By Kameesha Pascoe
College students sometimes feel a lot of pressure to be successful in their academics, sports and within their families. However, defining success is complicated and looks differently for everyone.
For some, success comes from having dreams they are passionate about and achieving personal goals.
WPU senior sports and fitness major, Ninevah Reddick, believes success is reaching her full potential, and seeing returns on her hard work. Reddick’s career aspirations are to play professional basketball overseas.
“Success looks like a person who doesn’t mind helping others to get to where they are now,” said Reddick. “A successful person looks out for those in need to reach their end goal.”
Tylin Eldridge, sophomore business major, has dreams to own his own land and travel around the world. His version of success is featured around monetary value.
“Success is when you complete your goal and achieve financial wealth, retiring early and being able to provide for your family,” said Eldridge.
WPU alum, Ana Galizes, professor of arts and communication, believes personal success grows from creative freedom within her profession and utilizing artistic expression throughout her life.
“Success means doing a job that allows me to put myself in service to others, and also allows me to take care of my responsibilities,” said Galizes. “I love teaching and being a working artist, the combination of the two collectively allows me to make art with others. I find it to be successful because I am doing the things that I want.”
Galizes, known by students as Ms. G, believes the key to happiness is to seek a simple lifestyle and pursue her passions daily.
“I think anyone can be successful because it’s a subjective goal that an individual sets for themselves. An individual can set small goals to accomplish their goals along the way but as long as they put their mind to it, anything can be accomplished,” said Galizes.
WPU senior Daevon Johnson aspires to become a professional boxer. Boxing allows him to exercise discipline, which leads to his success.
“To me it’s being able to accomplish something you’re passionate about to reach your goals,” said Johnson. “To reach one’s fullest potential, you have to elevate throughout the process and be better.
Everybody has different interests, end goals, and reasons why they do what they do. Individuals are motivated to reach a particular end goal based on their family background and history, driving them to reach self-actualization.
Success feels differently at various points of our lives. When we reach a goal, we may feel success momentarily while we strive to reach our next milestone. This is what keeps us growing, and striving for success.
While there is a textbook definition of success, the only definition that matters is the one you believe in. Famous book writer, J.K. Rowling struggled composing her ideas into one single book. She spent countless hours solely dedicating her life to writing unitil her work was published, and she felt successful.
Success Illustration by Jacob Trump