Extended Definition Of Success example essay topic

Success What is success? Is it the process of doing a task and receiving a positive result acceptable amongst the community, or is it simply achieving ones own personal goals? Success to me can mean many things. Although I am successful in school, that does not necessarily mean I will lead a successful life. According to The American Heritage Dictionary success is, 'the achievement of something desired, planned, or attempted. ' Even over the course of history, the meaning of the word has not really changed.

In the Webster's Dictionary from 1828, success was stated as, 'the favorable or prosperous termination of anything attempted; a termination which answers the purpose intended; properly in a good sense, but often in a bad sense. ' The word success itself has an interesting background. First used in 1537, the word was derived from Latin. Succeed entered English in the 15th century from Old French succeeder, which itself came from Latin.

That word is a compound verb formed from sub- 'under' in the sense of 'next under' or 'after,' and ceder e 'go. ' The meaning of 'getting near to something' changed in Latin to 'doing well, prospering,' hence the meaning behind success. Success to me is setting personal goals, and following through with them. Whether you achieve your desired result or not, you have succeeded just by trying. 'It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; who's face is marred by dust, sweat, and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes up short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat (Roosevelt).

' But do all people share this opinion on success? To some succeeding, or winning, is the most important factor in their life. 'Winning is not a sometime thing; it's an all the time thing. You don't win once and a while; you don't do things right once and a while; you do them right all the time. Winning is a habit, and unfortunately so is losing.

There is no room for second place. There is only one place in my game, and that is first. I have finished second twice in my time at Green Bay, and I don't ever want to finish second again. There is a second place bowel game, but it is a game for losers played by losers.

It has always been an American zeal to be first in anything we do, and to win, and to win, and to win (Lombardi). ' I however disagree with this opinion. We are successful everyday by accomplishing even small tasks that are required to get by in life. To most of us, tying a shoe is a practice that has become very routine, but to some this can be a huge endeavor. We as Americans take literacy for granted. According to a commentary by Regina Lee Wood, director of research for the National Right to Read Foundation, the United States has a work force literacy rate of 76% (OCP A).

For a person to be able to read, that is a success in it's own. 'Success is relative: It is what we can make of the mess we have made of things (Elliot). Success has many different levels. In order to succeed, one must try; in order to try, one must believe in themselves. If we believe in ourselves, then we have already succeeded. Ralph Waldo Emerson, as quoted in the book 'Unlimited Power', once wrote 'To laugh often; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.

This is to have succeeded' (Emerson). He is right. We do not have to grow up to be rich to be successful. You see, success is all around us.

We have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for the day. The only thing we can do is play on the one strength we have, and that is our attitude. With the right attitude, we can achieve anything, including success.