Does success have a timeline? Do you ever feel discouraged with your lack of progress – whether at school or sports? I spoke with a few students who expressed deep frustration and wished they should've achieved more or even wished they'd chosen a different field of study. Because their definitions of success seemed to be influenced by family and friends, they were fighting endless battles.
The question to ask should be “Am I reaching my potential?” This brings an honest assessment of how you define your personal success and then finding your path to get there. Recognize that you have a substantial control over your own success. Start by assessing your current strengths and weaknesses. Then learn what you truly enjoy doing. A student of mine was admitted to a national university with a strong biochemistry major. One year into the program, he was miserable and not thriving at his studies. An honest reflection made him realized that while he was strong in Chemistry, he didn’t enjoy his Biology classes. Was he wrong to change his major?
Absolutely not! It took courage for him to confront what areas he was lacking and to be receptive to input from a wide variety of people. The last time I spoke with him, he was in the pharmacy program and loved it. I am impressed by the capacity of people to change and improve once they recognize their shortcomings as well as their strengths.
There is nothing anyone can do to prevent you from reaching your potential. The challenge is - to identify your own dream, develop the game plan to get there and have the courage to reassess. Does it have a timeline? No, you set your own timeline as it reflects who you really are.