Success is a word we hear often—something we are taught to chase from a young age. But what does it truly mean? For some, success is a high-paying job, a luxurious home, or international recognition. For others, it is the ability to wake up peacefully, spend time with loved ones, or simply be happy in their own skin.
I grew up in a world where success was defined for me before I could even understand what it meant. "Beta, doctor ya engineer ban’na hai," they would say, as if happiness could only be found within those choices. But even as a child, I had a silent rebellion within me, a voice that whispered: What if success is something else?
Now, miles away from home, in a foreign land that is both unfamiliar and strangely comforting, I find myself redefining success. Is it in the career I have built, in the independence I have gained, or in the small moments of joy that no one else sees?
The Subjectivity of Success
Jaun Elia once said:
"Meri sab baatein adhoori hain,
jaise chand adhoora hota hai."
(All my words are incomplete,
just like the moon is never whole.)
Perhaps success is like that—never truly complete, always evolving, changing shape with time. We grow up believing success is a grand moment of arrival, a final destination. But what if success is nothing more than a series of small, incomplete moments that, together, create a fulfilling life?
A poet might consider success to be the emotions their words evoke. A scientist may find it in the discoveries they make. A mother might feel most successful when she sees her child grow into a kind and strong person. None of these journeys look alike, yet they are all equally valid.
Living abroad has taught me this truth in ways nothing else could. There was a time when I thought success meant proving myself to those who doubted me—showing them I was capable of more than they ever imagined. But now, I no longer crave validation.
Success, to me, is waking up to the soft sound of rain outside my window. It is sipping coffee alone yet feeling at peace. It is walking through unfamiliar streets, knowing that I built this life with my own hands. It is in the quiet moments—when no one is watching, no one is applauding, yet I still feel complete.
The Illusion of Comparison
Social media and cultural expectations distort our understanding of success. We compare our lives with others, forgetting that every person has a unique starting point and a different destination. Success in one part of the world might look like marriage and stability, while in another, it might be self-sufficiency and personal freedom. Neither is superior—only different.We pride ourselves on our adaptability and commitment to excellence in every aspect of our service. Explore what we have to offer and how we can contribute to your success.
Jaun Elia’s words echo in my mind when I think of this endless race:
"Hum jo jee rahe hain mohabbat ka waqt hai,
Hum jo mar rahe hain wo rahat ka waqt hai."
(We who are alive are merely in the time of love,
We who are dying are in the time of peace.)
What is the point of success if it comes at the cost of truly living? If I have a high-paying job but no time to sit by the sea and let the waves remind me of home, have I truly succeeded? If I climb every ladder but forget how to laugh freely, am I really living?
Measuring Success Differently
Instead of following the version of success that society imposes, ask yourself:
- What makes me feel fulfilled?
- What do I value the most?
- If money and opinions didn’t matter, what would I do?
When success is measured by personal growth, happiness, and inner peace, it becomes something sustainable—something that doesn’t vanish with failures or setbacks.
I have built a life that once only existed in my dreams. I live in a country where I don’t have to justify my ambitions, where I walk freely without fear, where my voice is my own. But even in my happiest moments, a part of me aches—a longing for the streets I left behind, the familiar voices, the scent of chai on a Islamabad evening.
Maybe Jaun Elia was right. Maybe we are all searching for something we have already lost. But if there is one thing I know now, it is this: success is not a singular moment of triumph. It is the quiet happiness of knowing that, despite everything, you are exactly where you are meant to be.
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