‭EXPOSITORY ESSAY:‬ ‭SUCCESS‬

‭‬
– ‭By Shurbhi Kumar, XII-A‬
‭CMS, Kanpur Rd. Campus (LDA)‬

I‭ t‬ ‭is‬ ‭rightly‬ ‭said,‬ ‭“Success‬ ‭comes‬ ‭to‬ ‭those‬ ‭who‬ ‭earn‬ ‭it.”‬ ‭This‬ ‭seven‬ ‭letter‬ ‭word‬ ‭is‬
‭desired‬ ‭by‬ ‭all,‬ ‭worked‬ ‭by‬ ‭many‬ ‭but‬ ‭achieved‬ ‭by‬ ‭some.‬ ‭However,‬ ‭success‬ ‭has‬ ‭varied‬
‭interpretations evaluated by different individuals.‬

‭ o‬ ‭define‬ ‭‘‬‭Success‬‭’‬ ‭in‬ ‭general‬ ‭parlance,‬ ‭it‬ ‭can‬ ‭be‬ ‭attributed‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭highest‬ ‭peak‬ ‭of‬ ‭a‬
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‭person’s‬ ‭life.‬ ‭By‬ ‭this‬ ‭definition‬ ‭any‬ ‭one‬ ‭can‬ ‭be‬ ‭tricked‬ ‭into‬ ‭thinking‬ ‭of‬ ‭this‬ ‭intangible‬
‭entity‬ ‭as‬ ‭a‬ ‭royal‬ ‭pageant‬ ‭which‬ ‭comes‬ ‭only‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭greats‬ ‭,‬ ‭but‬ ‭time‬ ‭has‬ ‭been‬ ‭the‬
‭testimony‬‭that‬‭Success‬‭comes‬‭to‬‭those‬‭who‬‭work‬‭for‬‭it.‬‭It‬‭is‬‭not‬‭necessary‬‭to‬‭be‬‭great‬‭to‬
‭taste success, but yes, it may come and make one feel great.‬

‭ uccess‬ ‭is‬ ‭a‬ ‭subjective‬ ‭feeling‬ ‭and‬ ‭varies‬ ‭with‬ ‭person‬ ‭to‬ ‭person‬ ‭but‬ ‭the‬ ‭only‬ ‭common‬
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‭thing‬‭is‬‭that‬‭it‬‭brings‬‭along‬‭a‬‭sense‬‭of‬‭satisfaction‬‭and‬‭satiation‬‭of‬‭desires‬‭and‬‭ambitions;‬
‭to relish the efforts and labour put forth throughout the journey.‬

‭ or‬‭many‬‭people,‬‭success‬‭can‬‭be‬‭measured‬‭in‬‭materialistic‬‭terms.‬‭A‬‭businessman‬‭can‬‭see‬
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‭it‬ ‭to‬ ‭be‬ ‭the‬ ‭day‬ ‭of‬ ‭highest‬ ‭profits,‬ ‭a‬ ‭student‬ ‭scoring‬ ‭the‬ ‭top‬ ‭marks‬ ‭in‬ ‭examinations‬ ‭or‬
‭earning‬‭a‬‭degree‬‭from‬‭a‬‭college.‬‭An‬‭athlete‬‭or‬‭a‬‭sportsperson‬‭may‬‭count‬‭his‬‭medals‬‭and‬
‭trophies‬ ‭to‬ ‭tell‬ ‭you‬ ‭his‬ ‭standard‬ ‭of‬ ‭success,‬ ‭but‬ ‭ideally,‬ ‭success‬ ‭is‬ ‭a‬ ‭feeling,‬ ‭a‬ ‭peak‬
‭experience,‬ ‭a‬ ‭sense‬ ‭of‬ ‭gratification‬ ‭towards‬ ‭one’s‬ ‭own‬ ‭self‬ ‭-‬ ‭for‬ ‭doing‬ ‭hard‬ ‭work,‬‭for‬
‭burning‬ ‭the‬ ‭midnight-oil‬‭and‬‭every‬‭effort‬‭which‬‭ultimately‬‭was‬‭the‬‭right‬‭calculation‬‭for‬
‭success.‬

