Success concepts and definitions

Howard Roark, the hero of Ayn Rand's novel the Fountainhead, won't stop short of genius or success. As an architect, he helps erect the solid yet symbolic structures of his personal ambition. His creative prowess is not appreciated by his contemporaries; he is ridiculed and professionally hindered. In spite of his inability to maintain a secure business because of these external obstacles, Roark emerges as an unequivocal success and role model for an individualist philosophy. It is his brand of self-determination and unabashed individualism that guides my personal parameters of success. I don't feel success can be defined by broad and blanket terms, and I don't feel that success depends on an ascription to cultural or social norms.

Roark's philosophy of life rests solidly on a realist foundation of individualist power and self-reliance. The ultimate hallmark of success is not the approval of others but self-approval: the ability to go to bed at night feeling satisfied and the knowledge that I have not compromised my convictions for the sake of being liked or accepted. The imposing rules of an unfriendly society encroach on Roark's creative vision for the world architecture, but he refuses to give in to pressure. Roark lives against the grain and succeeds in spite of his being thwarted by the mediocrity surrounding him; his success is measured by an internal, not external barometer.

I don't profess to be anything like Rand's rogue hero; I seem to be more human and swayed occasionally by emotions. Yet my ideals do reflect his stark and unsentimental realism. An aspiring Certified Public Accountant (CPA), I have worked hard in my life so far to pave the way for my eventual entry into the career of my choice. Completion of my accounting degree is not an option for me: it is a definite duty to myself, a reality and logical extension of my efforts. I am currently seeking to transfer to the University of Southern California as a part of this duty to myself; the transfer represents a stepping stone toward my eventual accomplishments as a professional in the field. Driven and focused, I am certain that I will add depth and integrity to the USC community, both within the classroom and in campus life.

Roark's individualism offers a blueprint for my own: each person pursues a path unique and peculiar, one that reflects specific talents and leanings. Furthermore, we build our successes from the ground up and should make sure we are proud of the foundations before installing the top floor. For example, though just starting out in academia, I have already enjoyed small successes upon which I can build such as completion of requisite coursework and participation in projects, assignments, and jobs related to my chosen profession. Working with professors and classmates toward designing an academic plan that reasonably reflects my hopes for the future, I am now ready to transfer to an academy that can better help me achieve my goals.

My definition of success includes both the unequivocal accomplishment of goals and also the preservation of personal power. We must plan according to our dreams and no one else's; while the advice of others can encourage a revision of faulty plans, my success will not be my classmate's, my parents, my friends, or even that of other accountants. Success cannot be generalized; too often the word is used as a term referring to financial independence or owning one's own company. Yet the sanitation worker who goes to bed each night with a smile on her face also connotes success in the modern world. I support a multiplicity of success, a diversity of dreams fulfilled.

My success, however, definitely includes financial independence and career recognition, but it also includes the clear conscience that comes from knowing that I did it all by and for myself, with confidence and conviction. Like Roark in Rand's book, I got where I am today due to my hard work and not hand-outs. Thus far I have not compromised my beliefs or goals to fit with prevailing norms, just as Roark would not deign to design that which disgusted him or sell out. Like Roark I listen to internal cues and heed not the call to conformity. Though others may scorn Roark and he outwardly fails at his career, Roark is an incontrovertible hero. Had he sold himself to earn a specific title or accolade or to be popular, Roark would have failed miserably.

Accounting might not be a glamorous job but I'm not after glitter and flash; those elements are not a part of my definition of success though they deserve a rightful place in someone else's life. I seek a stoic yet stimulating environment in which to practice my profession to the best of my ability. Yet to do so I will need further education and experience. At USC I intend to unwaveringly pursue my academic major with intensity, passion, and joy. Failure is not an option because I know that my career choice reflects innate talents in critical thinking and analysis.