how to define success for yourself essay

How to Define Success (and Why Your Success Depends on It)

What is success ?

Sounds like a simple enough question. However, most people even with a well-defined goal don’t know exactly how to define what success is to them. And to make matters worse, until you clearly define what success is to you, anything you do reflects that lack of clarity and focus.

Part of the problem is, while in a way success is different for each person, the universal principles that make up that picture of success are virtually (or literally) the same for all of us. This is because success is based on happiness and fulfillment and what gives us a true sense of happiness and fulfillment is the same for all of us at its core. For this reason, getting hung up on the word success is tricky because if you treat it like the end destination you’ll never get what you really want.

Success needs to be looked at as more of a factor for realizing happiness or a signal which would suggest a greater likelihood or greater amount of happiness and fulfillment. It’s difficult to be happy if we never succeed at anything we attempt to accomplish . This leads to a lack of confidence and the feeling that we’re worthless — obviously big hurdles that can keep you from cultivating happiness and fulfillment. However, it’s not everything.

If you can separate success and see it clearly for what it is, it becomes easier to define. And when it becomes easy to define, it naturally becomes easier to achieve. This is why your success depends on how you define it.

So then, what are the universal principles – the common threads – behind success, and how can we then define what success is to us based on these principles?

How to Define Success (and Why Your Success Depends on It)

Define success on your own terms, achieve it by your own rules, and build a life you’re proud to live. – Anne Sweeney

Before we can figure out what success looks like for us individually, we need to hone in on the foundational principles that define what success is at its core.

Merriam-Webster defines success as:

“Favorable or desired outcome.”

Looking at it this way, we can already begin to gain some clarity. Let’s modify the above definition a bit to better fit the discussion:

“The achievement of a favorable or desired outcome or outcomes.”

Now we at least understand clearly that success, for all of us, is about the outcome of our life. At the end of the day, what do you want the outcome of your life to be? This goes hand-in-hand with the often-quoted Steve Jobs saying, “we’re here to put a dent in the universe.”

This is highly useful because once we know this we can step back and ask, “what do I then need to do to achieve that outcome?” Or, in other words, what work is required of you to accomplish that outcome . In this way we’re being far more efficient with the time we spend each day because we’re crystal clear about what needs to be done to accomplish said outcome (our definition of success).

Exercise: Defining what success is to you

Using what we’ve spoken above thus far, defining what success is to you comes down to asking the right questions and a little bit of visualization. Let’s start with the questions:

1. Brainstorm your desired outcome or contribution with questions

First, start by asking the question or questions, “what kind of dent do I want to put in the universe?” Or, in other words, what unique contribution do you want to make to the world ?

2. Reverse the question

Second, reverse the question and instead ask yourself, “what could I not stand to die without doing or accomplishing?”

The reason this is useful is often times flipping a question on its head can elicit a different response than you originally gave that offers additional insights. If you had a hard time answering the last question, this may help uncover a clearer answer.

3. Imagine your ideal life

Once you’ve brainstormed what your desired outcome would be, it can be helpful to fill in the rest of your “vision” by imagining what your ideal life would look like. If your answers have thus far been short or vague, it’s here that you can find greater focus and specificity.

Imagine what your life would look like taking this desired outcome into account. Where would you live? What would you do on a daily basis? How would you feel? This exercise can also be very useful because it can help you chart a course to accomplishing that outcome by way of working backward once you’ve created this vision.

Lastly, another important question to ask yourself is whether success to you is the complete accomplishment of the desired outcome, or if you’d still consider ample progress towards the accomplishment a success.

This all depends on your goal. If you’re shooting for something grand, like helping cure a disease or some other scientific discovery than simply striving to accomplish said goal throughout your life and making meaningful progress that others can then use to reach the goal in their lifetime might qualify to you as a success.

It’s important to remember that it’s the striving towards our goals and the progress we make that in large part instills us with happiness and fulfillment . On top of this, we really don’t know what tomorrow will bring, so allowing for a broader definition of your desired outcome may be the most effective way to define success.

By doing so, you’re not settling or changing your goals. You’re still doing what you love and striving to accomplish your definition of success, but success for you becomes more attuned to the way that life is constantly changing and shifting (it’s more realistic, but not in a bad way). So long as you lived striving fully with all your being towards what was important to you, you lived a successful life.

Perhaps, in this way, success is more about what you do each day throughout the course of your life towards a desired outcome than it is what you accomplished at the end of it.

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Matt Valentine is a father, husband, and a self-published author. He writes weekly on his blog, Buddhaimonia.com , about everything from spirituality to self-mastery.

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Success — What is Success and How to Define It

What is Success and How to Define It

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Published: Mar 1, 2019

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What is success?

Works cited.

• Covey, S. R. (1989). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Simon & Schuster.
• Dweck, C. (2017). Mindset: Changing the way you think to fulfil your potential. Robinson.
• Gladwell, M. (2008). Outliers: The Story of Success. Little, Brown and Company.
• Grant, A. (2013). Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success. Penguin Books.
• Hill, N. (2020). Think and Grow Rich. Independently published.
• Kipling, R. (1910). If. The National Review.
• Loehr, J., & Schwartz, T. (2003). The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal. Free Press.
• Man's Search for Meaning (2006). Viktor E. Frankl. Beacon Press.
• Robbins, T. (2005). Awaken the Giant Within: How to Take Immediate Control of Your Mental, Emotional, Physical, and Financial Destiny!. Simon & Schuster.
• Tracy, B. (2004). The Psychology of Selling: Increase Your Sales Faster and Easier Than You Ever Thought Possible. Thomas Nelson.

