Climb to the Summit - Essay Example

Yoon Tae Kim Sociology 7 July Climb to the Summit Life never stops to teaching me. Occasionally finding myself in various situations and getting new experience, I am forced to overlook the picture from my childhood, when, sitting at the school desk, I have written the composition on the topic of my plans for the future. Returning to that carefree time, I remember how easy it was to compose a list of “inevitable”, in my opinion of those days, events and achievements. Frankly speaking, I was absolutely sure that every goal, every dream, and every point, which I marked out for becoming a happy person, would be attained and represented in my real life undoubtedly. Being merely naïve kid, I thought that I would make my dreams come true without any obstacles or difficulties and any reflections about possible ways to achieve my plans. Everything seemed to me plain and easy accessible. According to my childish vision, the only thing that you should do is just to want something to come to your hands… and here it goes. But only now, having accumulated specific number of different disappointments into my pockets, I realize how wrong I was then. Success of your goal does not depend only on your desire to achieve it, but also some impediments that may appear on your way during a fight for the best results. And the most important thing is to comprehend theses obstacles, accept the possibility of their occurrence and, no matter what, find strength to follow your dreams. I believe that each of us understand the meaning of “success” differently, though the general intention to have it in own life is frequently tremendous. In my opinion, successful person is the one who defines a goal and achieves it despite all complicacies, mishaps, fallings and failures. This person should be confident in own strengths, purposeful, resolved, morally strong, sometimes courageous and always hardworking. Successful person is usually a human-being with a merit, due to his concrete acknowledgement of what he costs and deserves. First of all, I am talking about a man with a strong will, who does not afraid of difficulties and never allows himself to give up. In this respect, for me success is achieving of defined goals with a help of own strength and efforts. If a person has a specific plan and concrete ways of its implementation, only then, in case of own dedication of marked course, he is able to attain success. There are a lot of successful people all over the world, but I admire the personal history of Mark Zuckerberg, computer programmer and founder of such widely spread social network as Facebook. Not so far he was a modest student, but today he is an owner of enormous wealth and general recognition. Mark’s history had been depicted in the movie, which was released in October 2010. His whole way from fortuity of idea’s creation to its realization and obtaining of glory was revealed in this movie. This guy seems to be very purposeful person, who from the start knew what he wanted and did everything for getting it. Mark was always fond of programming, actually it was his life. He managed to define initial goals and elaborate methods to attain them. He made significant work for reaching real success. Now he has everything, but there were times when he could only dream about today’s luxury. Mark Zuckerberg showed ability to transfer fantasies into reality. I think that is the main characteristic of successful person. For being able to reach success everyone should have several features in character, which some people get by nature and others may work themselves out with an aim to obtain them later on. It is essential to realize that for a dream anyone is able to change himself. For example, if you are a shy person, you always may compel yourself to overcome your embarrassment and if you fail to do it then it means that you just do not try hard enough. It is very simple concept, but its comprehension may cost a lot, managing to bring drastic changes to your lifestyle. Apart from interior determiners, there are key inferior ones that are able to influence on the success considerably. It is breeding, education and descent. All these determinates affect the formation of personality, build human’s outlook and create specific person’s visions and perception. Hence, the right breeding gives the boundaries of permissibility and forms vital principles. Education brings intelligence, knowledge and skills. Descent in its turn provides potential opportunities, which a person may use correctly on the assumption of the quality of two categories mentioned earlier. Frequently some people supplement stated factors with additional two, such as class and race. However, there are many examples, for instance, Oprah Winfrey, who have managed to reach the highest steps of success, starting with the lowest one. It is undoubted that class creates base and ground for your future performance and actions, but it does not mean that it limits your abilities and powers. Moreover, nowadays our society is becoming more democratic, trying to be free from violence and racism. Despite that still very often people are underestimated due to their color of skin, I believe, we should abolish society’s prejudices against people with racism and judgment. It is essential to build egalitarian society and provide everyone with equal opportunities and treatment. In this respect, in case of our elimination of prejudices, such disputed factor as race will be considered less influential, defining interior