Success: A Look Into Personal Achievement

Success:

A Look Into Personal Achievement

By: Lucy Ranieri

Mentors Matter

In order to make progress towards goals, one often cannot do so on their own.

Often, it takes someone who has already had experience and can give solid, helpful advice, known commonly as a mentor. Many of the most successful actors, singers, business people, and more have all claimed that a mentor served as their inspiration and source of knowledge that helped them reach their current success. Mentors can help beginners by providing wisdom from their own experience and by giving them a tangible example of success to strive to reach.

One of the biggest advantages to having a mentor comes from the advice that they can provide due to their own personal experience. Some of our culture’s most influential people credit their mentors as a source of guidance.

Oscar, Tony, and Emmy winner Viola Davis says that Meryl Streep “‘gives lessons in confidence’’’ to her that inspire her to stop holding back (Ma). For people uncertain about their future, someone who has already been through it all can ease their minds and inspire them to take leaps of faith that they normally would avoid. Furthermore, a ​Forbes study of millennials in the workforce shows that 68% of workers planning to stay with their current employer for at least five years have a mentor (Biro). Therefore, this displays mentor feedback creates a higher degree of satisfaction with a job, which in turn increases likelihood of succeeding within the job. Encouragement and input from a more experienced individual gives people the faith to continue to achieve.

Furthermore, having a mentor gives people striving for success a solid example to look up and model themselves after. Companies that seek only individuals that do not require “need ‘hand-holding’” often experience a high amount of talent at first, but the momentum imminently fades (Bino). Thus, employees who do utilize those with more experience as a role model find themselves reaching their high levels of achievement. As another example, adolescents previously at risk of “falling off-track” that were given a mentor increased their leadership by 130%, and 90% of them expressed interest in one day mentoring others themselves (“Mentoring Impact”). When someone sees a person in a successful position, their drive to better themselves increases. Overall, a successful mentor serves as a physical example of an inspiration for someone to strive towards.

In sum, mentors provide guidance from their own experience and by give starters a tangible goal to set for themselves. Anyone beginning to explore a new career should seek out professionals as their mentors in order to hear valid advice to help them along.

On the other hand, experienced professionals should offer themselves as a mentor to newcomers as a way to give back. When people offer their help as a mentor, the next generation becomes more passionate and successful, benefitting society as a whole.

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Book Reviews Nonfiction Recommendation: ​All Creatures Great and Small ​by James Herriot ★★★★★★★★★★ 10/10 In this memoir, James Herriot tells of his days as a new veterinarian in the English countryside. He recounts stories of learning the ropes while helping save beloved family pets, deliver calves, and many more bizarre, but often heartwarming, cases.

As the first book in a series, this novel focuses on his drive to establish his reputation as a veterinarian, following in the footsteps of his well-known and well-liked boss, Siegfried Farnon.

The young vet captures readers’ sympathy as he struggles to deal with general skepticism from clients as a new, young face taking care of their prized animals. However, with confirmation from his boss and continuous revivals of declining animals, he slowly begins to build necessary experience and trust. Herriot manages to work miracles with his patients, such as saving a cow that the owner thought would certainly die. He struggles with cases for which he doesn’t know what the symptoms indicate, but draws upon his experience and available resources to work them out.

This book kept me wanting more. Every story Herriot included brought out my emotions and kept me intrigued. It brought me new insight into the life of a vet, but in an exciting and page-turning way. After reading this book, I had to start the next one and shortly after finish his whole series.

Fiction Recommendation: ​Beartown​ by Fredrik Backman ★★★★★★★★★ 9/10 In this nonfiction novel, Backman tells the story of a junior hockey team in Sweden and the community surrounding them as the team makes its way to semifinals. Although the beginning may seem heavy with many characters, their individual stories will inspire any reader as the novel progresses.

