What is Success?

 

New York City

October 2010 

 

Proverbs 16:3 NIV

"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed."

 

 

My biggest challenge as an English teacher is to overcome negative attitudes my students have toward my subject. Once I can eliminate those, then I can begin to teach the kids new ideas and show them how they are capable of learning these concepts, including writing a coherent paragraph. 

 

Many of my students have lost faith in themselves and their ability to succeed in English.  Even some adults I meet for the first time will freely admit their dislike for English.

 

It wasn't my favorite subject in school either, and had it not been for a wonderful teacher my senior year in high school, I wouldn't have selected it as a career. However, because I struggled with it and then learned how to succeed, I want to help others find success with English who are struggling with it.

 

I believe God put me in this field for a reason. I know I have touched many lives as a teacher that I would never have been able to touch otherwise.  One dream I had was to go into the mission field. That has been fulfilled, in a way, through teaching.

 

I tell my students they can make a difference in the world, and they can succeed in English. I am a cheerleader in many ways, not just a teacher.

 

In my own life, I turn to my family, friends and God to encourage me and help me succeed with my goals.

 

One of my favorite quotes about success is by Ralph Waldo Emerson. It is a different view of success than many people in today's celebrity-driven society possess, but it reflects what I hold dear. It is below:

 

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and to endure the betrayal of false friends. To appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded." 

 

How I define success and if I include God in my pursuit of success are key issues to consider on my life's journey.

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Lord, let my life be successful in your eyes.