What is success?

We’re often reminded that other people are finding success, not us

Watching the finals of Wimbledon and Euro 2016, it seems there’s a clear distinction between winners and losers in life. Some people are earning big money, finding fame and fortune and making the front page. So is that success?

When we think about success, we might not class ourselves in the same category as our sporting heroes, Oscar winners, or Nobel Prize winners. Do we value success because we think it’s something that only a few people can have? Changing the way we look at success can bring it a lot closer to home.

What is success and what does it mean for you?

Success can be interpreted as achieving things, like fame and wealth, but a better definition is that success is simply achieving something you have set out to achieve. Success could be getting something you want, making a change, or doing something new in life. It could be a process, not a destination. We think everyone has the potential for success, but what it looks like for each person can be very different.

What are your goals?

Thinking about what success means to you, is the first step to feeling like you’ve achieved it. Success could be something you find on a daily basis, if you set goals such as completing another paragraph on an assignment, or spending more time with your family. It could also be something that only happens occasionally, or you hope will happen if you work hard for it, like getting a promotion, or owning your own home.

How can online learning help you to reach your goals?

You might feel that your school days are long gone, but distance learning is a flexible way to study and achieve something. Online learning isn’t about going back to school, or the person you were at school. Being a mature student is all about the future and the goals you want to reach as an adult.

Leave a job you don’t like

Getting a new qualification, will give you an exit route from a role that you don’t enjoy anymore. Studying through distance learning, means that you can keep your job and keep earning. Once you’re ready, you can apply for a promotion, or a more senior role at a new company.

Start a new career path

You don’t need to stay in one field. If your career isn’t working out the way you hoped it would, there’s no reason to continue with it. No matter what age you are, you can always train for a new profession and start enjoying your job again.

Get the confidence to go back into education

Not everyone has an easy time at school. Studying needs to be something that you want to do to change your life. You don’t have to love completing assignments and test papers, but you do need the determination to give them a go.

Realise you can achieve something

As an adult, you don’t often have the opportunity to experience getting a pat on the back. Feeling great about yourself can come from proving that you can pass an exam, or write an answer that your tutor is really impressed with. Recognition feels good.

Discover what you find interesting

We’re often very different people, who enjoy different things, as we get older. What you found interesting at school, may not be what you’d like to study now. You have the opportunity to discover a new subject, or find that as an adult, you enjoy a subject you used to hate.

Be inspired to try new things

Once we get past certain milestones in life, setting new goals for ourselves can be more challenging. There’s always room to try something new, pick up a new skill, or find success in a new way. If you’re looking for your next challenge, get a qualification.

Take up a new hobby

Learning new things doesn’t have to be something that leads to a new job. Learning is fun, it opens your eyes to the world and gives you something to share with other people. Many people pursue distance learning courses to give them something to work towards in their spare time.

How do you know you have found success?

What does success feel like? It might be a sense of satisfaction, that you’ve crossed something else off your mental list, or a sense of pride, at being able to tell someone you’ve done something you didn’t think you could. Not everything we achieve in life will come with a certificate and sometimes we achieve things that only we know about. Little success stories can happen every day. Ultimately, success is whatever you want it to be.

What is success for you? Share your success story.