What Does Success Look Like in a Changing World? -Adam Tsui

“Everybody is smart in different ways. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its life believing it is stupid.” This was said by Albert Einstein, one of the greatest scientists of all time. Success used to be simple—good grades, a good college, a good job. That was the formula. Follow the steps, check the boxes, and you’d “make it.” But if we’re being honest, does that formula even work anymore? The world is shifting too fast for a one-size-fits-all definition of success.  

Think about it. The wealthiest and most influential people in the world today don’t follow the traditional route. Entrepreneurs are leaving college to start a business. Content creators have made a fortune from their bedrooms. Activists are employing social media to force changes in the real world. At the same time, degrees do not necessarily equate to jobs, traditional career paths feel outdated, and industries are developing faster than schools can instruct them. 

Success today doesn't concern itself with being confined in a mold—it’s about getting out of it. Thus, what is success, after all? Some people think of success as financial stability—having enough to buy whatever they desire with no worry or stress. For some, success is freedom, the freedom to have control over their time, choices, and the direction of their lives. For others, it's impact, knowing their work is contributing to something larger than themselves. And for some, it's just happiness—a thing lost in the pressure to make it. 

However, success remains an ever-changing ideal. It's not about arriving at a particular achievement or attainment of a particular title or amount of money. It is about a process of changing, adapting, and defining what gives one fulfillment. What seems like success at 16 won't feel the same at 25, and what feels like making it now may seem empty later on. It’s not about following someone else's vision of success; it's defining success yourself.  We live in a world of infinite opportunities, but infinite expectations can become very confusing. The problem is not really just how to be hardworking, but rather what to work toward in the first place. So perhaps, instead of asking, "How do I become successful?" maybe we should be asking ourselves, "What does success actually mean to me?"