According to the Oxford English Dictionary, success is defined as the accomplishment of an aim or purpose. Students and teachers at Woodbridge High, however, have a definition that is similar but includes a different major element.They said that success is different for everyone and can only be defined by the person that is trying to become
successful.

The first step to success is the ability to set a goal. This is a common thought between both the dictionary definition and students at Woodbridge High. Freshman at Woodbridge High, Jonah Shea, said that, “[Success is] being able to reach a goal.” The ability to create a goal is a key part of all common definitions of success.

“My definition of success is accomplishing goals that have been set whether those are long-term goals or short-term goals,” said Irfan Syed, another freshman at Woodbridge High.

The idea of setting an accomplishable goal and working to succeed in it is the most common thought or key feature to all definitions of success. It is not surprising why Harvard Business Review states that the most efficient way for a business to be successful is to create “a clear owner strategy to guide all of the company’s major decisions – and achieve their own definition of success.” This is saying that creating a common goal (clear owner strategy) to help make all of the decisions will always point to what they have determined as successful. This topic applies to everything whether it is learning music, playing a sport or accomplishing a certain amount of sales in a business. Creating a goal and using it to guide your decisions will always point you in your intended direction.

Accomplishing a goal, however, is one of the parts of the success that is more difficult to define. The idea of actually completing a goal or just trying your hardest varies between each person’s mindset and priorities.

“I personally think that the most important type of success is being satisfied with yourself, and not just trying to be average in things. The most important kind of success to me is when you try your very hardest and accomplish goals,” said Syed. For him, success isn’t measured by just completing a goal, but is defined by how hard you try; trying to do the best you can and becoming your best self along the way.

“Someone that works hard for something that they’re working towards, like a goal, and being able to succeed and complete it,” said Shea. Completing something and being able to look back on it and be satisfied is his idea of success. This principle and difference between accomplishing and building yourself along the way is a part of success that seems to differ.

However, English teacher Kristina Miller has a whole different view on success. “For me success looks like being happy. Most days, I wouldn’t say every day, but being happy most days in both my career and my home life. I don’t think that success has to do with money, but more about how you feel fulfilled in life. Like do you feel like you are doing what you were made to do, your purpose, and are you happy with where you are? And if you are happy most days, I feel like then you are pretty successful,” said Miller. The idea of being successful mentally and feeling happy with what you are accomplishing is more valuable to Miller than actually completing any particular goal.

“Success comes from the small moments, things that you can cherish, the memories you make and just the day-to-day joy that you can feel,” said Miller. Her definition of success shares less the principle of creating a goal and working towards it; but also includes the idea of doing what makes you happy as a person and finding joy in life.

Everyone’s definition of success has a very similar basic outline, but there are differences in the goals and ideas behind everyone’s principle of accomplishing a task. These differences are formed in variability in personalities, perspective and overall priorities in life.