Success: the word that haunts every walk of life. But what does it really mean? Does “being successful” mean graduating from Harvard University, growing up wealthy and owning a house in the Hamptons? Maybe. But in my wise 20 years of life, I’ve discovered that success has a different meaning to everyone.
I remember the days when success wasn’t even a thought in my mind. I’d come home from school, grab whatever snack I could find in the cupboard and relax, with no responsibilities except for making my bed in the morning. Then, as soon as I hit 18, life became real.
I went to college in a city I wasn’t sure of but adapted to the best of my ability. Slowly, the “reality of adulthood” came in doses. Suddenly, I had to think about money, where I was living and basic daily tasks like eating healthy and staying active — a balance I’m still figuring out. Now, as I navigate the second phase of college, I realized that this scary word, “success,” had started following me around. A mood killer, if you will.
Sophomore year was especially intimidating. Either people had amazing internships or none at all. I found myself overwhelmed, people I’d assumed were coasting somehow had everything figured out. Meanwhile, I had no idea what I wanted to do post-grad or what direction I wanted to take my career. At 19, how was I supposed to know? Maybe some people do, but for me, my many interests made it impossible to choose a single path. So, I did what any confused college student would do: I applied to every internship that caught my eye.
Cutting to the chase, I landed an internship that was a goal of mine, the “Yale” of internships, as some might say. It was a great experience, and I learned more about myself than I ever imagined. But even with such a coveted opportunity, I found myself constantly looking for the next best thing. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I could do more. “How else can I feel ahead? How else can I succeed?”
The feeling of success continued to haunt me. Over the past few months since that internship, I’ve done a lot of self-reflection. I’ve always felt a little different from my peers, prioritizing things that most 20-year-olds might not. It’s not a cry for pity; it’s just given me time to understand why this thought of success has been bothering me.
I used to constantly compare myself to others until I came to an important realization: everyone views success differently. I had to decide what success means to me and what’s most important for my life. For me, success boils down to three things:
- Family: prioritizing my current family and envisioning the future one I hope to build. A goal of mine is to be a mom one day.
- Health: remaining grateful for my health and using the resources I have to take care of myself. As long as I treat my body with care, I’ll be able to have as many life experiences as possible.
- Community: surrounding myself with people who bring me joy. I’m incredibly thankful for the friendships that make life meaningful.
The more I think about it, the more I realize that being overwhelmed by the idea of success is a waste of time. Success will come, as long as you believe in it and trust the process. I believe my career will eventually fall into place, and I’ll be proud of my accomplishments. But true success — real fulfillment — looks different for everyone.
It’s easy to get caught up in the little things, but defining success for yourself early on can lead you toward internal peace and happiness much faster than you think.
