How does the association of productivity with success challenge college?
When asked to define success, the answers among men and boys interviewed in this Glamour video varied. But a common theme emerged: Success is linked to achievement and satisfaction with oneself and one’s accomplishments. Success is all about doing things. Accomplishing a particular goal, achieving a peaceful and happy state of mind, and being content with what one is and does. This idea of success being associated closely with accomplishments is significant. This idea motivates people to do their best and reach for their dreams. But this mindset of success could also be harmful. We can get caught up in the endless cycle of chasing after our goals, never achieving that contented state of mind. In our hustle-and-grind culture, we often are so busy doing things that we may forget why we even do them.
College students are not immune to this idea. Achieving good grades, being involved in different groups and extracurricular activities, and leaving a legacy are just some of the pressures one experiences. Social media can fuel this flame of productivity and busyness, as comparing our accomplishments to those online may cause us to strive for higher levels of “success.” To see if this is true, I interviewed some students here on campus to see what they think about success and productivity.
Do you agree that “a productive person is a successful person?”
If they are being productive, then yes, I would say that person is successful.” - Alex Nwanganga (sophomore, computer engineering)
“I agree with the statement that a productive person is a successful person as that means you are making goals, doing things to accomplish those goals, basically being proactive.” - Lucas Lacy (sophomore, pre-physical therapy)
“It depends. For me personally, being productive and being successful can go hand in hand, but often, I gain inspiration in moments when I am not necessarily being productive. So I feel as though you do not necessarily have to be productive to be successful, but they are related.” - Jean Fitch (sophomore, digital communications)
Do you think college students are often pushed to be productive/successful?
“There is a high pressure to be productive because we have a lot of exams and things going on, and when we can rest, there are chapels and extracurriculars.” - Dayana Abou Haykal (senior, medical laboratory science)
“Also having to graduate puts a lot of pressure to be productive and successful.” - Joyce Hajaj (senior, medical laboratory sciences)
Overall, success is seen as an achievement-based measurement of what people are doing with their lives. And because productivity is often considered a measure of success, very productive people are seen as successful. But this obsession with productivity and always going, going, going can result in many people feeling dissatisfied with their lives and constantly striving to do more. Often, people can experience dissatisfaction or burnout concerning their lives. We must understand that while being productive is essential, it looks different for everyone. Remember that the whole point of success is achieving one’s goals and dreams and being satisfied with one’s life. Obsession with being productive can result in you losing sight of your goal, which was the whole reason you tried to become productive in the first place. Remember why you are hustling. And take the time to evaluate whether you are hustling for a cause or just because everyone else is.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.