The Meaning of Success
Written by Katherine, Guest Blogger Saturday, 13 March 2010 02:49
This month’s book selection is Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. The primary theme of the book is success. In this book he challenges the myth of the self made man and the instant genius. He shows how the raw materials of IQ alone are not the determination of success but only a contributing factor. Success is not a solo endeavor but actually involves the participation of others. It also requires a bit of opportunity, hard work and practice.
I think about the successful people around me and can say that formula appears to be true. What the book does not address is happiness. Are these successful people happy with their place at the top?
To me there does need to be a balance. I always felt a bit sorry for the prodigies that worked and practiced and followed their passion to an almost driven degree that they neglected to have some normalcy and balance in their lives.
At the age of 20 I still did not really know who I was or what I wanted to be. I did not really have any long term goals that were set in stone. I would say that I was open to the opportunities that presented themselves and I was also open to change them if they did not work out. I tried working in an office, banking, I went to paralegal school and worked in a legal department and for the District Attorney’s office for a short time. In the end it turned out teaching appeared to be my “calling”.
I had a degree in education that I was not ready to use and did not imagine that career for myself upon graduation. It is funny how sometimes the thing you say you are not going to do turns out to be the thing you were meant to do. A very good friend of mine kept bugging me about teaching. She knew I was restless in my job at the bank and was looking for a plan B.
I applied for a grant and was accepted into a program to get graduate hours in the area of ESL (English as a Second Language). I began teaching in an inner city school which was serendipitous as it taught me everything I needed to know about class discipline and management. I was given a tough assignment for my first three years that I dearly loved. The ESL degree came into play when I met a principal in one of my literature classes who wanted me to teach at her school. I applied for a transfer and she pulled strings to get me there. That year no transfers were being granted and many of my co-teachers wanted to know how that happened. This is where preparation and luck joined forces! The four years I was at this school for children whose first language was not English was amazing. All of the staff was so professional and the kids were fantastic. Classroom sizes were small and the principal allowed the teachers to use an innovative curriculum.
On the 4th year as a teacher at this school my principal was asked to open a new school further away. I decided at that point to take a position at a Jr. High School close to where I lived to teach reading. This also was a new experience but a great one. Again I had a wonderful principal who provided me so many opportunities to grow as a professional. After 4 years teaching Middle School Reading and Social Studies an opportunity to teach visually impaired children was brought to my attention by a close friend of mine. I applied to the program and was accepted. I did not have a Special Education background so was excited that I was admitted into the program. This was a state funded program that paid for all of my classes as well as a Masters Degree in Special Education. With the first few classes taken I found a great job and mentors to help me along in my new career as a consultant and teacher of the visually impaired. This is my 10th year in this field. I never would have imagined that this is the path my life was going to take.
I still do not have any long term goals in mind. I love my job because it is a challenge and requires constant research and study. The kids are great and the professionals I work with are inspiring and supportive.
Do I consider my life to be successful? I would answer yes. I do not consider myself an outlier or a trail blazer. I will leave that up to others. I do not seek to climb the corporate ladder or take any particular leadership role. I am content to be the best teacher that I can be. I am content to have a wonderful husband and a few close friends. I am not rich nor am I poor. I do not care to work myself to death to obtain more money. For me money does not equal success.
I think of the people who stand out in my little part of the world. I judge success by a different meter than perhaps Mr. Gladwell does in his book. I look at success as those that are happy with their choices and if not make changes to pursuit their own happiness.
While I admire the examples such as Bill Gates, The Beatles, Mozart….I also look at those who are excellent in their own rite. I hope some of you will read this month’s book selection Outliers and join in the discussion on goodreads. For information on how to join TCFL book club follow the link below. Hope to see you there!
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