Childhood visions of success

My visions of success as a child were simple: make mom and dad happy... Eat all the veggies on your dinner plate, be polite and courteous to others, and make plans for the future.

I think that this has carried over into adulthood as well, because I still tend to aim for just that. Now it has evolved more into what will help me be successful, but also please them because they know that their baby is going to do bigger and better things than they did.

Being a good person is the biggest lesson that I have learned from my parents. Both are high school teachers, and have been for twenty plus years each. This alone says a lot about their character, and even though the stress of dealing with other people's teenagers gets to them more than they would like, they continue to do it. Leading by example has been the way that my parents taught me what they have about being a successful person by the person you are to others.

I have always been a planner, and by that I mean my agenda and calendar is color coded, I have clear goals for what I want to do weeks in advance, and that I have somewhat of an idea of what I want to be when I grow up. This can all be credited to my parents, though, because they placed importance on the future... making good grades, taking advantage of educational and extracurricular activities, and knowing what I wanted out of life. They are proud of all that I have accomplished, and am continuing to accomplish through college and beyond. They have been so supportive throughout my raising, and I know that even when I reach my forties, they will still acknowledge what I do. I love them for that and the lessons they taught me even from childhood.