The book uses a variety of characters struggling with internal conflicts to engage readers in thoughts about what one must sacrifice or what holds the most importance for success. For example, Peter, general manager of Beartown hockey, must choose between keeping his daughter’s rape a secret, allowing their star to play in the finals, or supporting his daughter by making a decision that puts him at risk for losing his job at the club. On another note, coaches Sune of the A-Team and David of the junior team often dispute about whether to measure success by wins or by the character of a player.

As a hockey fanatic, I especially enjoyed this novel, but would recommend it for anyone.

With many lovable characters and intriguing subplots, ​Beartown​ will capture the reader’s attention and introduce various perspectives on moral issues that will keep them thinking long after they read the book.

Overall Review: ​Although a hard choice between two great books, I would overall prefer ​All Creatures Great and Small​, as it has more consistent action than ​Beartown. ​Although very different, both books display inspiring stories of success. I would highly recommend picking up a copy of both of these incredible novels.

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Ask Ashley!

Ashley Mills, a motivational speaker who travels around the country, gives talks to businesses, schools, teams, and more about how to reach success. After her success in the business world, she decided to pursue another talent and interest of hers: public speaking. In this issue, Ashley has agreed to answer questions from our readers in order to help them achieve success.

I find that I struggle to keep myself focused on my goals. What can I do to keep myself more on track? -S.C. I often hear from people that say they have goals in their head, but end up forgetting about them. When a person reaches a forgotten goal, they lose the fulfillment they would have gained from the recognition of their success. Therefore, I would certainly recommend a notebook or planner with a space to list your aspirations as a wise investment. Furthermore, another important way to keep yourself focused comes through setting various levels of goals: short-term, long-term, and some in between.

This way, achieving and tracking short-term goals can keep your mind on reaching the long-term ones. Also, do not forget to keep updates on any progress towards reaching your bigger goals, as it will give you continued motivation.

How have you managed to keep a balance between a busy, successful career and home life? -M.G. At first, I struggled between the demands of my work and keeping my family from falling apart. However, I became determined to continue to push myself to grow in both areas, as they both make me happy. I found it most useful to set aside dedicated times for each where I would either focus completely on work or put away all things work-related. For example, on Saturday afternoons, I turn off notifications for any work emails and completely dedicate my time to doing a fun activity with my kids. Or, at work, when I know my husband has everything under control, I’ll tell him to only call me in case of emergency and put my phone to the side. This strategy helps me become a better mom ​and​ achieve more in my career efficiently, as I make more progress when focusing on the task at hand.

I am just starting a new career in design. How did you manage to build such a positive reputation for yourself in your career area? -A.R. Having a good reputation starts with making personal connections. In each interaction you have with customers, collaborators, and coworkers, you should develop a deeper connection than just at the business level. The more you get to know people, the greater the chance you will make a memorable impression on them. Then, in the future, the likelihood of them recommending you to others increases. Through these mutual connections, you can build networks of possible clients and promotions.

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Success As a Politician: A Whole Different Game With recent anger over the results of elections across the United States, many people wonder about the factors that determine how much success a politician can attain. Although just workers like everyone else, politicians must possess a few very unique factors in order to ensure their success. Achieving success as a politician requires both an initial appeal to the general public and motivation to achieve power.

In order to achieve one’s goal as a successful politician, one must first win over the appeal of the public. Appearance stands out as a significant factor in winning votes. For instance, based on appearance of a candidate’s competence alone, participants could predict the outcome of senatorial election results 71% of the time in a 2017 Stanford study (Casey 2). Thus, this elicits the impression that a politician’s appearance remains just as important as actual competence in winning votes. To further emphasize the importance of appearance alone, the same study proved that appeared trustworthiness, determined by having participants evaluate a congressional candidate’s headshot, more reliably and validly predicted candidates’ electoral success than professional qualifications (Casey 7). Consequently, an aspiring politician may already have the probability of their success predetermined by appearance. Although appearance may serve as a factor in any career, it holds much more significance in politics, as securing a job requires mass appeal across a constituency.