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Finding Success Starts with Finding Your Purpose

• John Coleman

It’s never too early — or too late — to ask the big questions.

Many people work their whole lives to achieve material success only to find their happiness and sense of purpose wanting when that success comes. They often spend their later years looking for purpose in their lives in order to feel a sense of meaning. Searching for meaning late in your life is a missed opportunity. Success without significance — purpose, service, and meaningful relationships — is not really success at all. It’s important to properly reflect on how you can live a life imbued intensely not just with the superficial trappings of “success” but with deep purpose and joy in all we do — starting now. Ask yourself:  What is the core purpose of my work and the ways in which it makes the world better? Who are the key relationships in my life, and how can I deepen them? What more can I do at work, at home, and in my community to serve others? How am I becoming better each day?

In 1995, Bob Buford wrote the bestselling book Halftime , which popularized the concept of “moving from success to significance” in the second half of life. Buford realized that many businesspeople work their whole lives to achieve material success only to find their happiness and sense of purpose wanting when that success comes. And he rightly encouraged those people to seek out meaning and impact in their later years.

• JC John Coleman is the author of the HBR Guide to Crafting Your Purpose . Subscribe to his free newsletter, On Purpose , follow him on Twitter @johnwcoleman, or contact him at johnwilliamcoleman.com.

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Defining Success for Yourself

Deciding what success means for you is part of being autonomous and authentic..

Posted June 21, 2017

Author-entrepreneur Joanna Penn has a terrific blog post titled “ What Is Your Definition of Success? How Do You Measure It? ” In it, she emphasizes the importance of deciding what success—in this case, as a writer—means for each writer herself or himself. She suggests asking yourself these questions:

• What is your definition of success—for this particular book and for your writing career ?
• How will you track and measure that success?
• What do you want to do with that success? What is the point in your work?

Of particular importance, Penn notes, is the balance between the practical needs for some level of financial success, especially if writing is your primary source of income, and the more idealistic type of success that comes from doing work you’re proud of doing.

Penn notes that only does every writer need to decide how they will answer these questions at any given time, but that their answers to these questions “will also tend to change over time as your definition of success will be dependent on the progression of your writing career.”

-- -- -- -- --

Whether or not you’re a writer, defining what success means to you is an important part of defining yourself as an individual. This is especially important because other people, or society in general, will be more than happy to impose their ideas of success on you. (This is a theme of my book The Decline of the Individual , coming out later this year.)

Some of these ideas are based on your job or career: a lawyer, for instance, may be expected to generate a certain number of billable hours and attract a certain number of clients, with the reward of being made partner. A classical musician may be expected to land a position in a prominent orchestra, or play Carnegie Hall as a soloist. Other standards are imposed by family and friends, such as being married by a certain age and to a certain kind of person, or having children.

Not all definitions of success that come from other people are bad, and some may seem quite reasonable and natural. The important thing is that you need to endorse them yourself, to agree that they reflect the standards you want to live up to, and that you’re not simply accepting the standards you’re “given.”

As regular readers of this blog might remember, I’ve long suffered from a lack of goals or direction , always keeping busy but not quite knowing why. In other words, I don’t have a picture of success to measure my progress and achievements against.

As a result, I think about these issues a lot, particularly in terms of being a writer and an academic, as I talked about in an earlier post . In the next two posts, I’ll discuss what success can mean in terms of each of these fields, but I hope they would apply to whatever field you’re in (or hope to be in).

Mark D. White, Ph.D., is the chair of the Department of Philosophy at the College of Staten Island/CUNY.

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Introduction

Defining success.

Action is the foundational key to all success. —Pablo Picasso, artist

Learning Objectives

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Identify specific strategies to achieve college success
• Explain how grades play a role in shaping success
• Describe the value of success, particularly in the first year of college
• Develop a personal definition of success, in college and other areas of life

Personal Responsibility for Success

A college education is aligned with greater success in many areas of life. While enrolled in college, most students are closely focused on making it through the next class or passing the next test. It can be easy to lose sight of the overall role that education plays in life. But sometimes it helps to recall what a truly great step forward you are taking!

It’s also important to recognize, though, that some students do not succeed in college and drop out within the first year. Sometimes this is due to financial problems or a personal or family crisis. But most of the time students drop out because they’re having trouble passing their courses.

In this section, we examine the elements of college success. Are there patterns of success you strive for but aren’t yet reaching? Where might you shore up your support? What strategies can you use to achieve success in your college endeavors?

Defining Success in College

How do you define college success? The definition really depends on you. You might think that “success” is earning an associate’s degree or attending classes in a four-year college. Maybe success is a bachelor’s or master’s degree or a PhD. Maybe success means receiving a certificate of completion or finishing skill-based training.

You might be thinking of other measures of college success, too—like grades. For instance, you might be unhappy with anything less than an A in a course, although maybe this depends on the difficulty of the subject. As long as you pass with a C, you might be perfectly content. But no matter how you define success personally, you probably wouldn’t think it means earning a D or lower grade in a class.

So, if most students believe that passing a class is the minimum requirement for “success,” and if most students want to be successful in their courses, why aren’t more college students consistently successful in the classroom?

