People measure success in so many ways – more commonly associated with something people aspire to in a wide range of human pursuits – education, business, sport, career, wealth.
In today’s technological and materialistic driven society individuals define their own success by the money they make, their position within a company or society, events won and/or accolades awarded. There is no doubt that success is a driving force for most individuals and to achieve any of the aforementioned is what strives most of us on a daily basis.
How do you define success?
But is this really how we should define success? Isn’t real success associated with fundamental human qualities such as resilience, humility, enthusiasm, persistence or one’s endeavour to achieve a positive or worthwhile outcome?
For many the road to success is a continuous journey of ups and downs and more often than not it is the ‘almost failures’ and ‘near wins’ that is the thing that teaches us and drives us the most.
'Near wins' and successes
We see these small successes and ‘near wins’ constantly at Rockley. Pupils from schools all over the country will try a new skill of sailing, windsurfing or paddleboarding. When youngsters attempt something different for the first time, there is always the inevitable fear of failure. However when young people realise they can do something different and they can succeed at something they never thought possible, the implications of this can be paramount. In this kind of environment, it’s not about achieving the highest grade or excelling academically, it’s about pushing personal boundaries and finding the courage to carry on regardless of the outcomes. It is these kinds of experiences that form confident and resilient youngsters and shape the adults they eventually become. And it's these kinds of successes we should celebrate
Focus on you
We see many of our Sixth Form students experience countless highs and lows during their 2-year course with us. For many it’s a challenging experience but it’s about recognising the value of trying to be the best that they can be – to develop their own standards and not compare themselves to others when trying to gauge their personal achievements. It’s about them understanding the value of perseverance and the importance of never giving up.
So instead of associating success with results, wealth, prosperity and/or fame, maybe we should heed the words of Albert Einstein: “Strive not to be successful but rather to be of value”