Enjoy yourself, it's never too late.

To me, being successful means...
The ability and means to share experiences with my loved ones and the confidence to make myself vulnerable enough to constantly expand that group.

My definition of success has changed over time. 
I stopped assuming that success for me was what it meant to others. 

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Small school in NY, Military, Georgia, Hawaii, New York

To me, being successful means...
fulfilling my purpose in life

My definition of success has changed over time. 
Success used to be much more achievement based. I would be "successful" when I checked certain boxes, but realized that's so empty.

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NYU, University researcher, New York

To me, being successful means...
Not settling for what is “automatic/expected/the norm” but actively participating in shaping your outcome and the outcome of your work.

My definition of success has changed over time. 
I just assumed that I would continue on the track I was on and gain success that way, and even though I have I am not satisfied with the environment or how I arrived at the decision, so I am changing it.

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A winding path from STEM to the arts

To me, being successful means...
spending my time bringing joy, health, reflection, and peace to myself and those around me.

My definition of success has changed over time. 
I used to think being successful meant becoming the top of whatever field I chose, and it wasn’t enough unless I became famous and rich. And I only ever thought about it in a career-context, not about love, family, community or anything else.

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Immigrant neuroscientist goes from bakery to farm to grad school

To me, being successful means...
creating an intentional community of people who support each other, growing into relationships in every way. It is truly not about your own success.

My definition of success has changed over time. 
I slowly learned that it's not about the popularity, the brand, the namesake...

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Santa Barbara, Engineer and Parent, California and Colorado

To me, being successful means...
Having a positive impact on the world that will live beyond you. And earning enough for family to be comfortable and have fun. 

My definition of success has changed over time. 
Focus has shifted from monetary success to impact on others. But, most who say money matters less probably have plenty.

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From Blah to Badass: One Woman's Journey to Grab Life By the Balls

To me, being successful means...
Pursuing a life that makes me happy. Having balance with my work life, social life, and relationship with myself. Being able to afford my independence.

My definition of success has changed over time. 
I used to think success was based on more tangible identifiers. Such as my degree, my car, my job status, whether I was still asking my mom for money. Now I look at it in a broader more wholistic lens.

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Project Manager, DePaul, Illinois and Germany

To me, being successful means...
Being happy with yourself and seeing as much as the world has to offer as possible.

My definition of success has changed over time. 
I used to think money and status was the most important thing. I realized rich and powerful people were still unhappy with themselves.

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Hoping my journey to be a part of change has mattered

To me, being successful means...
Getting to a place in your life when you offer advice and opinions without looking around the room for confirmation that you gave the right answer.

My definition of success has changed over time. 
Not about money or position but about a confidence that you know you are now the grown up in the room.

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Stanford, now Law School, California

To me, being successful means...
Engaging in work that is meaningful to you; work that you feel makes a positive impact on others. 

My definition of success has changed over time. 
I used to think my work or position as a "successful person" could only be so if there was a tangibly measurable output.

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From Close to Open Minded

To me, being successful means...
Doing what you love and making a difference in the world.

My definition of success has changed over time. 
When I first entered high school, I visualized success as a formula: You had to receive excellent grades on your transcript, participate in a plethora of extracurricular activities that proved to be meaningless over time, be athletic and play sports, be involved with music and instruments, and still maintain a healthy social and family life. It was basically to do the impossible, and I realized that being able to juggle all of these different activities is unhealthy and negatively impacts a lot of people around you. Biting off more than you can chew does not make you look cool or capable, it just makes you look stupid. I learned to cut back unnecessary commitments and activities, and to indulge in the ones that I loved rather than the ones that I felt obligated to do.

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UC San Diego, Scientist and Nurse, California

To me, being successful means...
having strong, positive relationships in my life, being a good role model for my kids, having a strong sense of who I am and what matters to me.

My definition of success has changed over time. 
I think when I was younger, it was more financially based and/or making some discovery of major impact on the world 

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Gertrude Stein - This joy you feel is life!

To me, being successful means...
that I honored the gifts, opportunities, and trust I was given.

My definition of success has changed over time. 
I used to think of success as defined by a series of milestones and check marks that could be seen from the outside....now I realize it's something I feel at the end of the day and deep inside.

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What you were in high school does not define you for the rest of your life!

To me, being successful means...
Feeling fulfilled in life and doing something you enjoy, life is too short to be unhappy.

My definition of success has changed over time. 
Yes, in high school I didn't try at all I barely graduated high school with a 2.0 GPA. It wasn't until I decided that I wanted to take school seriously that I excelled. I went to community college which I thought was easier then [high school] then pursued my bachelors degree and I am currently in graduate school and I should be graduating with honors next year.

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Teaching English. Learning Thai? Riding a motor scooter?!

To me, being successful means...
Having a life that glorifies God, that shows how He is working in you and through you to help others.

My definition of success has changed over time. 
Some things that I first thought would be failures were really part of the path toward a success in helping others.

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