up bad habits, but that they develop their love for Krishna. Their lives change. This is an internal, INTERNAL change, that takes place. And it is nothing external. This is how one actually can judge the success of a Vaishnava.
And, in fact, it is even stated in the sastra by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur, that the success of a Vaishnava is seen in terms of how many people he turns into Vaishnavas. It's not how many followers he gets. It's not that the Vaishnava is interested in followers, he wants to see others become lovers of Krishna-- and that is a Vaishnava. That is the criterion of success.
March 10, 1991, Kiev