How To Define Success, Tips For College Students 

Is having all A’s in college a gauge for success? Or if you were able to pass your subject, is that already a success?  

You could ask a hundred students to define the term, and for sure, you will get different answers. So how do you define it? Let’s have a broader perspective of this first. 

Success is an achievement of the goal that we have set for ourselves. Now, goals could vary for each of us, which makes success relative and subjective. However, the feeling of fulfillment when you finally accomplish is almost the same for everyone. 

Meanwhile, here are a few tips on how you will be able to find yours.

Know Your Goal

This is the first thing you need to do. It would be hard for you to say that you have finally succeeded if there is no concrete target to aim for. 

It’s not just about having the highest grades or highest achievement in school. If your goal is to graduate with a bachelor’s degree, master’s, or Ph.D., then go for it. If having a certificate for your skill training is the goal, then there is nothing wrong with it. 

Remember, the feeling of success varies from person to person. It is a personal decision, so it is up to you what you want to achieve for yourself.

Create A Plan

Once you have established your goal, then it’s time to create a plan. This is where you should have that discipline. 

Your plan should be composed of small accomplishments that go towards your desired goal. You don’t have to aim for the bigger picture right away. That can be frustrating. What we recommend is to take a milestone-approach where you can also reward yourself every time you’ve accomplished small things. 

Creating a plan allows you to breakdown your goals into more manageable tasks, making them easier to complete. 

Don’t Lose Your Focus

Whatever your goals may be, you have to stay focused. If you want to get good grades, then study. If you want to establish a business, then go ahead and create a business plan. Or if you wish to be in a specific industry, start looking for a network. 

Take note though that since you are still in college, we also encourage that you prioritize your academics. Yet again, you can have multiple goals. Just learn how to balance and you will be all good. With this, make sure you have a study habit. 

Be Selective Of Your Social Circle

Choosing the right set of friends in college can help you. Having peers with the same mindset would give you that additional support and prevent you from being distracted. They could also help you stay on track and push you towards meeting your goal. 

Don’t Stop Even After You ‘Fail’

Failing is hard to swallow. You will imagine all the hard work you did, and yet, it was not enough. The feeling of frustration is normal. But that shouldn’t be the end game. 

Just because you failed, it does not mean that will not be successful in the future. Try to look at it as a minor setback. It means your plans are just delayed. Get back and keep pushing forward. Everyone fails at some point in their lives – even the most successful people we know today. 

Remember, successful people are those who failed but did not stop. Go back to your goal and hold on to it. And when you are losing motivation, think of why you started in the first place. 

You Don’t Need To Be ‘Smart’ To Be Successful

Keep in mind that you don’t have to be smart or to get all As. You just need to have the right attitude. Your success depends on how badly you want that goal and how much work you put into it. 

You are responsible for your own success. Do not compare the success of others to yourself. Ann Sweeney said, “Define success on your own terms. Achieve it by your own rules and build a life you are proud to live.” As long as you keep moving forward, you will see the massive changes you’ve done over the years. That should be more than enough.