Success or Failure

How do you define success?

I think success is the feeling of being satisfied in certain areas of your life. Success is like passion because success brings happiness into your life. I think you are the only one that can define if you are successful in life and no one else’s opinion really matters. Many think that being successful is about having money to blow or owning expensive things.  I think can be successful in some parts of your life and other parts may still no be yet fulfilled.

“Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome.” By Booker T. Washington

“The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.” By Vince Lombardi

One way you can be successful is if your personal goals are being met. I think this is the easiest way to be successful because you set your own limits and is usually something you for sure will make happen. If you are an optimistic person and you are always looking at the best in situations that’s being successful. Not letting negatives comments stop you from achieving your personal goals no matter how big or small they are. Chris J. McCandless set himself to go into the wild and live off the land with the least supplies possible. Even though he did not make it out alive I think he was successful because at the end of the day he did what made him happy. In one of his books before his death he noted in a page, “I HAVE HAD A HAPPY LIFE AND THANK YOU LORD. GOODBYE AND MAY GOD BLESS ALL!” Living in the wild was personal success for Chris because only he understood the happiness and accomplishment it would bring to his life. Others would never understand his goal but he achieved it. Like Charles Bukowski said, “Find what you love and let it kill you.” Chris did exactly that. He fulfilled his personal goals and therefore I believe he was successful.

Another way to be successful is if you have positive relationships. It is hard to succeed in anything on your own. It usually takes a team to support and encourage you to follow your passion when you are trying to give up. Positive relationships also at times help you reach your goals quicker. Chris McCandless would have never made it to Alaska if it wasn’t for all the people he met along the way. If it wasn’t for all the people that gave him rides when hitchhiked he would have never gotten to Alaska. Also as an example Jan and Bob were a positive relationships Chris had. They encouraged Chris to let his family know he was going to Alaska. Positive friends will give advice that you don’t want to hear. Good friends care about your wellbeing mentally emotionally and physically. Sometimes you need someone to check you and tell you when you’re doing something imprudent and I think a couple of people told Chris but they still supported his decision.

What helps you succeed in your community? What prevents your success?

Family is what helps many succeed. Regardless if you have a bad or good relationship family is always there for you. Even if they don’t support your goals they don’t abandon you. Family can help you in many ways being financially or mentally. In Chris’ case even though he was angry at his parents, they still supported him. When he graduated his parents expressed, “their desire to buy him a new car as a graduation present and offer to pay for law school if there wasn’t enough money left in his college fund to cover it” (Into the Wild). I think was a more than nice gesture from his parent because not all of us have the luxury of our parents being able to afford things like that. Chris parents by offering him the car and paying his college where trying to help him succeed educationally. They knew he liked helping people and tried to encourage him to become a lawyer so he could fulfill his dream but Chris had other ideas. I think his parents were mad at first because he didn’t continue his education but regardless he was their son and loved him.

Money is an extreme factor that prevents many from succeeding. Like many say money makes the world go around, it is sad but true. Money can prevent someone achieving their goals and passion. Even though being successful is not all materialistic it is a necessity for many things. For many people money is essential to be educationally successful. Not everyone receives financial aid and need to pay for their education out of pocket. Many get discourage to have to spend money in education when they need money to pay bills therefore forcing them not to fully succeed in life. Karina says, “I need to survive so I need to get enough money enough money so first they think about that. They are thinking about surviving—and passion—it could come after I guess” (Passion Project). Lack of money can in the way of success. I’m not saying it’s impossible to reach your goals if you don’t have money but it sure makes it difficult. People have to work hard to be able to succeed. Chris “was holding a full time job, flipping Quarter Pounders at McDonald’s “(Into the Wild). Even though Chris burned his money at first I think he realized the need of money to survive if he ever wanted to make it to Alaska.