The Way of Adventure
An Unconventional Online Course for Young People

Success

So how do you begin finding your mission?

By figuring out what’s important in life.

And what’s important in life is intricately connected to what we call success. So let’s ponder that idea for a moment.

Start by listening to this 13-minute interview with philosopher Alain de Botton (click here to open in a new window):

Next, watch this 2-minute video produced by LinkedIn (click here to open in a new window):

 

Finally — you guessed it — it’s time to define your own version of success.

But you’re not just going to write it down on some piece of paper and where it’s easy forget. Instead, you’re going to share it with the global community of people taking this course. Right here, on this Google Doc.

Instructions:

  1. Open the Google Doc.
  2. Add your definition of success to the top of list.
  3. Add your initials to the end of the definition. (for example, my initials are BJB).
  4. Make it as specific as possible. “Be a good person” = lame, even if it’s true.
  5. Make it as long or short as you want. Some people have one-sentence definitions; mine is 19 sentences.
  6. The Google Doc is public, so don’t write anything you want to keep secret.
  7. Mean or hateful speech = instant ban.
  8. Don’t delete anyone else’s writing, unless it’s obviously spam or trolling.

After adding your definition, make three comments on other people’s definitions.

Instructions:

  1. Contribute positive comments and genuine questions. Don’t judge or ridicule. Treat other people like they’re your friends, not internet strangers.
  2. Tell us exactly what you like, appreciate, or observe—no fluff.
  3. Don’t hit the “Resolve” button on any comments. (That will hide them.)
  4. Finish each comment with your initials.

Two example comments:

“I also find time with family and friends to be an important aspect to my personal success. It’s very important to me especially in this day and age when it is so easy to lose connections with people. 🙂 ~RLB”

“This one really speaks to me, being creative and expressing myself is so fun and fulfilling! And yet I do it so rarely because I’m spending too much time bored online. -TM”

* * *

Success?

Success!