Perhaps some common misconceptions are at play. For example, we often hear students say, “I just can’t do it!” or “I’m not good at math,” or “I guess college isn’t for me . . . ,” or “I’m not smart enough.” But these explanations for success or failure aren’t necessarily accurate. Considerable research into college success reveals that having difficulty in or failing in college courses usually has nothing to do with intellect. More often success depends on how fully a student embraces and masters the following seven strategies:

• Learn how to take effective notes in class.
• Review the text and your reading notes prior to class.
• Participate in class discussion and maybe even join a study group.
• Go to office hours and ask your instructor questions.
• Give yourself enough time to research, write, and edit your essays in manageable stages.
• Take advantage of online or on-campus academic support resources.
• Spend sufficient time studying.

So if you feel you are not smart enough for college, ask yourself if you can implement some of these skills. Can you make more time for learning? One approach is to create a regular study schedule and make sure you allot ample time. Most college success experts agree that students should study two hours outside of class for every hour in class. Only break away from your committed schedule if an extreme situation prevents you from sticking to it.

Another strategy to consider implementing is group study. For example, rather than relying just on your own knowledge, notes, and skills, try studying with other students in your difficult classes. Studying in a group gives every group member a chance to ask questions and talk about concepts.

You can also add a tutor to your study group. You will really be able to notice a positive difference. Tutoring is generally free in college, and the strategies and knowledge you gain will be invaluable. Usually tutors have taken the class you are currently enrolled in, and they are trained to get the best out of you.

Overall, students struggle in college not because of natural intellect or smarts, but because of time management, organization, and lack of quality study time. The good news is that there are ways to combat this, specifically by doing things like creating a regular study schedule, studying in groups, and taking advantage of your school’s academic resources, like a tutoring center, instructor office hours, and any available online help.

How Grades Play a Role in Shaping Success

In a recent online discussion at a student-support Web site, a college freshman posted the following concern about how serious he should be about getting good grades:

As a first semester freshman, I really have taken my education seriously. I’ve studied and done my homework nightly and have read all of the assignments. So far, I have all A’s in my classes, including calculus and programming. Now, with a month left to go in the semester, I feel myself slipping a bit on my studies. I blow off readings and homework more to go out at night during the week and I’ve even skipped a few classes to attend major sporting events. I also travel most weekends with a sports team that I joined. Still, I’ve gotten A’s on the exams even with these less extensive study habits, although not as high as before. So, my question really is this. Should I just be content with low A’s and B’s and enjoy myself during college, or should I strive to achieve all A’s?

How would you answer this student’s question, given what what you know and sense about college life? Grades do matter to your success, right? Or . . . do they? The answer depends on who you ask and what your college and career goals are.

To help you answer, take this quick self-assessment about your college goals and beyond. Put a checkmark in the Yes or No column next to items in the “I Want to Be Able to . . .” column.

You may be surprised to learn that each reason on this list directly relates to your grades—even changing your major. For example, colleges typically have a minimum GPA requirement to switch majors. Consider these additional factors:

• Undergraduate grades have been shown to have a positive impact on getting full-time employment in your career in a position appropriate to your degree.
• Grades also have been shown to have a positive net impact on your occupational status and earnings.
• Getting good grades, particularly in the first year of college, is important to your academic success throughout your college years.
• Grades are probably the best predictors of your persistence, your ability to graduate, and your prospects for enrolling in graduate school.

You stand to gain immeasurably when you get good grades.

Your Grade-Point Average (GPA)

Grades may not be the be-all and end-all in college life. But to the degree that you believe they can help you achieve your greatest goals, you will pay close attention to them and to your GPA.

Your GPA is a calculated average of the letter grades you earn correlated on a 0 to 4.0 or 5.0 scale. Each semester you receive a GPA based on the grades you earned in all of your classes during that semester. You also maintain a cumulative GPA—an ongoing average of all your semester grades beginning with freshman year.

Many institutions provide students with an online GPA calculator . Use the calculator to keep track of where you stand. Your college may also publish data on the average GPA of your fellow students. Sometimes it’s nice to know where you stand relative to your peers.

Words of Wisdom

It is important to know that college success is a responsibility shared with your institution. Above all, your college must provide you with stimulating classroom experiences that encourage you to devote more time and effort to your learning. Additional institutional factors in your success include the following:

• High standards and expectations for your performance
• Assessment and timely feedback
• Peer support
• Encouragement and support for you to explore human differences
• Emphasis on your first college year
• Respect for diverse ways of knowing
• Integrating prior learning and experience
• Academic support programs tailored to your needs
• Ongoing application of learned skills
• Active learning
• Out-of-class contact with faculty [1]

Ideally, you and your college collaborate to create success in every way possible. The cooperative nature of college life is echoed in the following practical advice from a college graduate, recounted in Foundations of Academic Success: Words of Wisdom :

Professors do care about how you are doing in their class; they genuinely want you to succeed, but they will give you the grade you earn. There are people and resources on campus for you to utilize so you can earn the grade you want. Your professors are one of those resources, and are perhaps the most important. Go see them during office hours, ask them questions about the material and get extra help if you need it . . . Another resource to utilize can be found in the campus learning center . . . The first time I took a paper there, I recall standing outside the door for about ten minutes thinking of an excuse not to go in. Thankfully I saw a classmate walk in and I followed suit . . . Thanks to that first visit, I received an A- on the paper!

Ensuring Success in Your First Year

Why is the first year of college so important? So much happens that year! Shouldn’t there be a grace period for the newest students to get acclimated to college before the pressure sets in?

The fact is that the first year of college is the most crucial time in your college life. So much is happening, but it serves to establish your trajectory to success. Consider the following typical first-year experiences, all of which strategically support students during this critical make-or-break period.