Rather than the typical achievement-motivated person, success as a politician requires a power-motivated individual. In this case, power represents the possession of authority over others. Politics differs very strongly from any other field, and thus requires one to have different goals to achieve. David G. Winter, professor of psychology at the University of Michigan, explains how politics, unlike the “command-and-compliance style” of business, involves resistance and influence, and decisions ultimately rely on others (1642). Thus, it requires an individual with the strong desire to possess dominance, as this ensures their agenda will prevail.

Furthermore, one cannot measure success in politics as clear-cut as a business measures success through profit (Winter). Due to this, politics can easily discourage achievement-motivated individuals as they struggle with recognizing concrete accomplishments. Although some may think seeking power corrupts professionals, power does not represent an inherently bad concept. Individuals with power can use it to create positive change. Seeking power as a goal helps politicians achieve success in their careers.

In sum, successful politicians must appeal to the general public and have the motivation to achieve power. Although different goals than usual, they can still serve as milestones for achieving success in this field. Individuals striving for a successful career in politics must prepare themselves for the hardship and resistance. Although certainly not an easy career, politicians have the opportunity to achieve success in their goals that could reach out and benefit people all across the nation.

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Inside the Mind of an Investment Banker

This month, we sat down with John Ranieri, an investment banker at Peppertree Capital in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, to look at his personal story of success. He has previously worked with two phone companies: Revol Wireless in Cleveland and Open Mobile in Puerto Rico before their eventual merges with Sprint.

According to a publishment from ​Entrepreneur, ​The primary job of an investment banker involves “issuing and selling securities” off the primary market; they have a “network of investors” that trust them to put their funds into places that will make good returns (“What exactly is”). Ranieri’s firm mainly concentrates on investing in cell towers in North and South America. In this interview, we will hear about his own perspective on his achievements. ***

What kind of skills have you found yourself using throughout your years of working?

“Investment banking, financial administration, and private equity investment all depend on critical judgement, decision making, financial analysis, and leadership skills across a variety of circumstances or situations.”

Do you feel as if you have achieved success in your career, and if yes, how so?

“Yes because over time, I have been asked to join increasingly respected management teams hired to solve increasingly complex and difficult situations. In every instance, my team and I have surpassed the objectives set out, and earned the respect and admiration of those around us.”

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What have been the most rewarding outcomes from the success you have achieved?

“The ones where I make the most money [laughs]. Money is always a bonus, but definitely not the ultimate reward. I would say the biggest reward for me is seeing myself join companies that have too much debt, not enough cash, and compete in difficult markets and being able to create and implement game plans that turn those companies around. In the end, they become valuable and compelling in the eyes of an acquirer, which is a very rewarding personal experience.”

What has served as the biggest motivation in your journey for success?

“Identifying hidden talents and creating highly effective teams that work toward and achieve the objectives. Also, creating lasting friendships that go beyond mere working relationships .”

If you were to choose a different path, what do you think you would choose?

“I would have become a biological anthropologist and studied the origins of humanity at a university and on sites all over the world. This has always been a subject of great passion for me, but I love my job that I’m doing now very much.”

What advice would you give to young people hoping to become successful?

“Work hard and excel at every stage of your life so that you can determine your own path and not be limited by alternatives chosen for you.”

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Works Cited Backman, Fredrik. ​Beartown​. Translated by Neil Smith, Large Print Press, a Part of Gale, Cengage Learning, 2018.

“Bankers Working.” ​Pixabay​, Pixabay, pixabay.com/en/adult-laptop-computer-business-3327336/.

Biro, Meghan M. “Make 2017 The Year To Get Serious About Mentoring.” ​Forbes​, Forbes Magazine, 1 Feb. 2017, www.forbes.com/sites/meghanbiro/2017/01/27/make-2017-the-year-to-get-serious-aboutmentoring/#1040f269bcea.

