Success is waking up in the morning
Whoever you are, however old or young
And bounding out of bed because theres something out there
That you love to do, that you believe in, that youre good at
Something thats bigger than you are,
And you can hardly wait to get at it again today!
- WHIT HOBBS.

As I grew up, I remember the TV ad that featured kids saying the usual sweet words: When I grow up, I would like to be a doctor . pilot engineer et al. Kids so full of dreams!

Slow Down
One of my friends has been working overtime trying to purchase a car. A very good idea, if you ask me. The problem is that despite starting a profitable business, having a beautiful fiance and a comfortable abode; this guy still feels like he hasnt made it in life. Whereas I admire his burning ambition, I strongly feel that it might consume him. Too much ambition kills a man, too little takes him nowhere. Its all about balancing.

Dreams
We all dream of that day when well be successful and have in our possession this and that or a certain level of education. The question that begs asking is, at what point is one considered successful? To many people, success is achieving their goals. To others, success is that stage in life when they have achieved what their role models have also achieved. Living in a leafy suburb, membership to an exclusive sports club, among other definitions.

Definition
The first step towards realizing ones dreams is waking up. Not only literally, but even in our mindset. Defining success should be the first step. Going back to primary and secondary school, we realize that every new concept taught was initially defined. Mass was first defined before we discovered that it is the product of density and volume. Most of us do not have a very clear picture of what success means in our lives. We follow what others think, no matter how different their careers and lives are.

Progress
The second reason I am dwelling on these formative stages of our lives is because they offered a discrete way of measuring success. At the end of every term, we would sit exams and get our report cards that gauged progress. At year-end, this would determine whether or not one would progress to the next class.

Looking back, I realize something. This progressive gauging of success and achievement has been lost to many of us. We only feel successful upon achieving some things, usually after a long period of time. Be reminded that the most important things in life are not things. Can we then feel successful if we acquire intangible things?

Reviews
Instead of looking back like a company does every year, what about monthly or even weekly reviews? Did you effect things that added value to your and others lives? Did you manage to do away with a bad habit? Did you improve something at the office? Made a new friend? Learnt something new? The above seem like little things. I immediately point out that its the little things that do count. Anyone who has done discrete math will quite naturally concur on this. We all love to say Live life one day at a time. However, we rarely do that.

Priorities
Highly motivated people such as the youth usually have one major problem: trying to achieve so much in so little time. This usually leaves a guy very frustrated. With no specific starting point, many get overwhelmed and just give up.

The simple remedy to this is to get ones priorities right. First things first as we all say. Crossing bridges only when you get to them. Re-ordering priorities helps one gauge their step and rationally weigh options.

Intelligence
I recently researched on Why Intelligent People Fail. Following are some of the reasons:
1. Lack of motivation
2. Lack of impulse control
3. Lack of perseverance
4. Fear of failure
5. Procrastination
6. Inability to delay gratification
7. Too little or too much Self-confidence.

The die is now cast and the buck stops at your lap. You have read this far. Judge for yourself based on your experience and understanding. Come up with what you know to be the true definition of success with regard to your life.

Just a thought: If you think there is good in everybody, you haven't met everybody yet.