Orientation

Most first-year students attend an orientation program, which typically leads to the following results:

• Students participate in more educationally enriching activities
• Students perceive the campus environment to be more supportive
• Students have greater developmental gains during their first year of college
• Students are more satisfied with their overall college experience

First-Year Seminars

First-year seminars may be of the “orientation to college” variety; others may be based on your curriculum. Students who participate in these seminars tend to

• Be more challenged academically
• Be more active and collaborative in learning activities
• Interact more frequently with faculty
• Think of the campus environment as being more supportive
• Gain more from their first year of college
• Make greater use of campus services

The quality of academic advising is the single most powerful predictor of your satisfaction with the campus environment. First-year students who rate their advising as good or excellent

• Are more likely to interact with faculty in various ways
• Perceive the institution’s environment to be more supportive
• Are more satisfied with their overall college experience
• Gain more from college in most areas

Early Warning Systems

Early warning systems are especially important for students who start college with risk factors or who may be struggling academically. Midterm progress reports, course tests and other assessments, and early alert systems are most effective at helping students cope with difficulties in the first year.

Learning Communities

Learning communities are programs that enroll groups of students in a common set of courses. The effects of learning communities are greatest for first-year students. Students report gains in personal and social development, competence, and satisfaction with the undergraduate college experience.

Student Success Initiatives

Student success courses typically address issues like how to use campus support resources, manage time, study well, develop careers and skills, set goals, take tests, and take notes. The College Success course you are in right now is such an initiative.

Remediation

About one-third of first-year students take developmental courses to bring their academic skills up to a level that will enable them to perform well in college. Developmental courses can make the difference in a student’s decision to stay in college or drop out.

Grades and Your First-Year Success

• Your freshman year accounts for a significant portion of grades that can be used in getting an internship.
• Your freshman year can account for a significant portion of grades that matter to starting your career.
• Top companies can have early recruitment programs that begin identifying prospective students and looking at grades as early as your sophomore year.
• Many top clubs and major-specific honoraries on campus look at your grades in the screening process.
• When you get good grades as a freshman, you tend to keep getting good grades as a sophomore, junior, and senior.
• Instructors tend to give the benefit of the doubt to students who get good grades.

The best advice is to commit to making your freshman year count. Make it the absolute best. The earlier you can establish good habits during this time, the easier your future years will be—not just in college, but in your work environment, at home, and beyond.

Tips for First-Year Students Embarking on Academic Success

The following is a list of tips from a college educator for college students embarking on their journey to academic success:

• Early is on time, on time is late, and late is unacceptable!
• Get the book(s) and read the book(s).
• Take notes in class and when reading for class.
• Know your professors (email, office location, office hours, etc.) and be familiar with what is in the course syllabus.
• Put away your phone during class.
• Emails need a salutation, a body, and a close.
• Don’t write the way you might text—using abbreviations and clipped sentences.
• Never academically advise yourself!
• Apply for scholarships—all of them!
• Speak it into existence and keep your eyes on the prize.
• Enjoy the ride! Cheers!

Activity: Develop Your Personal Definition of Success

For this activity, create your own definition of success. Dictionary.com defines success as “the favorable outcome of something attempted.” For many students in college, success means passing a class, earning an A, or learning something new. Beyond college, some people define success in terms of financial wealth; others measure it by the quality of their relationships with family and friends.

Here is an example of a brief, philosophical definition of success:

To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded. –Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ultimately, before we can know if we are successful, we must first define what success means for ourselves.

• Develop a 750-word essay defining what success means to you in college and beyond. To help you develop this essay, you might want to consider the following:
• Find a quote (or make one up) that best summarizes your definition of success (be sure to cite the author and the source, such as the URL).
• Why does this quote best represent your personal definition success?
• What people do you consider to be successful and why?
• What is your definition of success?
• What will you do to achieve success?
• What is the biggest change you need to make in order to be successful in college?
• How will you know you’ve achieved success?

Success and Pride

Almost every successful person begins with two beliefs: the future can be better than the present, and I have the power to make it so. –David Brooks, columnist and political commentator

If the prospect of committing to the path of higher education still feels daunting, you might find inspiration in thinking about the many potential gains you can experience. Talk with friends, family members, and others who have been to college and to people who have succeeded—in whatever ways they define success. Listen for clues about what they feel worked and what didn’t and what they would change. Do you hear threads of topics broached so far in this course?

College success is an attainable goal, so be encouraged that you are on a path of great potential. Below is the success story of a college graduate. Might your story be similar to this one someday?

Something Was Different

I have earned both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree and I have nearly twenty years of teaching experience. Would you ever guess that I contemplated not going to college at all? I originally thought about going to beauty school and becoming a cosmetologist. It was to me, honestly the easy way out since I was sick of all the drama after high school. The thought of college seemed overwhelming. Why did I really need to have a college degree when all I ever wanted was to get married and be a stay-at-home mom? My friends weren’t going to college either, so I often wondered if going would complicate our friendship.

I decided to go anyway, and it did separate us a bit. While I was writing a ten-page paper for my summer class in Genetics and Heredity, my friends were swimming in my pool. They also had the chance to buy new cars and new clothes and to go on vacations. I just went to school, driving my used Nissan Sentra, without much more than gas money and a few extra bucks. Again, why was I doing this? It would have been easier to just do what my friends were doing.