Casey, Katherine. "Snap Judgments: Voter Inferences Based on Candidate Photos Predict Electoral Success and Politician Quality." Working Papers (Faculty) -- Stanford Graduate School of Business, Mar. 2017, pp. 1-15. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=cookie,ip,custuid&custid=info hio&db=buh&AN=122753308&site=ehost-live. de Janasz, Suzanne C., et al. "Mentor Networks and Career Success: Lessons for Turbulent Times." Academy of Management Executive, vol. 17, no. 4, Nov. 2003, pp. 78-91.

EBSCOhost, doi:10.5465/AME.2003.11851850.

“Help Climbing.” ​Pixabay​, Pixabay, pixabay.com/en/help-climbing-hand-mentor-2444110/.

Herriot, James. ​All Creatures Great and Small​. St. Martin's Griffin, 1972.

Ma, Julie. “25 Famous Women on Their Mentors.” ​The Cut​, New York Media, LLC, 26 Jan. 2017, 10:55 am, www.thecut.com/2017/01/25-famous-women-on-their-mentors.html.

“Meeting.” ​Pixabay​, Pixabay, pixabay.com/en/meeting-administration-chief-people-3288133/.

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“Mentoring Impact.” ​MENTOR​, The National Mentoring Partnership, www.mentoring.org/why-mentoring/mentoring-impact/.

“Oscar.” ​Pixabay​, Pixabay, pixabay.com/en/oscar-academy-award-flat-winning-3200050/.

“What Exactly Is an Investment Banker?” ​Entrepreneur​, Entrepreneur Media, 12 June 2007, www.entrepreneur.com/article/179958.

Winter, David G. "Why Achievement Motivation Predicts Success in Business but Failure in Politics: The Importance of Personal Control Winter Achievement Motivation and Politics." Journal of Personality, vol. 78, no. 6, Dec. 2010, pp. 1637-1668. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1111/j.1467-6494.2010.00665.x.

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About the Author Lucy Ranieri, age 18, is a senior at Chagrin Falls High School. She grew up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and moved to Ohio at age 10. Next year, she will attend her dream school, Dartmouth College, where she plans to major in either economics or political science.

Ranieri has found success in the work she has done throughout her four years of high school both inside and outside of the classroom. Academically, Ranieri has always strived to maximize her full potential, setting her standards very high for her achievement. Ranieri studied for many hours to help reach her goal of becoming a National Merit Finalist. Additionally, she has studied Chinese for a total of six years and has traveled to China with her high school, and plans to continue studying the language in her future. Ranieri earned the AP Capstone Diploma her junior year through completion of AP Seminar and AP Research, which included writing a 5,000 word primary research project on the value of art classes in middle school education. Ranieri also places great importance on art in her education, and she works very hard in the art room at school as well. Her drawings have earned her a Scholastic Gold Key and silver best-in-show award. She hopes to continue to excel academically throughout her four years in college.

In addition to this, Ranieri has worked hard on her goal to become more involved in volunteering, traveling in summer of 2017 to Voronezh, Russia to participate in mission work with the United Methodist Volunteer in Missions Program. She also serves at her school as a Link Leader, helping to mentor incoming Freshman as they transition into high school. She was elected to participate on the planning committee of ReachOut, a camp for graduates of 7th through 12th grade where Christian students can participate in missions, worship, study, and other camp activities. Her responsibilities included counseling campers, planning and executing all events, speaking at services, and even sharing her faith testimony to all of the campers.

Ranieri hopes to continue her work in volunteer and missions. She plans to travel this summer to Washington, D.C. and attend a conference on global poverty.

When interviewed, Ranieri cited her dad as her biggest inspiration for achieving her success. “He has always encouraged me to do my best,” says the author. “He never pushed me or forced me to work hard, but rather he helped me find my passion for learning and working hard.” Ranieri advises anyone seeking success to find something that truly sparks their interest: an academic subject, a sport, an art, or whatever else captures them. “Success looks different for every person,” she says, “Just do what makes you happy, and you will feel far more successful than a person who strives only for what others perceive as success.”

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