Involved Mom
/To me, being successful means...
Feeling fulfilled with the decisions you have made to have gotten to where you are today.
My definition of success has changed over time.
It used to be about money and title.
Immigrant neuroscientist goes from bakery to farm to grad school
/To me, being successful means...
creating an intentional community of people who support each other, growing into relationships in every way. It is truly not about your own success.
My definition of success has changed over time.
I slowly learned that it's not about the popularity, the brand, the namesake...
Today is the day that God has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
/To me, being successful means...
Living and loving on my own terms, within my means in the company of beloved family and friends.
My definition of success has changed over time.
My worth as a human being is no longer defined by my work, my employer, my income, my college "pedigree," or even having grown up in Palo Alto.
Left for 9 years and came back to Palo Alto
/To me, being successful means...
finding meaning in the way I live my life, and the blessing of experiencing a wide range of positive emotions along the way.
My definition of success has changed over time.
It's not about money and prestige anymore.
BoyzIIMen, U2, Mary J Blige, and Toad the Wet Sprocket
/To me, being successful means...
accepting myself as an imperfect being, feeling strong and energized in my body, and cultivating healthy, mutually respectful relationships.
My definition of success has changed over time.
It used to be more about quantity, like number of friends, amount paid, amount of influence, how well known I am. Now it's become more about the quality of my work and relationships -- noticing what nourishes me and what drains me, and making decisions about my life accordingly.
No Matter What, Don't Give Up
/To me, being successful means...
Being able to look in the mirror and be happy with the person looking back. It helps to have a secure home and loving family, too. But those are rarely present or quickly flee without the mirror test, so that comes first. Can you be happy looking in the mirror?
My definition of success has changed over time.
I learned that despite popular wisdom success is a group sport. I can't stand people who claim or imply that they "did it all on my own." The more I have scratched the surface of those stories over the years the more I find they are either delusions or outright lies. I recall one person I met years ago telling me how he had created a huge real estate empire entirely on his own, how "no one gave me a thing!" -- starting out with nothing, he insisted. I later learned he had inherited five SF properties from his dad. But he could not admit that. He just had to lie and claim to be a self-made man. What I have learned is that there is no such thing. There are just people who don't or won't recognize the people or situations that helped them.
TV Editor, Los Angeles, CA
/To me, being successful means...
Being true to yourself. Following your dreams. Finding what makes you happy. Being comfortable with your place in life.
My definition of success has not changed over time.
Not really. I always wanted to make my way. I never really bought into all of society's ideas of who or what I should be.
Mother of Sparkle Hunter and Glitter Girl
/To me, being successful means...
Having healthy relationships with my family, my community, a God of my own understanding and myself.
My definition of success has changed over time.
I used to think my career and hobbies were the most important. Then I realized my idea of success was based on self glorification.
Musician, Teacher, Adventurer, Mother
/To me, being successful means...
A loving family, good friends, good health, financial security, a positive attitude, enjoying life.
My definition of success has changed over time.
Yes and no. I believe these goals were always there, just not articulated in my consciousness earlier in life.
From Close to Open Minded
/To me, being successful means...
Doing what you love and making a difference in the world.
My definition of success has changed over time.
When I first entered high school, I visualized success as a formula: You had to receive excellent grades on your transcript, participate in a plethora of extracurricular activities that proved to be meaningless over time, be athletic and play sports, be involved with music and instruments, and still maintain a healthy social and family life. It was basically to do the impossible, and I realized that being able to juggle all of these different activities is unhealthy and negatively impacts a lot of people around you. Biting off more than you can chew does not make you look cool or capable, it just makes you look stupid. I learned to cut back unnecessary commitments and activities, and to indulge in the ones that I loved rather than the ones that I felt obligated to do.
Flexibility is the best tool for an unpredictable future.
/To me, being successful means...
Finding and surrounding myself with things that make me happy, and emotionally and creatively fulfilled.
My definition of success has changed over time.
I used to think that being successful meant going to a good college, graduating and getting a good job that made a lot of money. I had no idea that there was so much more to life than to strive for. I got into a good college, graduated, worked my way into a good job, then realized I was extremely unhappy. I hadn't taken into account that there was more to life than just having a job. My physical health and mental well-being were suffering. And once I had my first child and found that I only had about 1.5 - 2 hours with him per day, I realized on all that I was missing out on. It was clear case of "money can't buy happiness," and that's when I made a change.
Do it all, see it all, be it all.
/To me, being successful means...
Being happy.
My definition of success has changed over time.
It's a personal goal, not a public one.
From High School nothing to Following Dreams
/To me, being successful means...
Doing what you love
My definition of success has not changed over time.
Read MoreAcceptance
/To me, being successful means...
Happiness, finding your place in society, knowing who you are and what you want for your own life.
My definition of success has changed over time.
I thought success was money (income).
Palo Alto Roots Taught Me Values
/To me, being successful means...
Being true to your values. People are much more important than possessions.
My definition of success has changed over time.
I went through a dark period where the acquisition of money and material possessions was most important. In the process, I lost my soul - my spirit. With material things, enough is never enough. I looked inward and realized that my values were being compromised and I was truly unhappy. I returned my focus to an appreciation for people and the earth - I enjoy my days now.
I was a band geek who was lucky enough to play sports!
/To me, being successful means...
Setting long term goals and accomplishing those goals, regardless of what they are.
My definition of success has changed over time.
I used to think the goal was making a million dollars. Then I realized that not everyone can make a social media platform.
Turns out I'm actually good at math.
/To me, being successful means...
Doing something that is just the right amount of challenging, fulfilling and fun which also helps make the world a better place. If you're going for power, first ask yourself why you want it.
My definition of success has changed over time.
I don't think I started off my education with an idea of success at all. Certainly in college it was more about getting good grades and advancing with little thought to the value of what I was doing.
We Only Regret the Chances We Didn't Take
/To me, being successful means...
To me, being successful means being proud of one's personal, educational, and/or professional accomplishments. I also consider being successful as realizing an important goal in one's life.
My definition of success has changed over time.
I used to judge someone's success by their paycheck; while I still struggle not to financially compare myself to others, I know being successful does not necessarily correlate with one's salary (in fact, there can be a negative correlation).
Caution: Advice from the ashes
/To me, being successful means...
Doing something that brings you the knowledge and happiness you seek out of your life.
My definition of success has changed over time.
Different difficult events in my life and also getting out of high school. Once I was exposed to a more diverse people and a life that's not scheduled into subjects I grew and changed as a person a lot faster than I expected.
Two steps forward, one step back: the imperfect college experience
/To me, being successful means...
Being emotionally and physically stable while pursuing something you are passionate about.
My definition of success has changed over time.
In high school I compared myself to my "successful" older siblings who took more AP courses than me while also having friends than me. I didn't know how to define myself outside of the standards others had set for me and was very lost. I tried really hard in everything I did but never felt it was enough. I had a terrible eating disorder which almost took my life and my anxiety was through the roof.
