TV, Movies, and culture in general sometimes paints a narrow, specific image of what success is, but we know from our conversations with some of the best and brightest that success can mean vastly different things to different people.

Isabella Briganti | Fine Artist & Illustrator

Personally, I define success through how satisfied I feel with my life. It would be naive of me to say that monetary success has no influence on this, but that is only part of it. The maintenance of my relationships, how I am spending my free time, how much energy I have, my environment– these are all factors in my overall satisfaction. For a long time I equated being the “best” (whatever that means) to being successful, but I have come to realize that using that as my only metric for success is setting myself up for disappointment. There will always be someone more productive, more technically skilled, more ambitious than me, and that’s totally fine. All I can do is my best, and if I am proud of the work that I create, then that’s enough for me. It is good to have goals and ambitions, but if I am not enjoying the time that I have, then what’s the point? Read more>>

Emily Makinzie | Podcaster

Ahhhh “success”… such a fickle word. You can have a mansion, a Lambo, a bulging bank account, a huge circle of people wanting to be around you… but are you really “successful’?
As someone who has been at the top, and faltered many times, my definition has changed over the years. To me, success is when you are authentic and present. Personally, when you can look at your small life, see a few loving people who will be there through all the seasons, know that your heart and character are strong and pure, and that you’re creating something to give back, to me, that is success. Read more>>

Tim Beisiegel

This is a powerful question, to be honest. Many people measure success or define it by the tangible things in their lives. Do they have a big home or a fancy car? How many zeros are in their bank account? How many social media followers do they have? Those things can be important, but they shouldn’t be what defines you or what you consider to be successful. Over my 47 years of life, I have realized that money is essential; we can’t live our lives in modern society without it, but pursuing more money can make you just as miserable as not having enough. The fear of loss can be just as dangerous as the fear of not having enough. So, balance is the key. Read more>>