Success Must Bestow Humility.. free essay sample

True Definition Of Success Throughout our lives, we all work in order to someday have a job, family and ultimately be successful in life. But what truly defines the meaning of success? One meaning of success is the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors (dictionary. com). Although one can be successful by accomplishing his or her goals, true success is attained when one can bring about achievement and prosperity in others as well. In today’s society, we see too many people consumed by idea of success that they single themselves out from the rest of the world. Too many of us view others as a potential barrier to their path to success. In today’s world, this selfish environment can be seen in both school and sports. In the past year, I had been having a tough time with my Calculus class. My lack of problem solving had showed in my previous exams. We will write a custom essay sample on Success Must Bestow Humility.. or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It was the middle of December, the peak time for midterms, when I was at the library, gritting away on a tough problem. I had spent at least an hour on this problem and still couldn’t figure out how to solve it. My exam was on the subsequent day and all I needed was some help. It was too late to go to office hours, so I decided to get help from a close friend of mine. Jake had helped me many times in the past and was also nicknamed the â€Å"math wizard†. We had been good friends since high school and I could always rely on him. I walked casually towards him and asked for his help on the problem. Jake, however, refused without any hesitation. â€Å"Shantanu, this class based on curve and the more people I help the worse it is for me†, he replied without making any eye contact. I was in utter shock. I stood beside him for a moment trying to soak in what he had just said. Soon, I went back to my book thinking. Jake was ready to give up a friendship for a grade. His addiction with getting good grades was in turn hurting both of us. Not only had a lost a lot of respect for him, I was astounded that he was once my friend. His concern that helping me will therefore raise the curve and hurt him in the long run was absolutely ridiculous. Jake’s infatuation with the idea of becoming successful had caught up to him. Although he still might do well on the test, at the end of the day he had a lost a good friend. This idea of the individual against the world is often displayed in personalities of people like Jake. However, their obsession with becoming successful in the end can only create a parasitic environment rather than a mutual one. The same attitude can also be viewed on basketball courts and football fields. It is often frustrating to turn on ESPN and watch Terrell Owens complaining about not getting enough touches on the ball rather than the sake of its team’s overall loss or even watching players such as Kobe complain about his team’s performance when he takes over thirty shots a game. Players like Kobe and Owens are the reason for the tension in the locker room which in due course leads to the fall of the team. Although, both Owens and Kobe are great at what they do, their obsession with individual success causes problems both the team and coaches. Many times we will see Kobe get over thirty points but its team would still lose. Even though Kobe had a terrific performance, in the end he was still a loser. Coaches are upset because he’s not sharing the ball enough and focusing too much on his own game. It’s clearly apparent that both Kobe is only concerned with how many points he scores rather than the team’s victory. Some people may still call his career a success, but his selfish behavior and inability to trust his teammates brings down his character. The true definition of success is defined in Michael Jordan, who won championship after championship by making others around him better. He was not only the superstar of the Chicago Bulls but also the leader. His teammates trusted with the ball and knew that he would make the right decision. Jordan has not only put himself in the basketball hall of fame but also his teammates as well. Players like Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman owe their booming basketball career to Jordan. Jordan’s unselfish attitude on and off the court made everyone around him winners as well. It is apparent that Jordan characterizes success. His selfless character made the Chicago Bulls a true team, hence winning them many championships. Jordan truly embodied success during his basketball career, unlike Kobe and Owens. As people often work in teams in their respective workplaces, they must possess the ability to work effectively with others. Teams functioning in a cooperative environment generally outdo individuals in terms of performance. Plus, working on a team provides its individual members with senses of belonging and personal achievement along with enhanced skillsets and greater motivation to perform. Good teamwork releases group synergy so that the combined effect of individual contributions far exceeds the sum of their individual effects. There is mutual accountability and togetherness amongst members of a well-knit team. Jordan praises himself on winning consecutive championships rather than winning MVP of the league or the Defensive Player of the year award. The basic premise here is that individual contributions cannot be as good as all of us working together in a team. As shown above, this selfish ambiance is present in both the academic and sports world. There are many people like Kobe, Owens and Jake in today’s society. Their mind is set on becoming the best while leaving others behind. They will learn from others and refuse to share their knowledge with others. These people view each person as a possible predator out to get them. Their constant insecurity is their biggest weakness which therefore causes them not to trust anyone. Upon understanding the benefit they receive by helping others, only then will they realize the true power of success. They will not only grow as students or athletes but as human beings as well. Such behavior can cause a dramatic loss to society as a whole. Upon truly understanding the meaning of success by helping others, only will our society be able to benefit the world and make it a better place to live in.