Little by little, semesters went by and I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in Education. I started substitute teaching immediately and within six months I was offered a full-time job. Just like that, I had more money and all kinds of new opportunities and I could now consider a new car or going on vacation just like my friends. At that point, I decided to continue my education and get my master’s degree. Yes, it was a lot of hard work again, and yes, my friends wondered why I wanted to go back again, but I knew then that this was the best choice for me. The challenge wasn’t knowing where I wanted my career to go, but rather overcoming the pull to settle into a lifestyle or career because it was easy, not because it was what I wanted.

By the time I graduated with my master’s degree I realized that something was different. For all the years that I felt behind or unable to keep up with what my friends had, I was suddenly leaps and bounds ahead of them career-wise. I now had two degrees, a full-time teaching job, and a plan to keep my career moving forward. I was able to do all of the things that they had done all those years and more. None of them had careers, just jobs. None of them had long-term plans. None of them were as satisfied with their choices any longer and a few of them even mentioned that they were jealous of my opportunity to attend college.

Don’t be fooled. Being a college student is a lot of work and, like me, most students have questioned what they are doing and why they are doing it. However, the rewards certainly outweigh all of the obstacles. I used to hear, “Attending college will make you a well-rounded person” or “It sets you apart from those that do not attend,” yet it never felt true at the time. Eventually though, you will come to a point where you realize those quotes are true and you will be on your way to earning that degree!”

—Jacqueline Tiermini,  Foundations of Academic Success: Words of Wisdom

• What Matters to Student Success: A Review of the Literature; National Postsecondary Education Cooperative ↵
• College Success. Authored by : Linda Bruce. Provided by : Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution
• Biofuel lab PSU-100. Provided by : Penn State. Located at : https://www.flickr.com/photos/pennstatelive/8677654327/ . License : CC BY-NC-ND: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives
• Choices and Personal Responsibilities for Success. Authored by : Ronda Dorsey Neugebauer and Zack Varpness. Provided by : Chadron State College. Located at : https://courses.candelalearning.com/collegesuccess2/chapter/introduction-to-choices-and-personal-responsibility-for-success/ . Project : Kaleidoscope Open Course Initiative. License : CC BY: Attribution
• Instructional Support: Options and Resources. Provided by : California Community Colleges Online Education Initiative. Located at : https://apps.3cmediasolutions.org/oei/11-Instructional-Support/story.html . License : CC BY: Attribution
• Foundations of College Success: Words of Wisdom. Authored by : Thomas C. Priester, editor. Provided by : Open SUNY Textbooks. Located at : http://textbooks.opensuny.org/foundations-of-academic-success/ . License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
• How to Start a Movement. Authored by : Derek Sivers. Provided by : TED. Located at : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V74AxCqOTvg . Project : TEDTalks. License : All Rights Reserved . License Terms : Standard YouTube License
• Why Good Grades Matter. Provided by : Graduate Accumulate. Located at : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zjQ_7sgGfE . License : All Rights Reserved . License Terms : Standard YouTube License
• Why Good Grades Matter. Authored by : Graduate Accumulate. Located at : https://youtu.be/8zjQ_7sgGfE . License : All Rights Reserved . License Terms : Standard YouTube License

“How Do You Define Success?” Interview Question (+ Example Answers)

Mike Simpson 0 Comments

By Mike Simpson

How do you define success? What a devil of a question. Success is such a subjective concept that everyone likely views it at least a teeny bit differently.

Plus, the mere task of describing success could leave even the most qualified candidates reeling. It’s such a personal thing, making it inherently challenging to put your perspective into words.

We get it. When a hiring manager asks about how you define success, it almost feels like a trap.

Luckily, in the vast majority of cases, it isn’t. Technically, there isn’t a right or wrong answer. However, that doesn’t mean some aren’t better than others. If you want to make sure you handle the “how do you define success” question well, let’s take a look at how to tackle it.

What Is the Meaning of “Success”?

Alright, before you dig into the answers, we need to pause for a second. You can’t talk about how you define success if you don’t have a grasp on what “success” actually means. To start on the road toward figuring that out, let’s see what the Merriam-Webster dictionary has to say.

So, the first definition – “degree or measure of succeeding” – admittedly isn’t very helpful. But, the next one – favorable or desired outcome – is a bit better. For many, success means reaching a goal, accomplishing a task, or otherwise accomplishing what they set out to do.

If you look at the definition of “succeed,” you get a similar story. One of the options on the list is “to turn out well.” Well, if that isn’t just so succinct and pleasant.

Essentially, something is a success when the outcome turns out well, is desirable, or is favorable. Beyond that, the definition of success is personal.

But, even if you see it differently than everyone else, your definition is important. It influences your motivation and drive . And, when it comes to your career, how you see success affects your choices and priorities, ultimately shaping the path you take.

Why Does the Hiring Manager Ask This Question?

Another pitstop before we look at how to answer the question “how do you define success” is to take a moment and examine why the hiring manager is asking you this in the first place. After all, it is a bit of an odd question, so there has to be a reason for it, right? Right.

Usually, the interviewer is trying to gauge what you’re like. Your answer gives them glimpses into your work ethic, priorities, preferences, and motivations. It provides them with clues about your values, as well as specific key traits.

Looking for something a little clearer?

Okay, think of it this way: Imagine you are trying to land a position on a sales team. If you said success is exceeding your sales quotas, the hiring manager might view you as independent. But, if you stated that success is ensuring team goals are met, you’ll seem more collaborative. Neither of those is wrong; they just give the hiring manager different pictures of what you’d be like if you landed the position.

Once you answer, the hiring manager can determine how well you’d fit into the team and the company’s culture. Essentially, if your definition of success aligns with the organization’s, team’s, or manager’s, you might be a better fit.

