What is success for you? Does it have to do with grades, money, or popularity? Or do you feel successful when people around you respect you and trust your opinion? Or does success equal winning? There are approximately 7.8 billion definitions of success in the world right now because, for every single individual, it would mean something different. But Maya Angelou, an outstanding American writer and civil rights activist, managed to sum it all up in one sentence when she wrote that “success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.” You will hardly find a single person who could disagree with this axiom. However, though the task outlined by Angelou might sound like a simple one, very few people know how to achieve success and are ready to share their secrets. TED is the unique platform that unites such people around their mission to make the world a better place. We invite you to join this vibrant community of enthusiasts and learn more about the amazing success recipes that will help you unlock your potential and make the best of it.Â
4 Pillars of College Success from Freeman Hrabowski
When Freeman Hrabowski was 12 years old, he marched with Martin Luther King and was taken to jail in the aftermath of the historic event, which later became known as the Children’s Crusade in Birmingham (1963). He did this because he believed in the transformative power that education possesses and his right to let this power define his future and the future of every single child on this planet irrespective of their skin color and social background. Since then, Hrabowski has faithfully served his ideals. As president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), he turned a mediocre commuter college into the ninth most innovative university in the USA known for its focus on research, high teaching standards, and inclusive education.
In his TED-talk “4 pillars of college success in science,” Hrabowski shares four principles that helped him achieve success and make the dreams of thousands of students come true. First and foremost, students’ lives can be changed by high expectations. And here, Hrabowski is not talking about scores and grades. He believes that it is not enough to be smart and ready to learn. You have to be excited about learning and eager to ask good questions. “High expectations have to do with curiosity,” he argues. Secondly, students need to learn to work in groups, “to understand each other, to build trust among them, to support each other, to learn how to ask good questions, but also to learn how to explain concepts with clarity” and thus form a flourishing community. Third, whatever the discipline, research has to be placed into the very focus of attention because “it takes researchers to produce researchers.” Finally, there is no place for indifference at college. So, be curious and eager to learn, ask good questions, become a team player, focus on the research, and take ownership of your studies – no doubt, you will reach great heights!
If you want to find out more about this tested success recipe, listen to this illuminating TED-talk. It lasts 15 minutes, yet it is definitely worth the effort. But if you are short on time, you can always delegate some of your assignments to highly-skilled professionals from essayservice.com and spend some quality time boosting your motivation.
8 Secrets of Success from Richard St. John
The short TED bio offers a humorous and yet precise description of Richard St. John’s life achievement: “A self-described average guy who found success doing what he loved, Richard St. John spent more than a decade researching the lessons of success — and distilling them into 8 words, 3 minutes and one successful book.” Great news! You only need 3 minutes to learn the universal formula of success. Let us name the key ingredients of St. John’s recipe to get you started. To become a success story, you need to:
- be passionate about what you are doing (because “if you do it for love, the money comes anyway”);
- work hard (and yet manage to have fun!);
- focus on one thing;
- persist;
- come up with good ideas;
- be good at what you are doing;
- push yourself (or let your mother do it!);
- serve other people.
For more details, a dose of good mood, and motivation, watch this funny and insightful talk from one of the most inspiring TED-speakers ever. It is an absolute must for students all over the world!
A Millennial’s Unexpected Secret to Success from Daniela Zamudio
Millennials are only too often criticized for failing to be resilient, loyal, determined, and hardworking enough, as well as jumping from job to job. However, Daniela Zamudio, a millennial and the head of marketing and communications for Tommy Hilfiger Mexico, believes that the notorious propensity of the millennials to quit when feeling uncomfortable is a strength rather than a weakness and also an essential ingredient of the success recipe. Zamudio has developed a philosophy of “conscious quitting,” which teaches you to follow your heart but also to be ready to face the consequences of your life-changing decisions. Listen to her enthusiastic and humor-packed TED-talk to discover how quitting consciously has helped Zamudio achieve personal success and happiness.
No matter which recipe you pick, we wish you good luck on your way to achieving success and living your dream!