success?

What is success? I think it is most important to not constrict our notion of what it means to be successful. It is easy to associate success with monetary status, however, I feel that often has little affect on the person’s truest success. The essence of success lies in its ability to be individualized and personally defined. I think it is odd to analyze the success-fullness of others, as what success is to one person is not going to apply to others. The act feels rude, because it feels that one person is imposing their outlook as the supreme. I think that the notion of success as financial is toxic and hurts people pursuing what truly fulfills them. I think the greatest issue is that most people have yet to define success for themselves.

I feel that it is wrong to generalize success stories. Everyone’s lives are so different, and there are an innumerable amount of factors and influences that shape who someone is and how “successful” they are. I also think its important to recognize that success is not just the end goal of someone’s life–life only consists of present moments, so I believe that looking at the success of someone’s being on an every-day basis throughout the entirety of their life most accurately represents their success.

I would rather use the word “fulfillment” over “success” because it feels more respectful to the individual. I feel that what determines how fulfilled someone will feel throughout life is who they are as a person. How you see yourself, what you care about, and your relationships with others I feel dictate someone’s real success. Behind every success story is a successful person, and I believe that the person creates the success over everything.

Everything is just chance. Aren’t intelligence and raw talent just other forms of opportunity? I think what makes a successful person is someone who takes their life situation by the balls–whether it be from a rich or poor family, supportive or abusive, and decides to take full control of their life for themselves, or whatever motivation they care about. What meaning that person decides to find is up to them and will only ever be because that personal journey is the only path that leads to real success.