SUCCESS
Written By: Madison Greenlief
To Overcome Challenges and Persevere
overcome human tragedy will represent one of the
The Impact of Charity
greatest successes of our time and a great example of our humanity. Despite not personally knowing those affected, many people and groups donated to numerous charities in order to help out. As an example of this, a charity called GlobalGiving created a Hurricane Harvey relief fund that has since raised $5,097,443 for those living in Houston during the catastrophe (Hurricane Harvey Relief”). GlobalGiving
The evening news reports the effects of global warming and its immediate and future implications. In accordance to NASA’s research, global warming affects the formation of storms due to the increased water-vapor in the atmosphere. Since 1880, the Earth’s average temperature has increased 1.4° Fahrenheit with two-thirds of this global warming happening in the past four decades (Carlowicz). With temperature on the rise the ability of intense storms, including hurricanes, to cause severe damage increases too resulting in a large amount of casualties. 2017 ranks as the most costly year on record due to natural disasters. It caused many people who to lose their homes and many are still fighting to regain their lives after a number of these disasters. Rebuilding will take a massive amount of time, money, and even more effort. The damage costs up to $306 billion and has affected millions of individuals (Mooney and Dennis). Due to the immense cost, many people came together in order to help and during this, built strong relationships with the affected. The act of working together to
addresses the issue of home-threatening flooding and hopes to help rebuild that city from the ground up. In addition to contributions from GlobalGiving, the IRS has also offered tax relief to victims of Hurricanes Irma, Harvey, and Maria allowing citizens to use more of their money to help their families and improve their homes rather than losing those additional funds to the government (“Help for Victims”). This tax break, along with the help of numerous other individuals will lead to a successful recovery of Houston in the future. The best outcome of these tragedies comes from the relationships it has established and the people it has brought together. The immense efforts put in place to help people from anonymous donors exemplifies the best traits of humanity and may lead to lifelong friendships. Seeing these efforts and their progress inspires hope in all of us that teamwork can help overcome any obstacle. 2017 represents only a small fraction of natural disasters and yet it encompassas the true meaning of humanity: using our own generosity and resources to help those most in need. As humans, we owe it to ourselves to
explore other communities, learn about different
After identifying the ultimate goal, Tracy
cultures, and become the best versions of ourselves
recommends setting a realistic deadline. The goal
in order to one day gain the ability to help others.
and its milestones act as a subconscious form of motivation along the way to stay on track and not
The Secret to Success
lose sight of the ultimate objective. Without these steps, initial motivations may diminish in importance. In the presence of a seemingly impossible goal, Tracy encourages making smaller, easier mini-goals or milestones leading up to the larger one in order to make it more achievable. Next, Tracy advocates for creating a list of steps or milestones necessary to complete the
For generations people developed their own
ultimate goal. Doing so can provide a sense of
formulas in order to achieve success. According to
accomplishment along the path to achievement. The
research, many of these plans often did not possess
list reinforces the idea of checking on progress and
the structure to achieve the desired result. Personal
also allows for a temporary sense of pride to further
success comes from an embodiment of goal setting,
reinforce the ultimate goal. Moreover, this tactic
determination, persistence, and measurement. It
creates a clear and concise path towards the target
requires both structure and deadlines as well as
making it more accessible and easier to achieve.
motivation. Despite sounding intensive, according to
Organizing this list in order of importance
one of the top sales and personal success trainers in
helps designate which tasks to focus. Doing so allows
the world, Brian Tracy, it only takes seven steps to
for more rapid movement towards the goal in a
reach personal success.
limited amount of time. Focusing on getting the
The first step requires writing down
larger projects done first can help other parts of the
perceived goals and aspirations. This method
process move quicker while simultaneously creating
becomes even more effective when the goal setter
a “blueprint� and perceived projection of the time it
designs a method where they force themself to
will take to accomplish the goal and how to
review these goals on a daily basis. For example,
accomplish it.
placing the goals in a spot passed through often --
After all of the planning, action can then
such as in the kitchen or on a desk -- provides an
begin to take place. Specifically, Tracy recommends
easy reminder of the ultimate goal and provides a
not trying to achieve the goal immediately and even
sense of purpose as time passes.
encourages breaking it up to doing as little as one
objective per day towards the ultimate goal, no
left the state because nobody would hire a new
matter how small that task may seem.
graduate to manage others. I went into the Army
Every step counts. Whether a goal setter
where they seemed to accept my lack of experience
want to change the world or simply raise a grade in a
and told me if I’d just hold a rifle, I could manage
class, every effective goal must first start with a
their employees. After that, I went to work just like
plan. Procrastination limits success and the best way
everyone else.
to overcome procrastination comes from sitting
Over the years, I’m lucky enough to have worked
down, writing out goals, making plans, and taking
around a number of talented people that allowed me
action.
