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Whatever we set out to do in life, we always strive to do the best we can, to be successful in our endeavors. What defines success though? More importantly, who defines our success? Do we define our own success, or will history determine whether or not we were sucessful or not.

Personally, I beleive that we determine whether or not we have succeeded in life. Sure, history may say that we did a good job with something, or that we didn't do such a good job with something, but does that opinion really matter? I think that as long as we believe that we have done a good job, then we have succeeded.

Success is such a vague term though, that it can be taken in many ways. We might consider ourselves successful if we make a lot of money, or if we are the youngest person in the history of the company to make president. Others still will consider themselves successful if they leave behind a loving family, people who care about them, and the fact that whatever they did, they made some impact by doing it.

I believe the latter part is really how we define success. There will always be people who for whatever reason, will make a lot of money for starring a movie that they did nothing to help out, or get promoted because they are in with the boss. Honestly, those people will never be successful to me. Sure there is nothing that says that just because you know the boss, that you are a bad worker, but if that is the only reason you got your job, were you really a success?

Alternatively, there are people who slave at a mediocre job for years, and get no respect. When they go home though, they have a husband or wife who loves them, and a family that cares about them. They have managed to spread a little bit of love in the world, and there is nothing that can replace the feeling of being cared about by others.

I have a co-worker at my job, who has been with the company for almost thirty years. He is a middle manager, and with his skills and knowledge could have been a store manager, or a higher up within the organization. Instead, he decided to stay at our chain's smallest store, because the community loved him. He is an institution to our company, and to this particular store that we both work at. No matter what, he will always have a job, because if he ever left, the customers would riot.

Having people like you that much is a testament to the man that he is. No matter what an outsider would say about his level of performance on the job, his contributions cannot be minimized.

As I write this, I think that the true meaning of success really has come out, and illuminated itself. I beleive that success is being able to connect with others, and make a positive impact in their lives. We can have all the money in the world, but if we don't have people who love, or respect us, we truly have failed to live our lives.

Learn more about this author, Cody Hodge.
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