WHAT IS SUCCESS?

I’m confident, that everyone sitting here today, can relate to that thrilling sense of
satisfaction that washes over you when you achieve a goal. It’s that euphoric feeling of
butterflies in your stomach, a smile that cannot be wiped from your face…

Good afternoon, Teachers and Fellow Speakers

Success… a term that is frequently used and spoken about, but RATHER DIFFICULT
to define. Some might equate success with fame, wealth or social status, while others
may describe it as achieving personal goals or a way of positively impacting the world.

It can therefore be concluded that there is in fact, no universal definition for “success”,
as everyone has their own individual vision of what it means to be fulfilled.

Having established that success means something different for everyone, I can only
offer up my own explanation…

Success starts with being the best possible version of yourself, in other words:

 Identifying your personal goals

 never shortchanging yourself in your preparation
 loving the journey…

and after having put in your absolute best…

 learning to be proud of yourself, regardless of the outcome.

As students, it is natural to think about our success in terms of grades and sporting
achievements. However, success is about so much more. It is about finding your
passion and pursuing it through dedication and hard work.

It is also important to surround ourselves with supportive and positive people who
encourage us to pursue our dreams and never give up.

Success also requires a growth mindset – this means being open to new ideas and
challenges and learning from our mistakes.

Winston Churchill once said: “Success consists of going from failure to failure without
loss of enthusiasm”.

So, I challenge you all today, let’s embrace the journey of success, and strive to be the
best possible versions of ourselves in all our future endeavors.
WHAT IS SUCCESS?

I’m confident, that everyone sitting here today, can relate to that thrilling sense of
satisfaction that washes over you when you achieve a goal. It’s that euphoric feeling of
butterflies in your stomach, a smile that cannot be wiped from your face…

Good afternoon, Teachers and Fellow Speakers

Success… a term that is frequently used and spoken about, but RATHER DIFFICULT
to define. Some might equate success with fame, wealth or social status, while others
may describe it as achieving personal goals or a way of positively impacting the world.

It can therefore be concluded that there is in fact, no universal definition for “success”,
as everyone has their own individual vision of what it means to be fulfilled.

Having established that success means something different for everyone, I can only
offer up my own explanation…

… being successful means being the best possible version of myself, in other words,
working towards feeling proud of the mark that I’ll eventually leave on the world.

As students, it is natural to think about our success in terms of grades and sporting
achievements. However, success is about so much more. It is about finding your
passion and pursuing it through dedication and hard work.

It is also important to surround yourself with positive and supportive people who
encourage us to pursue our dreams and never giving up.

Success also requires a growth mindset – this means being open to new ideas and
challenges and learning from mistakes.

Winston Churchill once said: “Success consists of going from failure to failure without
loss of enthusiasm”.

So, I challenge you all today, let’s embrace the journey of success, and strive to be the
best possible versions of ourselves in all our future endeavors.
Is it therefore safe to assume that the term ‘success’, has no universally accepted
definition, as it’s largely dependent on context, as well as an individual’s personal goals
and values?

‘Success’… a simple, yet VERY powerful word! [PAUSE]

Success, as defined by the Oxford dictionary, is “The accomplishment of an aim or

purpose”. By society’s standards however, this equates to having attained fame,
wealth or social status… A GROSS MISINTERPRETATION.

In my short life, I have come to believe that there IS NO universal definition for the
word ‘success’. It is a concept that must be defined by the individual, coupled with the
key components of effort, enthusiasm, friendship, skill, team spirit and confidence.

Success starts with being the best possible version of yourself, in other words:

1. identify your personal goals

2. never shortchange yourself in your preparation
3. love the journey

and after having put in your absolute best

4. learn to be proud of yourself, regardless of the outcome.

Another important point to remember is that LIFE IS NOT A COMPETITION. If it were,

this would mean that “I” can ONLY succeed if “others” fail. There will be no joy in your
success if you look upon others as competitors. Relationships with peers, colleagues,
friends and family are a vital component on your path to success.

you should be able to own your own success without being compared to the successes
achieved by others

If you measure your success against those of others, you’ve already failed

Do not define your successes by a measurable outcome, an endpoint or a checkbox.

Success is a FEELING rather than a tangible item or reward.
Shrug off the idea of comparing your life with someone else’s. Every person follows a different
path and journey. That is why the meaning of success also varies from one individual to
another.

Since success is a process rather than an end point, enjoy the trip and recognise your minor
victories along the way.

Success is many things. It is a both a concept and an experience, a moment as well as

an evolution. It is the merging of your aspirations with reality; the weaving of your
hopes and dreams with your daily tasks. It is simultaneously tangible and ephemeral,
and gives the illusion of being universally quantifiable. Success is externally evaluated,
yet intrinsically experienced; it is both objective and subjective. The true essence of
success, beneath the visible markers and goals, lies in your own personal sense of
satisfaction and fulfillment. 

What comes to mind for you when you think about “success?”  

What are the images you see? What does it feel like in your bones to have
succeeded? Do you imagine reaching the apex of your profession? Or do you imagine
amassing great wealth? Does it mean seeing your face on the cover of national
magazines or reading your name in “Who’s Who?”  

For some people success may be any one or all of these. For others, it may be
something entirely different, like perhaps earning enough money to retire at 50, or
having their own art show in a gallery, or coaching their child’s little league team to
victory. To some, success looks like grand achievement, to others it resembles daily
rewards, and still others measure it as the accomplishment of an underlying life
mission. It may mean being a good friend, or raising socially responsible children, or
being a loving grandparent. For some, the achievement looks like having lived
ethically, honorably, or according their values and conscience. For many, finding or
sustaining a romantic relationship or marriage is a goal, and the attainment of that goal
brings them a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment. Overcoming a disability, hardship,
challenge or obstacle is the criteria for some, whereas breaking records – athletic,
financial, historic or scientific – is where fulfillment lies for others.  

Since each person is an individual, comprised of their own visions and standards, each
one defines success in their own way. My definition is probably not the same as yours,
nor is yours exactly the same as the people you know. We are a constellation of
individuals, each holding our own place in the cosmos and twinkling from within as a
result of whatever gives us our own individual glow. The first basic rule of success, and
perhaps the most important, is that there is no one universal definition of fulfillment. We
each have our own, and everyone is equally precious and worthy.