Research Blog: Making Meaning
Success is very different to everyone. Some people feel that money defines success. However one can make millions but not be happy or satisfied with the earnings. Success starts with a goal. One has to create a goal that will be a challenge but will make one feel like they accomplished something. The American Dream is an example of success. Immigrants came to America from all over the world. They came for one reason, and it was to start a new life. People worked and stressed over little profit, but was it all worth it? One cannot ignore the fact that hard work and dedication play a big role, so I ask “Why does hard work and dedication lead to success”?
Lionel Messi is one of the best soccer players in the world. He has broken record after record with his club FC Barcelona. Many people consider Messi to be the best player to ever live. However, he began in a rough path. At an early age Messi was diagnosed with a “Hormone deficiency that restricted his growth” (Messi 1). He had difficult obstacles just like every other person. In addition, Messi and his family had difficult sacrifices that had to be made. Messi’s family could not afford any medications. Nevertheless, there was an offer that he could not resist. The club FC Barcelona offered Messi and his family paid medications if he would attend their soccer youth academy. Therefore, “Messi's family picked up and moved across the Atlantic to make a new home in Spain” (Messi 2).
This story is an inspiration to millions of people over the world. It shows how someone can make something out of nothing. In the end, Messi shows true passion and is the definition of hard work. It is mesmerizing to watch him play. He is truly a perfect example of success. He has worked his whole life to live his dream. This story ties to the main question which is “Why does hard work and dedication lead to success? Messi serves as an example of my definition of success. He fought through doubts and he made himself present. Since a small boy, he had big ambitions that led him to success. His joy has brought millions of people joy including myself. This shows importance and adds support to my question.
The article Does Hard Work Equal Success mentions how people can become stressed and drained with too much work. Yes, there should be a limit to how much work one puts in. However, “if you want to be successful, you still need to work – it’s just a different kind of work. Less forced” (Success 1). Many people want to become rich, and that is their definition of success. Why does money have so much control over us? The author of the article mentioned a life quote saying: “I believe life is an experiment, not to be won or lost, but just to be played” (Success 2). This article leaves the reader with a dozen questions. He makes the audience believe that success comes from the inside. Only we can know what we desire.
This article allows me to view how too much of a good thing can be harmful. It tells me how working hard is still essential, but one just needs to take it slow from time to time. Whenever stress or depression starts to come along, that is the right time to set priorities straight. Of course dedication will always play a key role, and this article allows me to view how dedication should be because you have a passion and not an obsession for money. It gives me an overview of what true passion is. Success is all the way on top, but one has to take it step by step. People cannot just go from young to old. One has to work the way up the ladder.
The article The True Meaning of Success says everyone has their own definition of success. Some people think “success means achieving a goal. In order to achieve a goal, a person usually has to work hard and believe in himself” (Meaning 1). If someone achieves a goal, then it suddenly becomes a lot easier to move forward. However, there are other people who believe that success comes from being the best at something. There is an example with any sport that says “In sports, you do not simply want to be good, you want to be the best and make first place or achieve a new world record” (Meaning 2). It all depends on the type of characteristics the person carries. Sometimes people want success for the wrong reasons and it ends up turning the tables on him or her. Success is a mystery. One can only know the key to success once they have been through it all.
Cristiano Ronaldo is another example of success. Along with Lionel Messi, these two players have become the most dominant forces in quite a while. Early in his life, Ronaldo became showered with numerous issues. He “grew up in a largely working class neighborhood, his home a small tin roofed shack that overlooked the ocean. His early life was shaped by hardship - after his father death in 2005” (Ronaldo Best 3). As young boy, he had big ambitions that led him to his goals. He knew his goals and he knew the steps that would lead him to success. Ronaldo does not have a secret to his success because he is just a hard worker who never gives in. “Love and passion in what you are doing will keep you going. Never give up. Find a mentor. This will speed up the process of learning” (Secret Success 4). Ronaldo’s mindset is mesmerizing because he never let obstacles get in the way. He is not very loved by people, but he is respected for the gift he has brought to the soccer community.