We also wanted to let you know that we created an amazing free cheat sheet that will give you word-for-word answers for some of the toughest interview questions you are going to face in your upcoming interview. After all, this is only one potential interview question you could be asked!

Click below to get your free PDF now:

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Common Mistakes When Answering This Question

Alright, one more thing before we talk about how to answer “how do you define success?” While knowing what to say is important, it’s equally critical to know what you shouldn’t say.

Why? Because, during an interview, a single misstep can potentially cost you an opportunity.

First, you need to discuss your definition of success. Not the dictionary’s, not your last boss’s, not some legend of entrepreneurship’s… just yours. You have to get a bit personal, so resist the urge to use someone else’s perspective in place of your own.

Next, avoid talking solely about success outside of work. While getting to the top of the Fortnite leaderboard might be part of your definition of success, that shouldn’t be the focus of your answer. You’re in an interview, so the context needs to be professional.

Finally, don’t try to sell yourself as the perfect example of your version of success. There has to be room for improvement. If you act like you’ve already peaked, the hiring manager won’t be impressed. Instead, they’re going to worry that you won’t listen to feedback or strive to do better, and that won’t work in your favor.

Tips for Answering This Question

1. define, then show.

When you are defining success, you don’t actually want to spend all of your time focused on explaining your definition. Instead, you want to tap on it briefly and then pivot, shifting your response to an achievement that showcases what you mean . It’s the “show, don’t tell” approach to tackling this question. Plus, it’s a great way to squeeze in another accolade, and you never want those to go to waste.

2. Quantify Your Details

During an interview, you know what speaks louder than words? Numbers, that’s what. By quantifying the details, you are giving your accomplishments weight. For example, what sounds better, “I led a big team” or “I led a 12-person team”? The second one, right?

Precision makes your answer powerful, and numbers give you precision. So, if the metrics are impressive, work them into your response.

3. Reference the Company’s Definition

Okay, before, we said you don’t want to use anyone else’s definition of success, and that’s true. But, if you can reference the company’s and then move forward with your own, that’s really the best approach.

Why? Because it shows you did your research. Plus, if your definition has aspects in common with the organization’s, you can highlight that.

Now, don’t change your definition to match; that’s a mistake. Just take the opportunity to find common ground, and make sure the hiring manager sees it, too.

“How Do You Define Success?” Example Answers

By now, you’re probably ready for some examples. That way, you can see what an excellent answer looks like, and use it as a framework.

In most cases, when you’re dealing with behavioral interview questions like this one, the STAR Method and the Tailoring Method is the way to go. Your answer will be thorough and compelling, both of which work in your favor.

If you want to see how to put those techniques into action, here are some sample responses.

1. Entry-Level Jobs

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“I view success as a journey, not a destination. At this early stage in my career, every milestone, big and small, moves me forward, allowing me to develop stronger skills and enhance my performance. In my last position, I frequently volunteered for new projects and embraced every opportunity to learn. Along the way, I improved my skillset, ultimately allowing me to exceed my sales goals by 25 percent. Each time I grew professionally, I didn’t just help the company reach new heights; I also felt successful, and it’s a feeling I enjoy re-earning whenever the chance arises.”

2. Supervisory Positions

“As a manager, I define success not just by my performance but also by the achievements of my team. In my last position, I had the opportunity to coach employees, giving them critical guidance that boosted productivity and profitability. Through efficiency improvements, we were able to reduce project costs by 15 percent while never missing a single deadline and exceeding all outcome quality standards. It was one of my proudest accomplishments, and one I look forward to replicating with my new employer.”

3. Upper Management Roles

“As a leader, I define success in two ways. First, helping the company achieve its larger goals, allowing for the creation of bolder ones, is success, in my eyes. Second, enhancing employee engagement and spurring their commitment to greater growth also qualifies. In my last role, I was able to implement culture improvements that dramatically impacted the workplace, boosting productivity by 10 percent. That allowed us to move forward toward a brighter future, one I was proud to be a part of.”

Putting It All Together

Ultimately, how do you define success is a challenging question. But, by using the tips above, you can make sure you’re ready to nail it as your next interview.

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• Why Should We Hire You?

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Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com.

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Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

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Mike simpson.

Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com. His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others. Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

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How To Answer “How Do You Define Success?” (With Examples)

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Find a Job You Really Want In

Interviewers like to ask “How do you define success?” to help evaluate your ethics, aspirations, and character. An employee’s definition of success can dictate their work performance and how well they’ll function on a new team.

A potential employer will be paying close attention to your response because success is personal to each candidate. To help you answer what an interviewer is looking for, we’ll go over how to answer “How do you define success?”, and provide some example answers to this question, as well as some tips to keep in mind.

Key Takeaways:

Hiring managers ask this question to see if your goals are aligned with the organization.

When answering this question make sure you briefly define success, tell a story, and try to include the company’s values in your answer.

Try not to lie when you answer or give motivations that are irrelevant to the job description.

How to answer “How do you define success?”

Examples answers to “how do you define success”, why interviewers ask “how do you define success”, tips for answering “how do you define success”, common mistakes to avoid when answering, possible follow-up questions, how to answer “how do you define success” faq.

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Answering this question most honestly and impressively will take some self-awareness and critical thinking. Take advice from your research and apply it to your personality and work history. An answer that impresses will be one that accurately reflects you and your work style while still being strategic with what the company wants in its employees.

Here’s a three-step process for answering “How do you define success?”

