Success
Success may be a very subjective concept. The concept of success for one person may be different to the concept of success another individual has. Self-fulfillment, fame, and recognition may be some forms of success among many. People define success according to their own beliefs and values. Culture may play an important role in defining this broad concept of success. Furthermore, success is not a permanent phenomenon. People take undue advantage of their success because of which they eventually fail. To enjoy one’s success is their right, but to lose their roots is a disaster in making.
Success in my life is that stage in life where I have accomplished something that I am passionate about. Completing a task on my own, and gaining recognition for the work done is success for me. It does not always have to be something grand. Helping my younger sister with her exam or receiving an accolade in a 100m sprint; all are a form of success for me. People expect success to be achieved from events that are publicly known and honored. For me that is a very narrow definition of success. One does not always have to feel pride in achieving something on a large scale; in fact, anything that makes you feel good as a person may comprise my definition of success.
Keeping into consideration, the subjectivity of the concept I would like to explore the idea of success from a different perspective. In the competitive environment in which we all live today, success is a stage where we are above the rest. In term of job opportunities, college graduates who are able to secure the best job are considered as successful. This does not imply that those who are unable to secure employment are a failure but they are not considered as a success. This leads us to another point of view, that success is a relative concept. We compare our achievements to others and consequently, label people as successes.
The cultural element of success determines how the people around us label success. In Asian families, academic achievements are considered the core achievement during an individual’s lifetime (Sharma, 2013). Academic achievements lead to success later in life, because this ensures a person to have a secure future and a comfortable standard of living. However, this is not a universally accepted definition of success; therefore, we can conclude that defining success is not an easy task.
Many people let success over rule their personality and brings about pride in their nature. This characteristic in a negative context means the person looks down upon others and thinks of oneself as superior. This level of pride is dangerous and can destroy a person’s success. Therefore, people who are able to keep their composure during times of success are those who are actually successful in life. These people are constantly striving to be better than what they are; hence, are never over-confident. In my opinion, then success is a state where one is content with what they have achieved but they do not let this state take over their personality.
References
Sharma, Y. (2013, October 22). Asia's parents suffering 'education fever'. BBC News. Retrieved February 21, 2014, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24537487