determinates as major ones. Taking into account entire list of my acquaintances, I would call my best friend Chun Hei as rather successful person, despite her age, class, sex or race. She was born in a large family, received higher education, took postgraduate course and was hired to bank as an expert of foreign exchange business transactions. Chun Hei defines success as realization of own ambitions, self-sufficiency and public recognition. In general her understanding of success is similar with my vision. However, I do not position public recognition as initial. Sometimes people may not accept your achievements as meaningful ones, but if you are content and able to acknowledge and appreciate them, then you are successful person, no matter what others may think. Because there is always people who are ready to deny any success, in spite of its scale. Perhaps, for someone achievements of Barack Obama are not substantial. So judgment of attainment’s meaning is always subjective issue. Although Chun Hei has huge plans for the future, already now she shows great results at work and, consequently, may be considered as successful employee, becoming a senior economist of Currency Control Department. For reaching this position, she should overcome several difficulties that appeared on her way. First of all, Chun Hei had to pass various job interviews and tests before finding the right job. Then for specific period of time she carefully studied her job responsibilities, schedule and rules, trying to get used to the new order of day. Also she had to study a lot, acquiring new experience and skills for becoming a good specialist. In the beginning of my friend’s career, I remember how hard it was for her to get used to new collective and find understanding with coworkers. There were even times when she thought about leaving, but the power of will and desire to achieve own purposes prevented her from this temporary weakness. Sometimes in hectic period Chun Hei had problems with deadlines of financial operations or stressful situations and conflicts with clients. But she managed to overcome all impediments, which made her stronger. Only now she knows the taste of real achievement in a full way that teaches never to give up and get over any obstacle for the sake of own dreams. The professor, Harlon Dalton, in his article “Horatio Alger” criticizes the ideas about reaching a success. Dalton in his essay devoted to the lead characters of Alger’s books stated, “Nice story line. There is just one problem – it is a myth” (Dalton, “Horatio Alger”). As opposed to Alger, professor underlines the dominating role of such key determiners as pedigree, class background, race, gender, sexual orientation and national origin as influential on individual success. In addition, Dalton disclaims Alger myth that fair opportunity is offered to everyone to realize their potential. He considers false the fact that everybody is able to rise above his station on life. Dalton’s notion concerning the subjectivism of judging the success is quite similar with mine. Dalton’s described fair examples compel me to come along with professor’s notions and criticism, believing that individual success has an influence of variables. According to Dalton, “some illusions are or, at least, can be positive” (Dalton, “Horatio Alger”). In this respect, I believe it is important to go beyond Alger’s vision and comprehend the realities of current racial caste system. This will help to ensure everyone with better life, only if, in order to achieve ideal presentation of Alger’s ideas, we are able to reform the structure of economy and the allowance of public resources and provide minorities with opportunity to be upwardly mobile. In most cases I consent with Dalton’s criticism, however, fiercely believe that society should strive for Alger’s ideal, instead of giving myth a rest. Like every self-respected person, who is eager for success, I have plenty of goals for the future. One of my short-range purposes is receiving higher education with good marks. Though such obstacles as difficult courses, shortage of time for completing assignments or possible misunderstandings with professors may occur, I have to work hard and always be active, persistent and diligent for overcoming potential barriers. Furthermore, I have some long-range goals, which require more time and efforts to achieve them. Hence, one day I would like to become an entrepreneur. Also someday I would like to try myself as a teacher of mathematics. But there are some impediments that I might encounter, such as lack of knowledge, skills, finances, personal resources, connections and difficulties with government issues, tax policy and registration operations. With an aim to overcome these barriers, first of all, I will have to get required skills, elaborate specific and effective business plan, recruit professional team, and accumulate financial resources. All these tasks need a lot of time and experience that I intend to receive working in other companies. When I feel that I am ready for own business I will try to achieve my goal. Consequently, it is important to conclude that individual success depends on various determiners, some of which are given to a person from the birth. Despite that, majority of the key factors include inner abilities and features of personality, skilful implementation of which is able to bring coveted success. Works cited Dalton, Harlon. Racial Healing: Confronting the Fear between Black and Whites. New York: Doubleday, 1995. Print. Read More