It's Just That Feeling.

I invited my students to tell me what success looked like, and of course, there is no right or wrong answer but in a classroom filled with students, the assumption was that there must be a right answer or why else would the professor ask.

Students were also asked to interview a few people and ask them a variety of questions such as self-awareness, personal responsibility, etc... and one of them included what success looked like.

Although not very many knew what success looked like and there were diverse answers (rightfully so and as expected).

A few students stated that they too didn't know how it looked like or how to be successful.

Before the interview, I had already invited them to make a list of all the things they had accomplished, completed, or tried and they did. During the process, they didn't view what was on that list as a success. That made me a bit sad to hear that. So I questioned them well then why did you even bother to do them? Some answered because they wanted to know if they could and others just did it because they just did. I proceeded to ask them what did it feel like when they accomplished those things and wouldn't that be considered a success?

After a big discussion and some students accepting that success is different for everyone, it is safe to share that success doesn't always "look" like something such as a big house, a Mazarati, a million dollars, etc.... Success is a feeling that makes you think back and smile when you are alone and you are amazed at all that you accomplished and how remarkable it was. Success can be this feeling of being fulfilled and content and knowing that no matter what may go wrong, you know you are in control and you will find a solution to whatever blocking the way forward.