The Definition of Success | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

The Definition of Success

The most successful people are not always the rich and the famous. Sometimes, they are the ordinary people who make each of their days extraordinary.

16
The Definition of Success
Jamie Lynne Pytlik

Starting at about five years old, we were asked what we wanted to be when we grew up. Our answers most likely ranged from popular careers we were already aware of such as doctor, teacher, or in my case, veterinarian. Some of us had more outrageous ideas like a movie star, a Disney princess or an astronaut. However, as we grew up our ideas grew with us, and our dream professions most likely changed vastly but our desire to succeed remained the same. Nearly all of us have dreams in our minds and passion in our hearts, but for varying careers and lifestyles.


Society constantly stresses what success is and what success is not. People are steered away from certain majors and careers because they don’t pay well and one’s success is often measured in dollar signs. In high school, the importance of a college education is constantly stressed. Students are persistently reminded to keep their grades up, their schedules full of extracurricular activities and their test scores high so their college applications shine when the time comes. In addition to the professional standpoint of success, success also has certain expectations regarding one’s personal lifestyle. Success is characterized as a lasting marriage, a family, a home and valuable possessions.


While society defines success in a specific way, is this definition of success really a true one? In my opinion, the answer is no. While of course people with a lasting marriage or a well-paying job are a form of success, they aren’t the only successful people. Success is not something that can be defined universally with a one size fits all generalization for all people. Instead, success relates to happiness, and each person defines happiness with their own personalized definition.


Each person has their own dream and every dream is unique; if that was not the case then we would have an entire generation of just doctors or just teachers or just stay at home moms. With so many different dreams, one dream cannot be characterized as worth more than another and no single dream can exist successfully without someone else’s. Putting stipulations on what defines success only undermines the importance of the dreams that came true that made it possible for other dreams to come to true. With so many different dreams out there, no one person’s dream is less important than another’s nor is one person pursuing their dream less successful than another.
In addition to the varying dreams people chase, to pin someone’s success on how much money they make is unrealistic. Success correlates with happiness, and happiness often does not correlate with wealth as some of most miserable people I have ever met possess high paying jobs while the happiest make minimum wage. It doesn’t matter if someone has “Dr.” on their name tag, if they spend their days miserable, that simple title does not make them successful. Success is about living a happy life, and for some people a happy life is a high paying job or an important title, but for others that isn’t the definition of happiness.


Just because someone isn’t living their life of their dreams yet does not mean they are unsuccessful either. Success is a journey and every step someone takes in the direction of a happy life as they define it is successful. For some people, that means getting out of bed in the morning. For others, that means leaving a toxic relationship or understanding a new concept in a class they struggle with, or getting a new job. Success doesn’t mean living the life of your dreams all the time; it means having the courage to spend your day pursuing the life of your dreams, even if that means doing so in small steps.


Whether your dream is to become a doctor, a lawyer, or a veterinarian, a teacher, a policeman or a firefighter, a husband/wife, a stay at home parent, or you just want to take a step away from your current destination, it does not matter where you are going or how others perceive your journey. You are successful if you have the courage to pursue whichever long term or short term goal that fits into your definition of a happy life. Work hard in your classes and pursue the best grades you can if college is for you, but if it is not, that’s okay too because the other plans you will pursue will be greater than any other opportunities. Success shouldn’t be a specific definition but instead an opportunity for everyone to pursue a journey that makes them and their life happier than it initially was.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Blair Waldorf
Cub Magazine

We all have a little bit of Blair Waldorf inside of us. You may not realize it, but you're probably guilty of at least nine out of ten of these listed points. So why don't we reminisce on the famous Blair Waldorf moments where we realized we were actually her at certain times through the series?

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Confessions Of A Sleep-A-Holic

If your plans get cancelled, there is a 99.9% percent chance you are sleeping.

1106
woman lying on bed
Photo by Kinga Howard on Unsplash

1. What are some of your hobbies? Does sleep count?

I'm so good at sleeping I can do it with my eyes closed

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

7 Reasons To Watch One Tree Hill

"There is only one tree hill, Jaime Scott."

1320
one tree hill
Wikipedia Commons

If you need a new series to watch, I recommend One Tree Hill. I watched this series three times now and it only keeps getting better. If you need any more reasons beside the fact that all of the seasons are on Netflix for your binge-watching pleasure, here are seven more reasons to watch it.

Keep Reading...Show less
University of Mount Olive
University of Mount Olive

College is the most exciting time of a person's life. It really is. Exciting is not always a positive feeling though. Excited is a feeling that can be associated with nervousness, anxiety and more. Here are some real tips for college freshman that go beyond the typical, "Go to class," lecture.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

The 5 Pros and Cons Of Long Distance Friendships

Being friends with someone thousands of miles away has its drawbacks and perks.

1642
friends on the beach

True friendship is incredibly rare, and to find a friend that will be there for you through all of life's curveballs is something quite unique. To add distance into the equation, maintaining a real, true friendship can be a struggle. There are good and bad parts that come with long distance friendship.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments