Success

What is your definition of success? Do you measure it the same as you did 1O years ago? 5 years ago? What about 6 months ago?

USD campus

This time of year is filled with graduations from universities, high schools, kindergartens, and the celebrations that culminate such festivities. It's the time of life when the future looks brighter than ever and is brimming with promise.  You're instilled with this great hope of changing the world and making it a better place: you are meant to do great things.  

Restless

When I was younger I always felt this stirring within me, this sense that there was something so much bigger than myself awaiting me in the world.  That I was meant to do something great: to be successful.  Has my definition of success changed in the past years? Yes, and it continues to change.  

Igniting a fire

Augie graduation O9'

The education I received during my undergrad only cultivated and ignited my hunger to learn and experience the world around me.  The relationships I fostered and the way in which I was challenged to think beyond myself are what has made me value every beautiful part of life: the dear people who surround me, the opportunities I am given, and every glorious breath.  I would not trade those years, those memories, or those relationships from my undergrad at Augustana for anything.  Those people and memories are still greatly influential in my life today.  I have taken everything they have instilled in me and continued on my journey to learn and experience life: hoping to do something great for the world around me.  

The stirring within me has never ceased and continues to make me restless.  My hunger for learning and constantly striving to do good has never stopped.  In any and all capacities in my life I want to spread good. Looking back over the past 5 years I have learned so much about life, the world around me, and what really matters: people, relationships, doing good, being kind, and continuing to grow as a person.  I am onto a new chapter of my life that involves working on a masters degree where I have the great opportunity to learn and experience life through so many amazing professors, mentors, students, and colleagues at USD.  I am so truly grateful to each of them for not only challenging me, but also sharing their own experiences.  

First day of grad school

Success

What does success look like to me?  Spreading goodness in everything I do.  Striving to make the lives better of those around me.  To show compassion, empathy, love, and goodness in all I do. Thank you to everyone who has impacted my life so greatly.  Success isn't about accolades, money, or titles.  It's about being happy with yourself, striving to do some good in the world, and being grateful for all that you've been given.  Success is doing small things with great love.  Love to you all.


What is your definition of success?