The Evolution of Success
Success is not final
Failure is not fatal
It is the courage to continue that counts
-Winston Churchill
As a child I dreamed the American dream… to grow up, be married, wanted a dog, a house, and a fantastic corporate job. Disney movies aided in this optomistic view of the future. As a teenager, I searched for my “independence” and aimed for getting into a good college. As an adult the view of success is ever changing.
Many opinions on what makes one successful is out there. Ways to gain it keep it, measure it, etc. It is not something that can be measured universally. They all vary on the person attempting to achieve them. It makes me think of the moments of speaking with children and teenagers in my recruiting days of what they valued and felt would make them successful. The two main events that come to mind were while giving a Texas Scholar speech and recruiting for undergraduate admissions at a Junior College.
The Texas Scholar speech was generally to share about the program but also to get the middle school aged children to share about their hopes, dreams, and future. Initially I looked forward to hearing the goals the kids set only to hear majority of them discuss wanting to only be a basketball wife, date a rapper, the boys focused on having a fine wife and what material items they would want to acquire. The 3-5 out of 25 students expressed wanting to further their education and discussed professions they desired to get into. Although I am a large advocate for education, I understand and respect that it is not for everyone. But it sickened my heart to hear them so passionate to waste their talent and lives behind material things and not consider their own inner growth, excitement over graduating, or their future. Many people are successful that do not have an educational background, but I do believe that it doesn’t hurt to have your high school diploma and explore some other educational opportunities that could be from culinary arts, mechanical, military training, etc.
The young lady I met at the junior college during a recruiting event spent some time telling me a little about herself and then on to what she was hoping to accomplish. She had been in college approximately two years and was aiming to becoming a secretary. She said she was the first one in her family to obtain any college credit and she knows she did not need it to become a secretary but wanted to have that foundation. As she left from speaking with us, my coworker and I, we discussed how everyone’s life fulfilling desires differ in many ways.To the child sitting at home wondering where the next meal will come from or if the lights will be off tomorrow, success may be living at a means where he/she is not living check to check. People’s idea may not always meet our expectations but they maybe large to that individual’s family, personal goals, and motivated by their upbringing. So I say to anyone that attempts to down someone else’s idea of success because it does not meet their own expectation, remember that all the jobs in the world were created because they were needed and be thankful that someone wants to do the jobs you do not enjoy or care to do.
As a first generation college kid, I came out with a piece of paper, great accolades for graduating, but that does not mean others success is wrong or should be looked down upon. It was a large goal of mine to get a college degreee. For so many graduating high school, having a family, being a certain type of parent, being involved in the community is what equals success. Is one wrong or any less important, of course not. However, we tend to know people that won’t support others in achieving their goals that they may not understand or relate to.
My own success story has changed overtime from the time I became an aunt, joined the corporate world, and deciding to start my own blog. My success no longer only comes from climbing the corporate ladder, but to IMPACT1(this was not a typo) person at a time. I wanted to share my voice after stepping out on faith and hoping to inspire and assist.
Ask yourself what can you do to help yourself or someone else. In watching one of my favorite movies, Eat, Love, Pray, Julia Roberts portrays a woman that is seeking so many things all to find in the end that self-awareness and seeking her own success versus what the world put out there is what leads to her true happiness.
Great read and so very true. Often times people (we) base everyone’s success on our own idea of what success is. Not acknowledging how our personal stories create those ideas and EVERYONE has a different story.
Thanks CC. I def agree. I appreciate you taking time out to visit and comment.
Good stuff indeed. Being conscious of who you are goes a long way in determining what will satisfy/make you happy. Success is truly in the eye of the beholder. If you use another’s version of success to gauge yours, you’ll never be happy.
Thanks for stopping by Mike S. So true.
You go girl!
Thanks Keon 🙂
Great read. Our Success will take a shot at us at times also so we must prepare and continue to move forward reaching for it!
So true BG… Thanks for stopping by. You know it means the world to me.
Great and interesting read. I love Eat Pray Love as well. Best of luck with your future blogs. You have my support.
Thanks Vanessa 🙂
Tis better to give than receive! Looking forward to many, many more!
Thanks Mo 🙂
This is so true. Success varies depending on the person, but our society tends to equate material possessions with success. It’s up to us to soul search for our own definition. After finding my purpose i now know what success is.
Very true Adriane W. I agree as well. Sad but true for many they do see it that way. Thank you for taking time to stop by.
Great job! Love the different perspective on things. You are so right. Stop worrying about how you measure up and just live at your own definition of success.
Hey Ramelle. Thanks for stopping by and I am glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Bookmarked!!! Good read. True, everyone has their own version of success. Hopefully with time and a little more life experience, those wanting to be “basketball wives” and date the rappers will realize their full potential and aim higher. Unfortunately the path to success is rarely straight. There’s always that dreaded detour and sometimes a U-turn.
Hey Miss T… I agree and def know that all too well as well. Thanks for stopping by and dropping a comment 🙂
I agree with Adriane. Soul searching is VERY necessary. When you have been led (for me it is by God for others that may not be the case; no disrespect) to your passion and begin living it, you have found success which can be synonymous for happiness. That does not mean it comes without hard work, trials and/or tribulations. Like Latoya said, there may be a detour along the way. That just means the story is “TO BE CONTINUED”!!! It is not the end. HELLO!!!!
Congratulations on an awesome blog! 🙂 I am so proud of you ! I greatly enjoyed your point of view on success as everyone has there own standards that equal success but most never live up to quite what they have in there head!:) You are truly talented to write in such a way every person that stops by will surely believe they have a chance too live the American dream and be all that they can be!:)
You inspired me to be all I can be and much …much more!:) Love you!:)
Thanks Auntie. I appreicate at tht more than you know and you taken the time to drop by and support. xoxo
You write so beautifully…… yes Eat Love Pray was fabulous and i know one of your favs……
Good job. Looking forward to the next one.
Thanks for stopping by D Whaley 🙂
You bring up some great points in this blog. I attribute the skewed goals of our youth to lack of exposure , lack of passion and lack of accountability. I spent my child’s lifetime trying to get him involved in things to let him know there is more out there than what he sees in his backyard, more meaningful conversations to be had than the latest video game or reality TV qualm and that our lives have more purpose than just working and making money. Its all about being above the influence and knowing that you can do anything even when others around you can’t fathom the idea of what you are doing. Its during those times you have to pull from your core to find the strength to do and be more. I applaud you for doing more and sharing your core with us. I’m excited to see what fruits will bear from your roots.
Thanks ShaRhonda for stopping by. Def agree 🙂
Nice blog post! I agree success is measured most by one’s desire and ability to impact and cultivate growth in others.