Success; the accomplishment of an aim or purpose. It comes from achievements in our lives and the work we put to get the result we’ve been begging for. Many see success as only being attainable through certain jobs or classes one may take. Yet success doesn't just stem from one's career choice, it comes from the hard work someone puts in and their determination towards the goal they desire. Hard work and determination are the keys to success.
From the day we start school, to the days of college, up until the day we are old enough to support ourselves, we have all been told to reach for the stars and to look towards the future rather than the past. The only way we will be able to look beyond places we can't see is through hard work. To work hard one must be determined. Chad MacDonald, Founder and executive chairman of Connected Services LLC once said, “Achieving success is about having the determination and perseverance to face adversity and continue to work harder than others are willing to, to reap rewards that others never will.” Everyday a challenge comes our way, the only thing that sets us apart from everyone else is how we choose to take up that roadblock. Our determination is what cracks it and our hard work is what pulls us over the challenge that is now behind us.
What if our hard work leads us to dead ends? What if we just don't feel as determined as we used to be? We get up and try again. An article written by the Pew Research Center pewresearch.org goes over the statistics of what Americans believe success does and does not come from, ¨Fifty-seven percent of Americans disagree with the statement, Success in life is pretty much determined by forces outside our control, a considerably higher percentage than the global median of 38%. Similarly, Americans place an especially strong emphasis on the value of hard work – 73% think it is very important to work hard in order to get ahead in life, compared with a global median of 50%.¨ Hard work is the core step to reach for the things unseen. Determination fuels our actions and the work we put in backs it up. Without motivations, without goals, new ideas, challenges, plans for bigger things, without determination and hard work, we wouldn't get to see the impossible. That is why determination and hard work are crucial to success, but are they enough?
No, we may work hard and our determination may drive us, yet those who work hard can still end up at the bottom. Some may be handed success right when they are born. Depending on what someone views success to be, hard work and determination may be enough. But, there are more factors involved. A Key factor to someone's success may be their passion, another person's success may rely on the quality of their work rather than the effort. Success is achieved through many things, passion, quality, hard work, determination, desires, etc. and all of these work together rather than apart.
To continue stepping forward and growing, not only are those mental factors involved, but homelife and socioeconomic circumstances affect an individuals likelihood of success. Now, especially during a pandemic, many teenagers are faced with challenges from their home environment. One challenge one may face at home is parent encouragement. A study by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company found that nearly all students (97%) who earned mostly A's and B's on their report cards reported that their parents encouraged them to do well in school. Among students who earned mostly C's, nearly half (49%) said they received little parental encouragement. The way parents interact with their children can affect them deeply which can also affect their success. This, along with children who live in homes with two parents compared to one, can determine how much effort children put towards their learning and school as a whole. Poverty is another key roadblock that hinders youth’s success rates. About 15 million children in the United States – 21% of all children – live in families with incomes below the federal poverty threshold, a measurement that has been shown to underestimate the needs of families. Low income affects the opportunities someone is able to discover, the resources they have (computers, internet access, textbooks), and the living environment. Resources like these contribute to success. Rather than relying solely on hard work or determination, we have to take in our living arrangements and incomes, things that simply passion cannot change.
The truth is, success is made of different circumstances, each thing as important than the other. Alone, hard work and determination aren't enough. Combining all our thoughts, motivations, living arrangements, financial stability, and yes hard work fueled by determination is what makes it enough for success to become a reality to us.
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