I Find Success Lies In Ones Character

I remember it like it was yesterday. It was my first semester at university and I got my first C on a paper. If I’m being very honest I thought of myself as a good student and solid writer, so a C in my MCB (molecular and cellular biology) class stung. But there was no time to waste, and I knew that.

I found myself the next day with the T.A. (teacher’s assistant) for that class during her office hours. I said simply, “I don’t understand why I got a C. I thought my paper was good.” She smiled and said, “it was good, but 30% of the class had better papers than yours.”

Oh. That made so much sense to me. So naturally I asked her to show me what I need to do to improve for next time. And we sat there for hours, going line by line, concept by concept, until I understood what I could do better next time. And I did much better next time. And the time after that, and the time after that!

This is who I am. It’s who I’ve always been. And it is only now that I can confidently stand in my conviction and know that I can spot the difference between when success is earned and when it is bought. And that difference lies in the character of the person carrying the success.

I suppose my argument isn’t one about how success should be qualified more than it is about the wisdom of knowing the difference. And that brings me peace.