‭ hilosophy‬ ‭regards‬ ‭success‬ ‭as‬ ‭the‬ ‭inner‬‭peace‬‭attained‬‭after‬‭fulfilling‬‭the‬‭earthly‬‭duties‬

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‭and‬ ‭upon‬ ‭realising‬ ‭their‬ ‭true‬ ‭vocation‬ ‭on‬ ‭earth.‬ ‭For‬ ‭yogis‬ ‭and‬ ‭saints,‬ ‭their‬ ‭divine‬
‭connection‬ ‭with‬ ‭the‬ ‭Supreme‬ ‭is‬ ‭success‬ ‭to‬ ‭them.‬ ‭They‬ ‭are‬ ‭those‬ ‭who‬ ‭have‬ ‭freed‬
‭themselves‬ ‭from‬ ‭the‬‭vices‬‭of‬‭the‬‭mortal‬‭world‬‭and‬‭view‬‭God’s‬‭feet‬‭as‬‭their‬‭sole‬‭refuge.‬
‭Success,‬ ‭in‬ ‭its‬ ‭truest‬ ‭sense,‬ ‭is‬ ‭a‬ ‭deeply‬ ‭personal‬ ‭journey,‬ ‭shaped‬ ‭by‬ ‭individual‬
‭aspirations,‬‭experiences,‬‭and‬‭perspectives‬‭which‬‭transcends‬‭mere‬‭material‬‭possessions‬‭or‬
‭accomplishments‬ ‭and‬ ‭encompasses‬ ‭the‬ ‭spiritual‬ ‭and‬ ‭emotional‬ ‭fulfillment‬ ‭that‬ ‭comes‬
‭from living in alignment with one's values and beliefs.‬

‭ herefore,‬ ‭it‬ ‭can‬ ‭be‬ ‭rightly‬ ‭asserted‬ ‭that‬ ‭success‬ ‭is‬ ‭different‬ ‭for‬ ‭all‬ ‭but‬ ‭ultimately‬ ‭an‬
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‭output of hard work, dedication, penance and submission to a specific goal.‬
I‭ t‬‭is‬‭a‬‭widely‬‭held‬‭notion‬‭that‬‭success‬‭is‬‭the‬‭sweetest‬‭gift‬‭one‬‭can‬‭ever‬‭get‬‭and‬‭is‬‭the‬‭most‬
‭awaited-thrilling‬ ‭moment‬ ‭for‬ ‭a‬ ‭person.‬ ‭However,‬ ‭there‬ ‭are‬ ‭some‬ ‭stupendous‬
‭personalities‬‭who‬‭believe‬‭that‬‭though‬‭success‬‭was‬‭their‬‭goal‬‭and‬‭even‬‭they‬‭achieved‬‭it,‬‭it‬
‭was‬‭not‬‭as‬‭thrilling‬‭a‬‭moment‬‭as‬‭compared‬‭to‬‭the‬‭whole‬‭journey‬‭that‬‭they‬‭took‬‭to‬‭reach‬
‭their‬ ‭destination.‬ ‭Such‬ ‭people‬ ‭believe‬ ‭success‬ ‭as‬ ‭a‬ ‭driving‬ ‭factor‬ ‭to‬ ‭keep‬ ‭on‬ ‭moving‬
‭ahead in their lives and make themselves better and better.‬

‭ ne‬‭such‬‭example‬‭is‬‭the‬‭former‬‭Olympian‬‭Indian‬‭shooter,‬‭Abhinav‬‭Bhindra.‬‭He‬‭is‬‭the‬
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‭first‬ ‭and‬ ‭one‬ ‭of‬‭only‬‭two‬‭Indians‬‭to‬‭win‬‭an‬‭Individual‬‭Olympic‬‭Gold‬‭Medal.‬‭This‬‭man,‬
‭who‬ ‭brought‬ ‭so‬ ‭much‬ ‭glory‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭nation‬ ‭and‬ ‭gained‬ ‭international‬ ‭acclaim‬ ‭for‬ ‭his‬
‭performance,‬ ‭when‬ ‭interviewed,‬ ‭claimed‬ ‭that‬ ‭while‬ ‭his‬ ‭amazing‬ ‭feat‬ ‭did‬ ‭bring‬ ‭him‬
‭happiness,‬ ‭the‬ ‭real‬ ‭thrill‬ ‭and‬ ‭excitement‬ ‭he‬ ‭experienced‬ ‭came‬ ‭from‬ ‭the‬ ‭years‬ ‭of‬ ‭tiring‬
‭efforts‬ ‭he‬ ‭had‬ ‭made‬ ‭to‬‭reach‬‭that‬‭podium‬‭of‬‭excellence.‬‭His‬‭words‬‭were,‬‭“It’s‬‭all‬‭about‬
‭the journey; success is boring.”‬

