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.
To me, being successful means...
Finding the intersection between your talent and your interests. Learning to practice self-care and self-compassion. Learning to be yourself unapologetically.
My definition of success has changed over time.
Read MoreTo me, being successful means...
Not obsessing about "being successful", what a yawner question...
My definition of success has changed over time.
Sure, why not...
To me, being successful means...
It means being happy and living your life the way you best see fit.
My definition of success has changed over time.
I used to think it meant having money and now I understand that money has nothing to do with it. If you aren’t happy then what’s the point of the money?
To me, being successful means...
Feeling fulfilled with the decisions you have made to have gotten to where you are today.
My definition of success has changed over time.
It used to be about money and title.
Attended high school in the
1990s
Overall high school experience
6/10
Grades in high school
A's and B's
Favorite subjects
English, History / Social Studies, Science
Struggled with...
Visual arts (issues with dexterity) computer science (hard to think in a linear way)
Favorite extracurricular
Community Service / Social Activism
Attended college / university at
Stanford
Majored in
Biopsychology
Post-graduate education or training
Masters of arts in general psychology
Places lived in US
California
Current occupations / past occupations
Research, caregiving, volunteer tutor
Industries I've worked in
Nonprofit
Did your education prepare you for your career or occupation?
Yes
Has your education or career/occupation trajectory ever changed? How?
In 9 years and 11 mos it will. Upon retirement I will embark unto a second career.
“Marriage. I learned compassion, understanding from multiple perspectives and forgiveness. I learned that love is a give and take.”
To me, being successful means...
contentment with life, past, present, and future.
My definition of success has changed over time.
It shifted from a superficial worldview to one that was deeper and richer.
My greatest accomplishment to date and what I’ve learned from it
Marriage. I learned compassion, understanding from multiple perspectives and forgiveness. I learned that love is a give and take.
My biggest mistake or regret so far and what I’ve learned from it
I regret not relying on my own intuition more when making decisions.
An unexpected event that significantly changed my life and how it impacted me
Trumps presidency. It seems that after that everything went downhill in politics.
Lake lagunita
To me, being successful means...
Having a positive impact on the world
To me, being successful means...
Being able to provide for myself and my family, being content in the small moments with family and friends, continually learning and growing and being able to share my talents with others.
My definition of success has changed over time.
Yes, not having completed graduate school I used to feel less than in some way when compared to my career oriented peers, but as I realized that I could keep learning and developing talents and pursuing interests on my own I have felt liberated to pursue my own life path that is meaningful to me.
To me, being successful means...
Living and loving on my own terms, within my means in the company of beloved family and friends.
My definition of success has changed over time.
My worth as a human being is no longer defined by my work, my employer, my income, my college "pedigree," or even having grown up in Palo Alto.
To me, being successful means...
being happy and confident in myself. having positive relationships with people who love me as much as I love them.
My definition of success has not changed over time.
Read MoreTo me, being successful means...
Being successful means not being afraid to try, fail and try again.
My definition of success has changed over time.
I used to associate success quantitatively. Especially growing up in a community that values high achievers, never receiving 100% or A+, I grew up constantly feeling like a failure.
To me, being successful means...
Living an authentic life where I can be myself, am appreciated for what I can contribute and where I can love and be loved.
My definition of success has changed over time.
I was concerned about how my career would afford me a certain lifestyle, based on how I was raised in affluent Palo Alto. Now I focus on how I can contribute to a mission I care deeply about and work-life balance.
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.
To me, being successful means...
being happy. In high school, I was over-competitive, overstressed, overbooked. And, I felt god awful all of the time because I just felt like I had to be the best. Now that I'm in college, I just want to do things that I'm passionate about and that make me happy. But yet, in doing that, I feel like I'm accomplishing far more than I had in high school, even though in high school I was trying much harder.
My definition of success has changed over time.
Obviously, my self-worth is no longer defined by my GPA or my college acceptances. It's refreshing.
To me, being successful means...
accepting myself as an imperfect being, feeling strong and energized in my body, and cultivating healthy, mutually respectful relationships.
My definition of success has changed over time.
It used to be more about quantity, like number of friends, amount paid, amount of influence, how well known I am. Now it's become more about the quality of my work and relationships -- noticing what nourishes me and what drains me, and making decisions about my life accordingly.
To me, being successful means...
Being able to take pride in what you've made of your life.
My definition of success has changed over time.
Although the core of my own idea of success hasn't changed, it has been a difficult and continuing struggle to keep my sense of accomplishment separate from parental expectations. You'd think at 40 it would be easier to look your parents in the eye and not be sorry for having chosen a path that doesn't involve marrying a person wealthy by inheritance or profession in order to secure a pampered and indolent life for oneself and one's offspring, but...in my experience, parents don't change. I had to build yourself the protective space I needed to keep myself from wishing I had never been born.
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.
To me, being successful means...
never giving up on oneself and learning lessons from failures as much or more than accomplishments
My definition of success has changed over time.
As a young person/adult, I thought success was measured by achievements and milestones (eg. getting a degree, securing a job, owning property, getting married, and having children). Life taught me it's not about the what that made my life fulfilling, but the who and why. The relationships and personal connections (fleeting as well as enduring) that I made helped shaped the way I viewed as well as moved in the world. Learning to savor and value the experience of my journey than impatiently focused on reaching my destination.
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.
To me, being successful means...
feeling good about who I am, about others, and about what I do.
My definition of success has changed over time.
Before, I think it meant finding a job I like.
This is a collection of anonymous life and career stories from Palo Alto alumni for everyone. They shatter the myth that there is only one path to success.
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Black and white photos on this site courtesy of Palo Alto Historical Association. All other photos taken by us. Website by us.
