“Don't aim at success. The more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side effect of one's personal dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by-product of one's surrender to a person other than oneself. Happiness must happen, and the same holds for success: you have to let it happen by not caring about it. I want you to listen to what your conscience commands you to do and go on to carry it out to the best of your knowledge. Then you will live to see that in the long-run—in the long-run, I say!—success will follow you precisely because you had forgotten to think about it”
― Viktor E. Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning
I am an educator and a family person. I believe that learning is beyond theories and concepts so come and join me in this collective effort of touching hearts and transforming lives. I would like the world to be aware of the thoughts of my students for each one of us has a voice and a story to be heard. With the advent of technology, the world and the echoes of our voices are limitless and without bounds so let us do our share in positively creating a change and impacting the world.
I was greatly struck with this quote because it reminded me of so many things. I look forward to things ahead of me and one of that is the success in the end of the journey. Frankl has opened my mind into a wider perspective of not limiting to success alone but in happiness and fulfillment that I gain in my doings. I can greatly apply that in my personal life.
ReplyDeleteToday, I am a student, like a sponge, absorbing all the things our professors would share to us. But why pressure ourselves to get that perfect score? Yes, this student life we have may be pressuring (quizzes, requirements, projects, assignments) but I believe that the world of work is much greater than what we experience now.
That is one learning I gained in college. Success is not defined by the achievements. It is defined with how happy you have become. Actually, I learned one trick as a college student and I hope to share it with my colleagues. I don't get scores because I memorize a lot. It's not because I am familiar with the technicalities of the subject. It IS because I learned how to naturally LEARN. I grasp and embrace the concepts eagerly, just as how a child yearns for a mother. I don't pressure myself in saying "I HAVE to understand this because there will be a quiz next meeting! I HAVE to pass that quiz! I HAVE to memorize all the things included in the lesson." Rather, I learned to listen to my professor and go with the natural process of learning without any grade or achievement in mind. (but of course, we all have to pass, but that too 'facade' for me )
I learned how to be happy with how I learn. I learned to be passionate with what I do. Frankl stated, "Happiness must happen, and the same holds for success: you have to let it happen by not caring about it." And for me, today, I am happy. Not because of recognition, but because I am able to apply my learning into everyday life. There is significance in the knowledge I acquired. I value education and an advocate of such, that this platform truly bridges you to happiness with success at the end. In a nutshell, I learned to find my happiness first, "learning from my mentors", with folded hands of prayer for more happiness in the long run.
-Bernadeth Perez, 08-17-2013