In recent days, I took part in a conversation that I simply cannot shake from my memory. It was by no means one of those pointless conversations about the tiny, insignificant details of my life, such as where I was going or what my plans were for the week. Rather, it was one of those conversations - a “real talk” consisting of great depth, with the slightest hints of awe and prosperity as my mind began to wander. In the midst of this conversation, I was asked if I thought that I have been successful thus far. As this seemed to be a particularly vague question, I could not help but ponder it. I was unsure of the specific areas that were being referenced in terms of my own successes, and for the first time, I found myself lost for words. The longer I thought about the concept of success in its entirety, I began to realize the abundance of layers that comprised the idea, until I came face to face with its truest reality-what is success and how do I define it? In other words, what does it possibly mean to me?

I continued on, stating that I was sure that I have been successful in my life in different ways. I reflected on prior achievements and personal goals that have been obtained while keeping in mind the amount of work and perseverance it has taken me to complete these tasks. I thought about the ways in which I have chosen to go about achieving my goals, and the variety of approaches I have taken. There were times where I felt that no obstacle could stand in my way and that I would be certain that I was successful. Other times, there were challenges I thought I would truly never surpass. It brought me to consider the idea that, even when we do not always achieve our goals in the ways we thought possible or to our fullest potential, does it mean that we were truly unsuccessful? Do we not receive credit or effort in a world that runs on hard-work and dedication for simply doing our best? Yet again, I found myself speechless.

It was not until days later when I finally put down my phone, took the last sip of my coffee, and looked out of my window on a beautifully crisp fall morning that it finally hit me. The meaning of success? It is different to each individual. Every person has specific motivating factors in their lives that give them the incentive to strive for success. To some, success may mean wealth. It may mean having a beautiful home, a high-paying job or a luxurious car. To some, it may mean having a connection to family and friends. It may mean love and companionship, or it may even be found in the smallest and most simple pleasures that life can offer us. Taking all of these into consideration, I found that they all contribute to my definition of success in a variety of ways.

Yet, I realized that my own definition of success relies on the level of my overall happiness. As I have great love and respect for all of these admirable goals and achievements, I believe that they can never be obtained to their maximum capacity unless there is a component of happiness. Without happiness, we have nothing to strive for in life. We may lose our focus, our drive, our self-will and our determination. In my eyes, keeping happiness at the forefront of my priorities has been vital for my successes in the past, and will remain so for those in my future.