What comes to mind when the word “success” comes up? Most likely that involves getting accepted into a good college or university, earning a high salary and becoming a well-renowned person.
Even though society and media make this lifestyle seem like success, it’s really not. That’s only one form of success. True success doesn’t come from money, status or achievements. True success is a personal achievement. This could be success in faith, meaningful friendships and relationships, family or fulfilling passions that bring genuine happiness.
Social media often reinforces the idea that success comes from money and fame. This pressures people, specifically teenagers, to take a specific route in life, even if that isn’t what they want. Deep down people want to avoid being left behind. People don’t want other people to look down on them. So there is a constant external pressure to take the route of financial success.
Although achievements such as fame and wealth are valuable and something to be proud of, it’s still not what success really is.
Having a lot of money and being successful can help financial stability, but it does not mean it fulfills happiness. Many celebrities, business managers and professionals struggle with finding true happiness. Even with money and fame, they’re still not content. And that’s not a coincidence.
If someone achieves what society calls success but feels empty inside, is that truly success? One way to be fulfilled is by finding purpose which can bring joy and happiness.
For a lot of people, success means living according to their religious beliefs and values. Faith can provide peace, purpose and discipline to some people. And if they are content with their faith, that’s their purpose. If they feel successful in faith, they feel like they succeeded in life.
Success can also come from character and kindness rather than income. Some people feel successful if they are aligned with their moral beliefs. Living a life according to personal principles can be more meaningful and impactful than public recognition and wealth.
Another example of success is building genuine relationships, whether this is a significant other, family, friends or yourself. Building genuine friendships that rely on trust and happiness is a form of success as well. Strong family relationships are another form of success. Being a good parent, sibling, child or community member is successful on its own. At the end of the day, people should prioritize relationships rather than possessions. Because it’s the people around you that help shape a person and lead them to success.
Success looks different for everyone. A teacher, nurse, artist, entrepreneur or stay-at-home parent can all be successful regardless of how high their income is. Achieving personal goals will bring more fulfillment than money ever can. Chasing your passions is more rewarding than chasing money and status. Passion helps provide meaning to your life and to your accomplishments. It’s never beneficial to leave a passion behind for another path solely for the money because it won’t be worth sacrificing your dreams, happiness and goals.
Although it could be argued that money, prestigious education and fame are indicators of success because they provide financial stability and security, it’s really not the case. Financial stability is important but it isn’t everyone’s measure of success. True success comes from fulfilling your passions and purposes in life.
Success can’t be determined by salary, degree or title. Everyone is different, and different people have different visions of what success looks like. Real success comes from living by personal values, building meaningful relationships, pursuing passions and finding purpose that aligns with personal principles. Someone may have millions of dollars but feel unfulfilled, and someone may not have much but be fulfilled with their life. At the end of the day, success is a personal measurement, not a standard.
