,,Find the courage to follow your heart and intuition. Somehow they already know what you really want to become. The rest is secondary.” Steve Jobs
Where do we start in the direction of success? What makes some people where they are? We learn another story full of essence given by Ionela….
,,Success is a complex and often subjective concept, influenced by the experiences and challenges of each of us. On the way to achieving a personal goal, we encounter obstacles and successes that shape our perspectives and values. In this essay, I will reflect on two important moments in my life: advancing to my second year in the Faculty of Engineering and purchasing a home, an experience that turned out to be more difficult than I could have imagined. Through these experiences, I learned that success is not measured by material possessions, but by inner values and lessons learned.
The first ingredient in my personal ,,recipe for success” was the motivation to pass the second year at the Faculty of Engineering, a challenge that I consider essential for my academic and professional career. Despite the academic pressure and demanding workload, I was able to manage my time efficiently and persevere. This success did not come without effort; I sacrificed many hours of rest and temporarily gave up some recreational activities to devote myself to study.
I learned an important lesson from this experience: academic success is not just about grades, but more about being able to manage stress, prioritize, and cultivate discipline. Being promoted to second year was a defining moment, where I understood that success requires patience and resilience. With this realization in mind, I gained more confidence in my own abilities and increased motivation to continue on my chosen path.
The second major experience and the second ingredient that contributed to my „recipe” for success was the purchase of a home, a dream come true but which brought with it unforeseen challenges. Initially, I thought of this house as a symbol of independence and stability, a place of my own where I could feel safe and comfortable. But, shortly after the purchase, I faced a difficult situation: following my decision to let the people I bought the apartment from live there for a while, I found that when they left, they took things and destroyed the walls.
Although the loss of material objects was frustrating, it made me reflect on the true value of things and realize that security and inner peace cannot be bought. After this unpleasant event, I learned to stop placing so much value on material things, but to focus my attention on things that bring me real fulfillment.
I realized that genuine joy comes from relationships with loved ones, from lived experiences and from personal achievements, not from the objects we own (they are repaired or replaced).
Lesson learned: True success does not depend on material things.
This experience taught me a valuable lesson and led me to redefine the concept of success. Although I was tempted at first to associate success with owning a house and possessions, I realized that true fulfillment does not come from accumulating things, but from what remains within us after they are gone. Material possessions are fleeting, but personal values, knowledge, and authentic relationships are what bring us long-term fulfillment.
In conclusion, success means more than achieving goals or accumulating material possessions. It is a continuous process of learning and inner development that helps me overcome life’s challenges and transform me. Through my sophomore year in college and the trials of home buying, I’ve learned that success is built on confidence, perseverance, and the ability to value what’s truly important.”
Thank you!
