Aly: Defining success
By Nada Aly, nada.aly@iowastatedaily.com
Courtesy of Getty Images
Success is effort.
Success is pushing yourself; it is striving for your goals, aspirations and
dreams. This may sound all “sunshine and rainbows,” but it is genuine.
Success is doing as much as possible, as well as possible, with the means you
have.
There cannot be a specific label anymore on what is success or who is
successful.
Some people view success as money or resources. Others view it as
relationships or family. For others, it is a combination of those things or
something completely different.
Some people just genuinely want happiness or contentedness. Others want
that expensive car, expensive house or to be able to travel wherever and
whenever they would like.
It depends on who you are, what your personal standards are and what your
limits are.
Success is so abstract, there cannot be a one fits all measurement or
definition. Although, there is an array of different dictionary definitions.
Success changes with time as well. For earlier humans, success was survival.
Now most people do not have to worry about if they will find something to
eat, something to drink or if they will find shelter. Now most people are able
to think about their or their family's wants, rather than just needs.
Success, or people's perspectives, definitions or expectations of success, also
depends on the societal, cultural and religious standards and expectations
pushed on them, or that they push on themselves or believe in.
What other people may see as successful, others may never even consider.
There are billions of people in the world. The end goal cannot be the same for
all of us, but the idea of building your way up, trying your best and working
hard is something most relate to and agree on.
Success is also patience, it is believing you can, and will, reach your goal, or
reach the stars no matter how much failure comes your way (which can be
extremely difficult).
It is being consistent in what you do. More specifically, consistently
improving what you do.
And once you finally touch the star you were reaching for the entire time, you
have to find a new one; as cheesy as it sounds, there is an entire galaxy of
possibilities or stars waiting out there for you to choose from.
So, success can be looked at as a continuous journey; it can also be seen as
a moment.
However you see it, you have to strive for it, and once you accomplish your
goal, you have to look for more.
It is not acceptable to let others define your success and what it means to you.
Nor define if your goals or aspirations are valid or possible, or anything else.
The most important thing is that you ask yourself what your goals and dreams
are, and how you can accomplish them. Succeeding then is working for them
with as much will and determination as you can.
Another aspect to success is not letting others, society, stereotypes or
expectations make you feel you have to accomplish, or go through certain
things, or phases in life to have succeeded.
To succeed, find out what you want and do not let others hold you back, get
in your way or get in your head.
No matter how you define it, always strive for your success and reach for
those stars.