Getting an A in Life

         Recently I have been thinking a lot about how we measure success. Growing up, we spend years in school, 16 in total between school and college, and even more if you go to graduate school. That is at least 16 years of our life where success is measure by how well we do on a test, how many A are on our report card, what our GPA is or whether or not we make the Dean's list. We strive to be told by others that we are good enough and successful. In school, success is based on what either how well we know certain information and can analyze that information. We determine our success based on the grade that we are given by our teachers. It's normal that after years of this system we find it easy to rely on others to tell us we are successful or not.

           But what happens when you are no longer in school? What happens when you can know longer get A or a 4.0? How are you supposed to measure success when there is no scale to measure it on? The fact of the matter is that after college no one cares how many A's you got in college or whether or not you were on the Dean's list. After 16 years of relying on others to tell you how successful you are, that is what you expect to continue after college. It's all you know. The problem is that there are no A's in life, there is no report card telling you that you are successful at life.

           The only person who can determine whether or not you are successful in your life is you. The only way you can get an A in life is to give yourself one. There is no formula to a successful life. Everyone has their own definition of success which only makes it fair for each person to determine their own success. I think that this is harder that it seems. It is often said that we are our own worst critics. If this is the case and we are so often putting ourselves down, how are we suppose to build ourselves up where we can call ourselves successful. As with all things we have to start small. Find the little successes in life and slowly build up. And soon enough the little successes will lead to big successes. It's important to remember that success is subjective, not objective.