Relatable Annotations about Today's Interpretation of Success

Rough Draft: Commencement Speech

Thank you (the person who introduced me). It's my honor today to welcome all students, family, and friends to this commencement address and, more importantly, to thank everyone for making these four years of legacy a success. I remember my first quarter in college: I was afraid of fitting in, but that fear turned out to be unfounded as I interacted with my peers and tutors. Everything started to figure itself out; the puzzle pieces began to fit together. Many of my college experiences are indelibly etched in my mind and heart. I will pull out these treasures long after college: the long hours of classroom discussion, lectures, and group study; the exciting times at club gatherings, volunteer activities, and group travels; as well as the fun-filled weekends with college friends and acquaintances.

I believe that we are all better people for such college experiences: “A college degree is not a sign that one is a finished product but an indication a person is prepared for life” (The Quotations Page). This quote by Edward A. Mallow brings me to the theme of this commencement address: success. Success is difficult to define; moreover, it is relative to each person's goals and desires. This is why I strongly believe that success is setting concrete goals in life, having the self-belief that you can achieve those goals, and doing your best to make them a reality, even when all your best efforts do not result in outstanding results. Success is remaining firm in the face of adversity and believing in what you are doing. Many will not agree with your goals, but allowing no one ornothing to hold you back and celebrating the small victories is what makes one a successful person.

More important than persevering or celebrating one’s small victories is setting goals: setting goals facilitates new behaviors, helps narrow down your focus, and sustains your momentum in life. After all, you cannot persevere or appreciate the small strides in your success journey if you are not sure where you are going – you cannot work consistently on something you have not clearly defined. Goals help one align their efforts and sense of self-efficacy to achieve greater performance and success. It is easier to mobilize one’s energy and stay motivated in the face of challenges if one has a goal in mind as opposed to doing things on the fly. However, the goals we set must be founded on things that actually matter to us. It is best to set concrete goals that embrace our own unique strengths and not those that pitch us against our social circle. There are no absolute goals because everything and everyone is relative. While comparing ourselves with our peers, friends, role models, relatives, colleagues, influencers, or actors is natural, setting a high bar for ourselves based on other people’s aspirations can lead to a self-esteem spiral.

Even if we were to achieve these goals, there is no guarantee that they would make us happy; keeping up with the Joneses is leaving one’s sense of happiness in the hands of people who are vastly dissimilar from us. Besides, it is impossible to master the staying power to follow through on goals that do not have much meaning in our lives. If one is to endure hardships as part of their success journey, they must own their goals, or they will be easily discouraged by difficulties and abandon them. Worse, if it seems that others are making good progress on their goals and they are not, they are likely to lose all hope and become insecure. I believe that the process of setting concrete goals that not only align with our strengths but are also meaningful to our lives follows the same SMART strategy we are all familiar with. The first step is setting specific goals that are well-defined, clear, and unambiguous: having nebulous goals is unlikely to inspire or sustain the level of effort one needs to put in to achieve success. The second step is developing specific criteria for measuring progress toward that specific goal. Holding yourself accountable to your goals makes you work harder – it improves your performance.

The third step is refining those goals so that they are within reach and are relevant to your life purpose. As I have already mentioned before, setting goals that are inapplicable to one’s personal values or lifestyle is a sure recipe for failure. Make sure the goals you are setting are not forced on you, even by family or friends. Your goals must also be consistent with the resources you have – time, experience, and money. Finally, setting clearly defined timelines creates a sense of urgency. It is easy to postpone things, including goals that matter to us. Unlike in college, where assignments and tests provided a firm structure on our time, life after school has no rhythm. We have to create our own structures and boundaries to ensure we don't lose sight of what is important; timelines allow us to have expectations of our priorities. Instilling deadlines also helps us appreciate the small strides we are making in our success journey. We can look at our progress so far and master the courage to continue in the face of adversity. However, one must also understand that certain circumstances may make it difficult to achieve a particular milestone by the set timeline.

It is irrational to have stringent and inflexible timelines as they are likely to have the opposite effect – demotivation. To keep yourself motivated, it is important to adjust your time frames according to your life situation. Moreover, success is more than just setting concrete goals; it is also about persevering in them. The ability to continue when no finish line is in sight or when our best efforts produce middling results is often fostered by a strong support system. Maintaining close ties with friends and family makes it easier to find the inspiration to move forward. It is even better if one has friends who share in their dreams, as this support network boosts their resilience and helps them bounce back from hardships. Success means exposing yourself to good thinkers, supportive networks, and choosing to think positive thoughts. Successful people are keen on finding people who add value to their lives and who challenge them with their thinking and their actions: they are always ready to grow and learn. Having meaningful relationships with friends and family makes us intentional with our goals.

Sometimes sharing your goals with those people you trust and who are supportive gives you the responsibility you need to push through a difficult period. You are also likely to receive constant encouragement from these people because they are following in your progress. When feeling lost or overwhelmed by a predicament, you can tap into these support networks to find the impetus you need. In addition to building the right circle of friends, success is also about realizing the learning curve in every challenge. Success is having the belief that we never stop learning – approaching each day with a teachable attitude. It is accepting that even with the best-laid plans and efforts, life can sometimes force us to take unexpected detours. Treating unanticipated impediments on our success journey as another step in our evolution is critical. Success is not only about persevering in the face of difficulties but also having the humility to see when those challenges are brought about by our shortcomings. Successful people are not afraid of working on themselves; they are capable of realizing when their plans are not working and take necessary steps to correct their failure or inadequacy.

Success is using problematic situations to upgrade oneself, either by learning a new skill or changing their strategy. For instance, one may suddenly realize that their technical knowledge is not enough to run a business and that they need to work on their soft skills in leadership, team building, or interpersonal communication. Success is adjusting to changing demands and pivoting when circumstances require you to; it is having the courage to try new strategies. Still, setting concrete goals and persevering in the face of challenges may not result in the spectacular results one was aiming for. It is quite common to feel stuck, and this is the reason it is important to celebrate the small wins. Success is acknowledging that the small victories build up to the huge accomplishment we are aiming for. It is natural to concentrate on the end goals and ignore the small steps that took us there: failing to celebrate the little successes makes it easy to put oneself down and even give up. In such situations, having a roadmap of how far one has progressed makes it easier to believe that they are nearer their goal than when they first started.

The most effective way to master one's willpower is appreciation – appreciate the steps you have taken, even if they seem insignificant. It is a common myth that we are only successful after achieving our goals. Success is enjoying the journey and finding contentment in the progress one has made. Appreciating the present moment is an underrated aspect of success; many people fail to take the time to celebrate their minor victories as they come. Success is refusing to take the present moment for granted or subscribing to the idea that what we are doing in the present moment is immaterial. Any victory that aligns with your goals should be commended, as there lies the secret of intrinsic motivation. Positive reinforcement through acknowledging small wins ensures that we stay on track – it fosters a sense of self-confidence and self-acceptance. As I sum up my address, I would like to remind everyone that there are great challenges and opportunities after college. As we proceed to the next chapter of our lives, the components of success remain the same: first, setting concrete goals; two, persevering in the face of difficulties; and three, appreciating the small wins. Good luck and good health to all of you.

Works Cited

The Quotations Page. “The Quotations Page: Quote from Reverend Edward A. Malloy.” The Quotations Page, 2018, www.quotationspage.com/quote/25948.html#:~:text=A%20college%20degree%20is%20not.