BY EMMA FRANZ
Success means something different to each and every person. For some, it may be simply obtaining straight A’s throughout the school year and for others, it may be accomplishing a lifelong dream. While some people consider success a milestone accomplished later in life, many of the most prosperous people of today are in their youth.
“I think seeing a lot of young people start their own businesses and being successful in creating music has persuaded me to believe that age doesn’t define success,” junior Cassidy Sutton said. “Success is being able to say you’ve achieved your own personal dreams.”
Success can be attained through hard work and passion or can be reached by pure luck. In Kylie Jenner’s case, she seemed to be a part of the right crowd at the right time.
At age 19, Jenner has created a brand name for herself. She began as a TV personality alongside her family, the Kardashians and the Jenners, and later branched out to become the face of a successful cosmetics line that sells out within seconds.
“Success is being able to say you’ve achieved your own personal dreams.”
This has allowed her to become the youngest self-made billionaire of today according to Forbes magazine. Many would consider this topic controversial due to the belief that she hasn’t built her career herself, but it’s clear that Jenner is successful, whether luck determined her fate or not.
Typically, age does come with wisdom and experience, but this concept doesn’t necessarily apply to every situation. People who are older aren’t necessarily more lucrative compared to someone who is younger.
Cypress Bay High School graduate Armando Martinez turned his Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) project into a business. Right then and there, he knew he wanted to expand the company and compete with the business plan. Martinez discovered one of the most popular ice cream shops, CREAM, on a trip to California.
“When I started talking to my dad about the project, he thought it was a really cool idea,” 17-year-old junior Martinez said. “Then we started thinking how it would be good in Florida…Once he got on board, everything started moving.”
While the store is a California-based company, Martinez has successfully opened three stores within Florida and intends to open 30 throughout the entire Sunshine State.
An adult can have a goal and never achieve it, or a teenager can reach their daily goals and be viewed as a success story.
“I think you can be successful at any age,” junior Imani Armand said. “Success solely depends on how much drive and determination you have.”
When some people hear the word success, their minds jump to the idea of fame and fortune. They are overcome with this idea that the only way to live in victory is through popularity and money. People immediately assume that in order to obtain their goals, their lives must be set in stone and they must have a definitive career that provides them with wealth and riches.
The truth of the matter is that success differs for everyone. Someone may only find happiness and success with money but, for another, earning the number one spot on a team makes them successful. An adult can have a goal and never achieve it, or a teenager can reach their daily goals and be viewed as a success story.
Either way, there is not one definition of the term “success.” Therefore, all views on success are valid, regardless of one’s age. Success relies on the person itself. Success can begin early in someone’s life or far into the future, which is why age doesn’t determine how successful one truly is.
Photo by Alexa Jaspan
