Originally published November 2, 2018.

Success.

The definition of success is a tough discussion for us college students and young adults. What exactly is the true meaning of success? Who exemplify these levels of success? And, do we follow the traditional landscape that so many of our family did before us? Well, the only way we can understand just a small amount of these everyday questions is to break down what we do not know to better comprehend what we do.

There are always many examples of what success “looks like,” and who define it constantly surrounding us. Whether you’re a 23-year-old millionaire who created a mediocre social app driving Bentleys and wearing Rollies, or simply someone who as we say today, is an “influencer” on the app. Influencers come in a wide variety, but it only seems like one type is known to be the “trendiest.”

Some can be depicted as a social Instagram star looking to sell fit teas, gummy bears, and self-esteem all immersed in one enormous ass-set. In fact, more recently, a member from the Kardashian/Jenner clan may be named the first “self-made” billionaire from attributing some of these tactics. Whether you’re an influencer on the most popular media apps, or someone day-to-day struggling to make it working 40 hours a week, there are many examples of people who have defied the odds, and did the unpopular thing that many people told them not to do. You could list the common types like Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs. You can also list the uncommon people who you may deem successful just by the amount of impact they had helping you learn to find your own path. It may have been a teacher, pastor, uncle Scott, or that frenemy from high school.

From the young children that we innocently were, to the young adults that we have now come to be. No matter your religion, socioeconomic class, ethnic group, or sexual orientation. In order to be successful, our family always told us to go to college, do the stuff that makes the cash (or marry someone with it), reproduce and create a family. Well, gramps, it’s not the 1960’s anymore and I’m not sitting pretty looking for a husband to come and scoop me up.

In closing, no matter what you end up doing with your life make something out of it so it won’t be so pathetic. And yeah, I’m sure you’ll make mistakes now and again, but always remember that you are good enough. As corny as it may sound, money and clouds of STUFF don’t make you happy, only the impact in how you treat people do.