‭ his‬ ‭perspective‬ ‭from‬ ‭Abhinav‬ ‭Bhindra‬ ‭echoes‬ ‭a‬ ‭profound‬ ‭truth‬‭about‬‭success.‬‭It's‬‭not‬

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‭just‬ ‭about‬ ‭the‬ ‭destination‬ ‭but‬ ‭also‬ ‭the‬ ‭journey,‬ ‭the‬ ‭countless‬ ‭hours‬ ‭of‬ ‭dedication,‬
‭perseverance,‬ ‭and‬ ‭sacrifice‬ ‭that‬ ‭often‬ ‭go‬ ‭unseen.‬ ‭Success‬ ‭is‬ ‭not‬ ‭merely‬ ‭an‬ ‭event;‬ ‭it's‬‭a‬
‭process,‬ ‭a‬ ‭series‬ ‭of‬ ‭small‬ ‭victories,‬ ‭setbacks,‬ ‭and‬ ‭lessons‬ ‭learned‬ ‭along‬ ‭the‬ ‭way.‬ ‭In‬
‭embracing‬ ‭the‬ ‭challenges‬ ‭and‬ ‭setbacks,‬ ‭individuals‬ ‭like‬ ‭Bhindra‬ ‭find‬ ‭fulfillment‬ ‭and‬
‭meaning,‬ ‭realizing‬ ‭that‬ ‭the‬ ‭journey‬ ‭itself‬ ‭is‬ ‭where‬ ‭the‬ ‭true‬ ‭growth‬ ‭and‬ ‭transformation‬
‭occur.‬‭The‬‭word‬‭‘success’‬‭might‬‭be‬‭just‬‭a‬‭label‬‭to‬‭celebrate‬‭and‬‭conclude‬‭the‬‭enthralling‬
‭journey.‬

"‭ ‬‭Success‬ ‭has‬ ‭many‬ ‭fathers‬ ‭but‬ ‭failure‬ ‭none‬‭,"‬ ‭goes‬ ‭the‬ ‭age-old‬ ‭adage,‬ ‭emphasizing‬
‭how‬ ‭success‬ ‭tends‬ ‭to‬ ‭attract‬ ‭acknowledgment‬ ‭and‬ ‭recognition‬ ‭from‬ ‭various‬ ‭quarters,‬
‭while‬ ‭failure‬ ‭often‬ ‭stands‬ ‭alone,‬ ‭without‬ ‭anyone‬ ‭willing‬ ‭to‬ ‭claim‬‭ownership.‬‭However,‬
‭when‬ ‭we‬ ‭recognise‬ ‭our‬ ‭failures‬ ‭and‬ ‭the‬ ‭reasons‬ ‭behind‬ ‭them,‬ ‭the‬ ‭road‬ ‭to‬ ‭everlasting‬
‭success itself unravels.‬

‭ uccess‬ ‭is‬ ‭a‬ ‭sum‬ ‭result‬ ‭of‬ ‭hard‬ ‭work,‬ ‭dedication,‬ ‭acceptance‬ ‭of‬ ‭flaws,‬ ‭working‬ ‭upon‬
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‭these‬‭flaws,‬‭self‬‭improvement‬‭and‬‭every‬‭bitter-sweet‬‭junctures‬‭which‬‭superficially‬‭try‬‭to‬
‭pull us back but only to rise again!‬

“‭ Success‬ ‭is‬ ‭for‬ ‭those‬ ‭who‬ ‭walk‬ ‭by‬ ‭hope,‬ ‭faith‬ ‭and‬ ‭belief-‬ ‭hoping‬ ‭for‬ ‭good,‬ ‭having‬
‭faith in themselves and believing their actions‬‭.”‬

‭(753 words)‬