Briefly define success. Seeing as this question is fairly straightforward, you should begin with your personal definition of success. However, your definition shouldn’t make up the majority of your answer but rather set the stage for a compelling story that shows your definition in action.

Tell a story. Great storytellers show instead of tell . After you’ve defined success in a quick sentence, you need to describe a situation in which your definition of success came to the forefront.

If you can, also include numbers in your story. Hiring managers and recruiters might struggle to grasp qualitative information, but bringing in quantitative data makes your story more universally understandable. For example, saying that you completed a project 20% under budget and 2 weeks early sounds a lot better than simply saying it was done faster and cheaper than expected.

For example, if you defined success as being part of a team that can navigate any challenge, you should follow that up with a story about a time your team overcame adversity and achieved an unexpectedly great result.

Try to include the company’s values. There’s a good chance that the company has its own, publicly available definition of success. At the very least, their mission statement should give you a clue as to how this employer measures success.

Here are some how do you evaluate success interview answer examples to help you know what interviewer are looking for.

Defining success by meeting Goals example answer

Throughout my professional and personal life, I’ve defined my accomplishments by meeting goals that I set for myself. One of the reasons that I’m attracted to this position is that your organization responds to and rewards meeting important career milestones. I think I carry the mentality of setting and working towards goals in my general life as well. For example, in my current role as an account for NextGen, I always note quarterly goals the company has for my department and others. I make it a point to make a list of personal goals that coincide with NextGen’s, to ensure that I can meet or exceed broader corporate goals. That led to being able to successfully reduce wasteful spending in each department by a minimum of 8%, even when the corporate benchmark was only 3%.

Defining success through work quality example answer

As a graphic designer , I believe that my success greatly depends on the quality of work I’m producing. Creating the best possible designs is what motivates me and makes me feel successful. I know that your mission statement includes the phrase “brand marked by quality,” and that really resonated with me — in the past, I’ve been personally anxious about my name being attached to less-than-stellar projects that were rushed out in the name of efficiency. One of the few times I was able to dedicate an appropriate amount of time to a project, the client was absolutely ecstatic with the result and signed a 6-month contract with our company worth over $30,000. Working here would mean being able to dedicate myself fully to producing quality projects every time, which would help me to feel successful year-round, instead of once in a blue moon.

Defining success by overcoming challenges example answer

I am very motivated by overcoming challenges in the workplace. I’ve found that my success and innovation in past positions have often come from difficult situations. For example, in my last job , we had a client unsatisfied with the outcome of our marketing campaign. This difficulty inspired me to design a new strategy that ended up resulting in a 4% growth for the client. I think my logical view of challenges makes me a successful and flexible employee, which I believe fits in nicely with your corporate ethos of “adapt, grow, overcome.”

Defining success by management accomplishments example answer

As an office supervisor , I consider the success of my team as my greatest success. After all, a manager can only ever be successful as their team is. In my last role, I had the opportunity to manage an administrative team of six in their daily duties and long-term projects. Over the course of that year, I saw entry-level associates grow in productivity and teamwork. That was the time I felt the most successful in my supervisory career, and I’d hope to continue this at your company.

Defining success for an entry-level position example answer

Success is a multifaceted concept that extends beyond simple achievements or accomplishments. I believe the journey, growth, and impact that come along with milestone achievements help define success. Success involves a sense of personal and professional fulfillment. It’s about setting meaningful goals that align with my values and inspirations. Success is not just about the end result but also about the process of continuous learning, improvement, and adaptation. Success is also about making a positive impact on those around me and the broader community.

Defining success for an leadership position example answer

Success in a leadership position is a dynamic blend of achieving strategic goals, fostering a thriving team culture, and making a positive impact on both the organization and its individuals. Success entails achieving the objectives set forth for the team and the organization. This involves setting clear, measurable goals that align with the company’s vision and strategically driving the team toward their accomplishments. Success isn’t always limited to the endpoint, but to evaluating and adapting strategies to ensure sustained growth and progress. Success in a leadership position is about achieving goals, nurturing a cohesive team, and leaving a legacy of positive change.

An interviewer asks the question of how you define success to see if your goals are aligned with the organization. Your answer can show a lot about the employee you’ll be if they decide to hire you.

How you define success will display what you prioritize in the workplace and how you meet goals .

Some examples of qualities the interviewer will be looking for include:

Leadership abilities

Adaptability

Dependability

Resourcefulness

Communication skills

Motivations

A candidate who tells a hiring manager that they define success by how much money they have in their bank account shows that their measure has little to do with quality or meeting goals.

It can make an employer think that the work they’ll do will be all about getting a paycheck, instead of facilitating the success of the company.

Consider the implications of your answer before you give it. A candidate whose response demonstrates care and a strong work ethic will likely catch an interviewer’s attention.

When answering “How do you define success?” you should first research the company and be specific in your explanation and examples. Consider more of the following tips for giving your best possible answer to this interview question:

Research the company . Part of coming up with a response that will resonate with an interviewer is doing prior research on the company. Depending on the field, companies have different values and measures of success. Hopefully, most of their goals and values will resonate with you, and you can articulate that.

Give examples of how you’ve achieved success in the past. Giving a clear description of what you consider success is all well and good. However, it can make you an even more desirable candidate if you have examples from prior work achievements to back it up.

Think back on your former work and academic experiences to times when you met or exceeded your expectation of success. Demonstrate how this experience coincides with the definitions of success you explained earlier.

Be specific in your explanation. After telling the interviewer what qualities define success for you, you need to explain how that’s relevant. Be specific in your description of how you define success and how you’ve met this standard in the past.

