Tonight I was feeling more of a question to no body in particular. I dont have the answers to these questions and I dont pretend to be even close to finding out.
What is success? I was wondering that today while I was chasing papers in the wind, trying to register high school soccer players for the irvine ID camp. What is my definition of success? Ive defined it in terms of a soccer season: a championship. Ive defined it in terms of a class in school: an A. I have even determined what success is in terms of an ideal day. But what is the real definition? What is life success?
In Psychology we learned that the definition of success was self-actualization. Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a theory proposed by Abraham Maslow in his 1943 paper A Theory of Human Motivation. At the bottom of the pyramid is physiological needs. A person must first meet their basic needs for food, water, oxygen, etc before they can move on to the second level which is his or her safety needs. Safety goes beyond that of the body and includes monetary well being and family security. Level three delves a little deeper into the needs of a human being and lists friendship, family and sexual intimacy as neccessary to life success. At the level that is second from the top in this pyramid, Maslow lists esteem. Self-esteem, confidence, and respect bring a person right up to the brink of success. But the final triangle at the top of the pyramid is the most esoteric. Self-actualization is considered complete success. Spontaneity, creativity, morality, problem solving and lack of prejudice are just some of the qualities that Maslow lists for a self-actualized person. A successful person.
Now that I have learned all that psychology and listed it all for your understanding, I will admit that in no way helps me to understand what success really consists of. How do I know if I will be successful in my life?
I am on the path to my success. Each turn we take defines the success we have. I just wish there was MapQuest or a GPS or something, I guess.
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