Money does not always equal success. People who have bigger salaries are happier because of the success. The article Can Money Buy Happiness mentions how money is just sometimes a perk of being a successful person. This article goes on talking about how people are more content because of the challenges and rigors that their careers carry. In addition, it mentions how happy people are usually more productive because of the satisfaction. In the end, money cannot buy happiness. Happiness comes from the passion and desire one carries. These characteristics are what make one get out of bed in the morning. Money cannot make decisions for people. It can definitely have an influence in people, but success is not always money.
In the article The Secret of Success in Life, it supports my argument because it talks about the factors of success in life. It mentions “success is the ability of individuals to reach their own goals and achieve their own purposes” (Secret of Success in Life 1). This is a close approximation of what I believe success means to me. This article showed me how I have to work hard to achieve my goals. I have to stick with passion and money because at that the end of the day passion is what drives me to act upon myself.
In conclusion, these sources bring out the characteristics that lead to success. They help me define success, and they give me an example that I can look forward to. The sources answer some of my minor questions that will lead to my big question. In the end, money plays a big role in depending on what career one has, but it never defines how successful one has been. In other words, one sets their own goal. As they climb the ladder, they will encounter numerous challenges. However, it is not success until they reach the top.
Works Cited
A E Networks, . N.p.. Web. 13 Feb 2014. <http://www.biography.com/people/lionel-messi-555732>.
"Does Hard Work Equal Success, Or Is There Another Way? " Under30CEO. N.p.. Web. 13 Feb 2014. <http://under30ceo.com/hard- work-equal-success-another-way/>.
Horton, Jennifer. "Can Money Buy Happiness?" HowStuffWorks. HowStuffWorks.com, 02 June 2009. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/can-money-buy-happiness1.htm
"Mindset Champions." Mindset Champions. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2014.
http://www.mindsetchampions.com/cristiano-ronaldo-secret-of-success/
Neuman,Fredric. "TheSecretofSuccess in Life." Psychology Today: Health, Help, Happiness + Find aTherapist.Fredric Neuman, 06 Oct. 2013. Web. 17 Apr. 2014. http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/fighting-fear/201310/the-secret-success-in-life
"Ronaldo Best." Biography of Ronaldo, Best Life Story for CR7. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2014.http://www.ronaldobest.com/bio.php
"The True Meaning of Success." WindmillsProgramme. N.p.. Web. 13 Feb 2014. <http://www.windmillsprogramme.com/the-true- meaning-of-success/>.
Lionel Messi is one of the best soccer players in the world. He has broken record after record with his club FC Barcelona. Many people consider Messi to be the best player to ever live. However, he began in a rough path. At an early age Messi was diagnosed with a “Hormone deficiency that restricted his growth” (Messi 1). He had difficult obstacles just like every other person. In addition, Messi and his family had difficult sacrifices that had to be made. Messi’s family could not afford any medications. Nevertheless, there was an offer that he could not resist. The club FC Barcelona offered Messi and his family paid medications if he would attend their soccer youth academy. Therefore, “Messi's family picked up and moved across the Atlantic to make a new home in Spain” (Messi 2).
This story is an inspiration to millions of people over the world. It shows how someone can make something out of nothing. In the end, Messi shows true passion and is the definition of hard work. It is mesmerizing to watch him play. He is truly a perfect example of success. He has worked his whole life to live his dream. This story ties to the main question which is “Why does hard work and dedication lead to success? Messi serves as an example of my definition of success. He fought through doubts and he made himself present. Since a small boy, he had big ambitions that led him to success. His joy has brought millions of people joy including myself. This shows importance and adds support to my question.
The article Does Hard Work Equal Success mentions how people can become stressed and drained with too much work. Yes, there should be a limit to how much work one puts in. However, “if you want to be successful, you still need to work – it’s just a different kind of work. Less forced” (Success 1). Many people want to become rich, and that is their definition of success. Why does money have so much control over us? The author of the article mentioned a life quote saying: “I believe life is an experiment, not to be won or lost, but just to be played” (Success 2). This article leaves the reader with a dozen questions. He makes the audience believe that success comes from the inside. Only we can know what we desire.
