A child is not considered successful unless he excels in his studies, even if he excels in sports or art or has special circumstances or abilities, and study remains the only socially acceptable criterion until a person graduates from university, then the type of work and the amount of material income comes to complete the narrow picture of success.

After finding a job, success is marriage, stability and livelihood for the children who, in turn, start the same circle.

This is the general view of success, but after life experience and screening - through its real experiences - every person finds his definition of success in which he personally believes and which may differ from all of the above.

What is the meaning of success?

Success in language and convention is victory, victory, success and reaching the goal.

The specialist in human resources, Dr. Masir Sabry, says that "success is achieving the goal, realizing the results and feeling satisfied with oneself with self-esteem."

Dr. Masir explains that "achieving success requires an idea and planning, and let us put a hundred lines under determination, continuity and longevity, so in order to succeed we must challenge and confront and reject reality to change it."

While pediatrician Dr. Magda Abdel-Fattah - to Al-Jazeera Net - "success is a way of life. We start with the possible, and then strive for more difficult goals that require preparation and upgrading of capabilities, without infringing on the road to anyone's gains."

Success is flexibility and the ability to cope well with circumstances (Getty Images)

As for Dr. Heba Elwi - who is a teacher of biochemistry and molecular biology at the Faculty of Medicine at Cairo University - she says, "In principle, success has nothing to do with the outcome, and we must pay attention to that, because self-flagellation is one of the most common causes of depression. The result is sustenance."

Dr. Alawi believes that "success is that you plan correctly and exert all your effort without being lazy. Success is perseverance on the principles and values ​​that you believe in. Success is flexibility and the ability to coexist with circumstances in the best way."

With the different definitions of success, is it possible for a person to reach a point where he does not recognize his success?

Life skills trainer Reem Anani responds, "Success is like a shadow. A person moves forward and so does success. If a person stops progressing, they die."

As for Dr. Heba, she says, "I do not think, for whenever the goal of a person's gaze is achieved for the next goal. I personally see that the most successful person is the most ordinary person in all directions, the balance of his practical, scientific, family, religious, sports and social life, etc. ... and if he falls again quickly."

Dr. Masir added, "I agree with this point. Success in one aspect at the expense of other important aspects is a failure in particular."

The form of success

Reem Anani says, "Success varies according to each person's desire and area of ​​focus. If a woman wants to focus on the home and the children, then success for her is cleaning and arranging the house and raising her children. If a person suffers from a lack of material, money is success for him. Success differs according to what we want." Of life, and there is no specific form. "

Success varies according to each person's desire and area of ​​focus (social networking sites)

Are people looking for success?

Anani replies that "people do not know that they are looking for success, they come to me looking for happiness, and they lack something. I have female doctors who ask why they do not feel happy? Success includes psychological peace and happiness. Some think that he failed in a certain area, although he is successful," But there is something that disturbs his life and does not know him, he has an inner desire that is either clear or needs deep research, and women suffer the most from this, because they are considered behind the family. The family is important, but it is not enough. "

If society has a certain image of success, why are many of those who achieved it not feeling it?

Anani answers, "It may be due to the impostor syndrome" or "Impostor Syndrome", which are beliefs in a person's mind from a young age that it is "not enough", perhaps because he felt that he was not beautiful, or he might have been bullied, or he was preferred. His brothers, or he is forced to study something, or work in a field that he does not want, so you may see him successful from the outside and not feel this inside. "

The term impostor syndrome appeared in 1878, when the mental health specialist Dr. Pauline Clance and Dr. Susan Aimes used it to express an internal condition;

Those who suffer from it don't think they deserve any success;

This is due to doubt in capabilities and sense of fraud.

It is a feeling that disproportionately affects high-achieving people who find it difficult to accept their accomplishments.

And people with this condition refuse any thanks or appreciation for their deeds, because their inner image of themselves is much less than what others see, so they feel as if what they are in is a fraud that does not reflect their truth.


Clans and Aymes have concluded that this syndrome is associated with more high-achieving women, and one of the most serious problems with this syndrome is that it is a negative state of thought that limits further achievement and opposes the feeling of joy upon success, which negatively affects the chances of future success.

How can this phenomenon be overcome?

Anani explains, "Going back to the origin of the story for the first time when we felt unsuccessful or not enough," and continues, "Was it in childhood? Maybe a situation in our evaluation is small but influential. Comparison with others may be that makes us feel that way. It is necessary to recognize the motivation, understand it, and reconcile with its causes. This feeling does not arise suddenly, but because the person returns to it every time he encounters a similar situation, it becomes stronger and stronger, so getting rid of it will take time, but it is certainly possible.