However, being specific in your answer doesn’t mean giving irrelevant details. Make sure you’re staying on topic.

Mention how you’ll bring your skills to the company. Your answer to how you define success doesn’t just have to include your past achievements. Continually remind the interviewer that you’ll be bringing the abilities that have made you successful in the past to this new position.

Do some self-reflection. The only way to answer this question genuinely is by doing a little self-reflection and figuring out for yourself how you truly define success. Take some time to think about your prior accomplishments.

Some questions to consider include:

What was it that motivated you to meet goals in the past?

Why do you consider your accomplishments to be successes?

What patterns do you see across your achievements?

Analyzing these questions before an interview can help you craft a thoughtful, strategic answer that the interviewer responds well to.

Let your personality show. After doing heaps of research on how to give the best possible answers to interview questions , try not to settle for cookie-cutter clichés of what you think the interviewer wants to hear.

This can be boring, and you run the risk of getting lost in the competition. Even with the nerves associated with making a good impression, let your personality shine through.

When answering, avoid giving motivations that are irrelevant to the position or getting too personal in your answer. Here are more mistakes to avoid when answering questions about defining success:

Don’t give motivations that are irrelevant to the position. While you may have a lot of influences in your personal life that contribute to your motivations, not all of them are helpful in a job interview. Avoid responding with political or religious values because it can be off-putting or seem unrelated to the position.

Don’t give a lengthy, unfocused response. As with many of the answers you’ll be giving during a job interview, you should respond as concisely as possible. Stay on topic and try not to wander off into stories that aren’t relevant to the question.

Don’t get too personal. It’s important that you maintain professionalism. While asking how you define success can be an expansive question, you should continue to answer appropriately. Avoid divulging overly personal details.

Don’t lie. Many applicants may be less than truthful in their answers to align their values with a potential employer during an interview. This strategy often fails. It’s always best to be honest with an interviewer. You just have to be honest to your credit.

Don’t be too honest. It can seem contradictory to recommend that you not lie and avoid being too honest in the same list of tips.

However, walking this line effectively can make the difference between being hired or turned down. Don’t respond with motivations that could be interpreted as negative or unprofessional.

For example, you may have very well pursued a managerial career because you wanted the power that comes with being the supervisor of a team. However, giving power as your measure of success can sound a little callous and careless to the interviewer.

In addition to how you define success, there are probably a lot of other common interview questions you’ll be asked. Thinking about them in advance can greatly improve your performance. Consider the possible follow-up questions below.

Tell me about a conflict you faced at work

Where do you see yourself in five years?

How do you like to be managed?

How would your friends describe you?

How did you hear about this position?

Why should we hire you?

What are examples of qualities of success in your career?

Some examples of qualities of success include:

Willingness to learn

Effective communication

What are some elements of success?

The main elements of success are clarity of purpose, a growth mindset, and courage. Without purpose, it’s hard to have any direction which is why it’s important to know what your purpose is. Growth is another mindset that can help you overcome obstacles that you may face.

Courage is also needed to take risks and face new challenges. Without courage, it’s hard to take a leap of faith and face a new challenge.

University of Colorado Boulder – Defining your success

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Sky Ariella is a professional freelance writer, originally from New York. She has been featured on websites and online magazines covering topics in career, travel, and lifestyle. She received her BA in psychology from Hunter College.

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• How Do You Define Success

Success Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on success.

Success Essay- In today’s world everyone wants to be successful but what is a success. The perspective of success varies from person to person. For the record, the people before us have a different view on success and the person after us will have a different view on success.

Moreover, people compare different people performance to evaluate their success. But success is not something that you can copy from others. You have to make your own path to achieving success. In modern-day, people are obsessed with success because of the glamour and lifestyle of successful people .

What formulates a person successful?

There are many ways in the world to be successful. But most people think of celebrities, artist, politicians, and businessmen whenever they heard the word success.

Moreover, they think doing what they will make you successful but that not the case. They forget the most basic thing that makes a person successful that is their hard work, dedication, and the desire to achieve their dream. More importantly, they what they like to do not what that others told them to do. Successful people do what they like to do also they do what they feel correct for their business.

If you look in the dictionary for the meaning of the word success then you will find that it means the achievement of one’s goal or aim . So, basically, anyone can achieve success by simply achieving their aim or goal.

What is the harm of success?

We all knew that we can’t achieve something without sacrificing something. Success also demands various things from you. But these sacrifices will not go in vain if you achieve your goal.

Certainly, many people achieve professional success but in doing so they fail in achieving mental, social and physical success. The tension of lacking behind in other things pulls them apart.

Also, there are cases where people became so obsessed with success that the people around them start to feel uncomfortable around them. In some cases, they have gone mad. Apart from that, people also get depressed if they can’t achieve success like others. So, we can say that there is much harm to success.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Success and hard work

It may sound unfit to some peoples but success depends a lot of hard work. Without it, you can’t become successful. Hard work does not mean that you do laborious work or the work that make you sweat. Hard work means having a healthy body, strong mind, willpower and positive attitude towards things. And for all those things you need energy. So, be attentive to your body and soul.

Besides, do not just work on your program, push your limit, take charge of other things, improve your skills and most importantly keep learning. Apart from that, be with positive peoples, develop positive habits, and do exercise not only for the body but also for your mind.

To sum it up, we can say that success is like a seed that needs a balanced proportion of all the elements of life. And no one can achieve success in a day they have to go through and face different conditions in life for being successful. Above all, success is the feeling of fulfillment that you feel when you achieve your goal.

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