This article allows me to view how too much of a good thing can be harmful. It tells me how working hard is still essential, but one just needs to take it slow from time to time. Whenever stress or depression starts to come along, that is the right time to set priorities straight. Of course dedication will always play a key role, and this article allows me to view how dedication should be because you have a passion and not an obsession for money. It gives me an overview of what true passion is. Success is all the way on top, but one has to take it step by step. People cannot just go from young to old. One has to work the way up the ladder.
The article The True Meaning of Success says everyone has their own definition of success. Some people think “success means achieving a goal. In order to achieve a goal, a person usually has to work hard and believe in himself” (Meaning 1). If someone achieves a goal, then it suddenly becomes a lot easier to move forward. However, there are other people who believe that success comes from being the best at something. There is an example with any sport that says “In sports, you do not simply want to be good, you want to be the best and make first place or achieve a new world record” (Meaning 2). It all depends on the type of characteristics the person carries. Sometimes people want success for the wrong reasons and it ends up turning the tables on him or her. Success is a mystery. One can only know the key to success once they have been through it all.
Cristiano Ronaldo is another example of success. Along with Lionel Messi, these two players have become the most dominant forces in quite a while. Early in his life, Ronaldo became showered with numerous issues. He “grew up in a largely working class neighborhood, his home a small tin roofed shack that overlooked the ocean. His early life was shaped by hardship - after his father death in 2005” (Ronaldo Best 3). As young boy, he had big ambitions that led him to his goals. He knew his goals and he knew the steps that would lead him to success. Ronaldo does not have a secret to his success because he is just a hard worker who never gives in. “Love and passion in what you are doing will keep you going. Never give up. Find a mentor. This will speed up the process of learning” (Secret Success 4). Ronaldo’s mindset is mesmerizing because he never let obstacles get in the way. He is not very loved by people, but he is respected for the gift he has brought to the soccer community.
Money does not always equal success. People who have bigger salaries are happier because of the success. The article Can Money Buy Happiness mentions how money is just sometimes a perk of being a successful person. This article goes on talking about how people are more content because of the challenges and rigors that their careers carry. In addition, it mentions how happy people are usually more productive because of the satisfaction. In the end, money cannot buy happiness. Happiness comes from the passion and desire one carries. These characteristics are what make one get out of bed in the morning. Money cannot make decisions for people. It can definitely have an influence in people, but success is not always money.
In the article The Secret of Success in Life, it supports my argument because it talks about the factors of success in life. It mentions “success is the ability of individuals to reach their own goals and achieve their own purposes” (Secret of Success in Life 1). This is a close approximation of what I believe success means to me. This article showed me how I have to work hard to achieve my goals. I have to stick with passion and money because at that the end of the day passion is what drives me to act upon myself.
In conclusion, these sources bring out the characteristics that lead to success. They help me define success, and they give me an example that I can look forward to. The sources answer some of my minor questions that will lead to my big question. In the end, money plays a big role in depending on what career one has, but it never defines how successful one has been. In other words, one sets their own goal. As they climb the ladder, they will encounter numerous challenges. However, it is not success until they reach the top.
Works Cited
A E Networks, . N.p.. Web. 13 Feb 2014. <http://www.biography.com/people/lionel-messi-555732>.
"Does Hard Work Equal Success, Or Is There Another Way? " Under30CEO. N.p.. Web. 13 Feb 2014. <http://under30ceo.com/hard- work-equal-success-another-way/>.
Horton, Jennifer. "Can Money Buy Happiness?" HowStuffWorks. HowStuffWorks.com, 02 June 2009. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/can-money-buy-happiness1.htm
"Mindset Champions." Mindset Champions. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2014.
http://www.mindsetchampions.com/cristiano-ronaldo-secret-of-success/
Neuman,Fredric. "TheSecretofSuccess in Life." Psychology Today: Health, Help, Happiness + Find aTherapist.Fredric Neuman, 06 Oct. 2013. Web. 17 Apr. 2014. http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/fighting-fear/201310/the-secret-success-in-life
"Ronaldo Best." Biography of Ronaldo, Best Life Story for CR7. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2014.http://www.ronaldobest.com/bio.php
"The True Meaning of Success." WindmillsProgramme. N.p.. Web. 13 Feb 2014. <http://www.windmillsprogramme.com/the-true- meaning-of-success/>.