Defining Success

Congratulations, good job, nice work, and any other achievement based words are typical reactions to a successful  completion. The idea of success is so ambiguous  It can be desired such as losing weight, academically driven to succeed for future benefits, or can be completely unforeseeable. The latter is what I am interested more in.

For instance, losing weight and getting good grades are attainable by following predetermined methods that work such as eating nutritionally healthy foods or improving study habits. But what I find is the most interesting type of success is when there is a goal in the end but the way to obtain and complete it is completely undetermined. Look at Einstein, Edison, and many other innovative minds that changed the course of the world forever by there ideas. Now, success does not have to be on such a large of a scale, but I am picking these two fellows because there was no plan. It took a process of absorbing information, learning about yourself, trial and error, and knowing that the consequences. Consequences are the outcomes or scale of impact that it may have on yourself, another, or the world. Trial and Error. A huge catalyst in successful success. You must learn, put try your best, but experience failure to know how success really is obtained.
Again, one could argue : "Well I don't try in school but my grades are really good so I am on the Deans List". Good for you now how are you reinventing yourself, challenging yourself if you stay content. You will never know your true potential until you fail. I highlighted/bolded successful because the previous Dean's list example is one that lacks success in my eyes. Yes, they get an 'achievement for success' but how does that honestly benefit you?
Look at Lebron James. The worlds greatest basketball player (now). Multiple MVPs, All-star appearances, and many more shiny trophies sitting in his gigantic stain finished case (probably true, but don't hold me to it). His first year on the Heat, he predetermined that he would win the NBA finals which makes perfect sense to the majority of the world looking at his past accolades  I was not a believer. He has it all but he has not truly failed yet. Not necessarily that he must  do horrible to understand, it is that he needed to know how to WORK for something.  He is the BEST and even that was not good enough. He lost in the finals that year....

However, this was the BEST thing that ever happened to him. He knew TRULY how to prepare the following the next year, not just to talk about winning. Best basketball player still needed to be humbled in order to get what he wanted.

Bottom line, success is what you define it as. I think it should feel as if you deserve it because you earned, not given, that achievement. Going to the gym and working hard in the classroom are the 'earning' stages of success which are the most beneficial.