to learn and grow. From sales to business development, I’ve learned something from every
An Interview with Jeff Greenlief
person I’ve worked for or around. My best years were and still remain with when I set new company sales records. “ What made you decide you wanted to help fix failing companies? “I believed that if you joined a good company you can only go down from there; however, if you work with a bad company you can only go up. In addition
What can you tell me about yourself? “I was adopted and raised in Frankfort Kentucky by an Engineer and a housewife who later retired from state government. They also adopted another sibling a year later, Vivian, who before Aimee (my wife), was my closest friend over the years. Our parents’ marriage ended in divorce when we were teenagers. My birth parents were Irish Protestants and according to my maternal birth family, my father died in Vietnam and my birth mother she passed from colon cancer. “
to this, I loved idea of going into a company that's in trouble and working with people to turn it around and make it successful again.” What accomplishment do you take the most pride in? “I can say that I’ve positioned and closed some very big deals within my lifetime, but the most significant one I ever landed was convincing Aimee to be my wife. I saw in her an attractive, young, college graduate who valued most of the same things as me, was challenging at times and, spoke funny too. She was interested in exploring and trying new things in
What do you do workwise? “After graduating High School and attending UK, I
her life from travel or living in different places, I think we’ve lived in 6 different houses together but, besides being the most beautiful woman I ever met
inside and out, she’s given me two wonderful
luck. Growing up homeless forces Murray to take
children. “
control of her own life working numerous low-paying
Who are your idols?
jobs, moving from house to house, balancing school
“I admire George Washington because he believed in
work with devoting time to find food and, in many
everything in moderation as I do. He also believed in
instances difficult choices that most of us will never
upholding certain standards and wanted his legacy
need to make. Murray gives valuable insight into the
persevere well past his life. Also, he continuously
lives of the homeless, showing the struggles many
delivered credit where it was due. I hope to do the
like herself find to climb out of poverty. She allows
same throughout my career”.
others to witness her life struggles and ways of
Do you have any advice for others seeking to
overcoming these obstacles. Murray works her way
go into the same career path?
up from the bottom and eventually reaches her goal
“Think big. Whatever you're dreaming of its not big
of getting into Harvard after writing a scholarship
enough. Don’t be satisfied just getting a job, try to
essay and gaining media attention from the New
fix one of the worlds problems.”
York Times. Murray’s story exemplifies her determination to achieve her dreams, inspiring hope from others in similar circumstances to follow her.
Breaking Night vs The Traveler's Gift
The Traveler's Gift - Andy Andrews Andy Andrew’s fictional novel, The Traveler's Gift, promotes the idea of success as a mindset. The main character, David, appears to work a stable job supporting both himself and his daughter when suddenly, he gets fired and his life takes a turn for the worse. With an unexpected plot twist, David finds himself unconscious and meeting face to face with figures from history such as Harry
Breaking Night - Liz Murray Starting out homeless and becoming a Harvard student, Liz Murray’s 2011 autobiography Breaking Night shocks readers with its tense and hard to imagine human circumstances. Murray’s best seller tells the struggle of someone experiencing a life of poverty and in many situations incredibly bad
Truman and King Solomon. From these meetings, David experiences a realization about the meaning of success which he begins to use in his personal life in supporting his family. After implementing his new knowledge, David finds himself happy once again. This story sets the idea that in order to achieve success, people need to exert bravery, utilize their experiences including both victories and failures, and
take advantage of opportunities placed in front of them. Andrews aims to inspire failing businesspeople in order to convince them to take greater risks in
Forrest Gump vs Apollo 13
order to achieve much larger rewards. Both of these stories illustrate determination to get out of a difficult circumstances but Liz Murray does the best job because she makes her story relatable to others. Murray provides eye opening content to express the struggles to achieve success while getting out of poverty. She tells all of the sometimes gruesome details she endured which evokes sympathy from those who never experiences struggles to encourage them to help those most in need. Unlike in The Traveler's Gift, Murray takes the reader into the story and creates vivid imagery and stimulates difficult conversation topics that make it more interesting. Above all, Murray creates a gripping book with an ending plot that renders readers unable to put it down.
Forrest Gump - Winston Groom Created in 1994, Winston Groom’s Forrest Gump comically demonstrates how good outcomes can come from difficult circumstances. The story begins with Forrest talking to a stranger on a bus bench about his life. His story first begins when he arrives to his first day of school in Greenbow, Alabama. With his scoliosis, Forrest wears a leg brace which leaves him unable to walk properly. Due to this, Forrest becomes the target of many bullies. However, one day, this all changes. While Forrest runs from his bullies, he breaks out of his brace and revealed as a fast runner. His exceptional running ability then leads to a scholarship to the University of Alabama leading to his later enlistment in the U.S. Army where he befriends a man named Bubba. During an ambush, Bubba passes away and Forrest saves many individuals in his platoon and got shot in the process, awarding him the medal of honor. Ironically, while in recovery, Forrest develops a talent for ping-pong which he then begins to compete competitively. Grooms compelling story takes one miraculous twist after another tied to
history, each one more quirky than the last. His
about sometimes difficult circumstances. Of these
story proves how an optimistic mindset can help
two, I prefer Apollo 13 because it tells a true story
anyone overcome their own challenges.
and appeals to the audience some of who may even
Apollo 13 - Ron Howard
recall the days of the space program landing on the
Ron Howard’s 1995 film Apollo 13 recreates
moon. Apollo 13 provides inspiration to anyone that
the events of the well-known space tragedy that
we are all capable of solving the world’s and even
threatened the lives of our astronauts and the
universe’s most difficult problems, no matter the
miracle the astronauts and engineers of the space
distance, and succeeding together as a human race.
program achieved together. Apollo 13 starts off at Jim Lovell’s house party where guests watch his predecessor, Neil Armstrong, as he takes his first steps on the moon. After this, Lowell, who previously orbited the moon, stated that he intended to return and walk on it. Later, Lovell gets informed that he and his crew will take flight on Apollo 13. The astronauts then need to undergo rigorous training before they can leave on their mission to space, this training can take up to two years (“Astronauts in Training”). During the mission one of the tanks on the aircraft explodes and another leaks. This sends the aircraft tumbling off course and quickly running out of oxygen. After a few days in space the recovery ship allows the crew members to shift their resources that will eventually save their lives. Apollo 13 encompasses the pressures of dealing with dire circumstances. The astronauts involved exert determination, quick decision making, caring, and most importantly hope. These qualities make this thriller definitely worthwhile to watch.
While both films demonstrate success in vastly different ways, they both feature the characteristic of perseverance in order to tell stories
Mooney, Chris, and Brady Dennis. “Extreme
Works Cited
Hurricanes and Wildfires Made 2017 the Most Costly U.S. Disaster Year on Record.” WashingtonPost, 8 Jan. 2017, www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-env ironment/wp/2018/01/08/hurricanes-wildfir es-made-2017-the-most-costly-u-s-disaster -year-on-record/?noredirect=on&utm_term =.11a10b65e35a. Murray, Liz. Breaking Night: A Memoir Of Forgiveness, Survival,and My Journey From
Andrew, Andy. “The Traveler’s Gift - From New York Times Bestselling Author Andy Andrews.” Andy Andrews - Bestselling Author, 23 Oct.
Homeless To Harvard. New York : Hyperion, 201. Print. Tracy, Brian. “Seven Steps to Success.” Brian Tracy
2011,
International,
www.andyandrews.com/ms/the-travelers-gi
www.briantracy.com/blog/personal-success/
ft/.
seven-steps-to-success/.
Apollo 13. Produced by Ron Howard, 1995. “Astronauts in Training.” NASA, www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/5-8/fe atures/F_Astronauts_in_Training.html. Carlowicz, M. “World of Change: Global Temperatures.” Earth Observatory, NASA, 2010, earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/WorldO fChange/decadaltemp.php. Forrest Gump. Produced by Winston Groom, 1994. “Help for Victims of Hurricanes Irma and Maria.” IRS, www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-relief-in-disaste r-situations. “Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund.” GlobalGiving, www.globalgiving.org/projects/hurricane-ha rvey-relief-fund/.
Living in separate locations allowed me to see a variety of people from different walks of life. I learned that every person has their own difficulties and many of which we often are unable to see. I also learned that despite how we all begin, all people can grow and achieve their goals.
About The Author
A few years ago a doctor diagnosed me with ADD -- Attention Deficit Disorder-- which hinders my ability to focus. After hearing this, I felt like teachers
I grew up in multiple geographic locations
treated me differently and separated me from my
and experienced a variety of trying circumstances.
classmates. Teachers often neglected to treat me like
In itself, moving from place to place never helped
the other children in their classroom. They spoke to
me to make friends or keep up other children my
me as if I could barely understand or was incapable
age. Due to my location changes, I learned the true
of learning anything at all. I hated the separation
impact of reaching out to someone different than
from my friends. I found all of this attention very
myself. Sometimes when I moved, I joined a new
embarrassing so I changed my circumstances. I
group of friends automatically, other times it took
worked hard on all of my school work and gradually
time for me to get to know others and for them to
grew to where I did not need any additional
accept me. However, no matter the situation I
assistance. I now take Honors and Advanced
started with, I always left with a group of friends of
Placement courses -- something people previously
whom I am still in contact with today.
thought unattainable for me-- and learned how to do
What we experience during our childhood
my work with minimal distraction. However, my
turns into a part of who we become. I grew up in a
story does not stop there. I plan to study electrical
circumstance in which living in a stable home
engineering or computer engineering in college and
seemed nearly impossible. My father who used to fix
hopefully change the world.
company’s always changed roles which caused my
My greatest success comes from my ability
family to move to different places and I was forced
to overcome and learn from the challenges I
to adapt. Due to these changes I became more
previously faced. My past inspired who I’ve become
aware of people who lived in different circumstances
and showed me what I am capable of. I’m excited for
than me and even others who were experiencing
my future, the opportunities to come, and the
poverty. Like others who had no control over their
chance to help others change their own
circumstances, I grew even more accepting of
circumstances as well. I hope to one day make the
broader people from other backgrounds and cultures.
world a better place.