cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 
Main content skiplink
Join an event. Happening today.

AMAA: Redefining pathways to success

BreRO_1-1629445503493.gif

 

 

 

Success means something different to everyone: finishing uni, starting a family or having good health, to name a few. It can be hard to work out what it means to you, especially when influencing factors shape your idea of success. Things like: societal pressure to complete milestones by a certain age, high expectations of us from teachers/family or ourselves.

 

The pressure can get overwhelming when you're studying for exams or finishing school/uni. There might even be times where your plans change out of the blue, a significant life event happens, or you go through a rough patch. The good news is there are ways to support yourself to get through it!

 

This month our "Ask Me Almost Anything" is all about sharing ways to pursue your version of success and juggle life's unexpected twists and turns. So bring all your questions because we've got two amazing guests that I'm so excited to hear from.

 

This time we are chatting with two Youth Ambassadors of Reach Out, introducing:

 

Nigel

 

Nigel, 25, is an Honours Graduate who studied a Bachelor of Science Advanced Global Challenges. Throughout his career he has worked in many industries from corporate, startups, retail, hospitality, scientific research institutions, to government. These opportunities have taken him from Melbourne and Sydney, to working in Cambodia, Papua New Guinea, and the Pacific Islands. 

 

Currently he works for the Victorian Department of Health in the Mental Health and Wellbeing division. In his spare time he is a Youth Ambassador for ReachOut Australia, loves many sports, photography, and outdoor adventures. Success to him is having purpose in the work he is doing. It's not about your job title, the money you earn, or what other people think of you. He believes success is about purposeful work and happiness in doing what you love.

 

 

Jordan

 

My name is Jordan and I am currently studying Nursing with the goal of one day being a paramedic or working in mental health. I have worked with ReachOut as a Youth Ambassador in the past and am currently working as an Australian Youth Advocate for Mental Health in partnership with Headspace. I have two cats named Mia, and Pippa, and I love coriander. My definition of success is trying your hardest despite all the odds, and getting to the end destination regardless of how long it took or the route you wound up on to get there. 

 

They'll be sharing their experience of navigating their career and mental health, and we'll be answering your questions! So, send them through to us using the google form below:

 

 

 


We'll be here chatting on the 31st of August between 7pm - 9pm. Hope to see you there! 

Bre-RO
Bre-ROPosted 20-08-2021 05:56 PM
 
 
Nigel-YA
Nigel-YAPosted 31-08-2021 07:30 PM

We are surrounded by constant posts of people doing, achieving, or talking about their “success”. It’s hard not compare yourself but I tend not buy into that so much. I have learnt that everyone goes through life at their own pace. There is no rush.

 

I aim to live my life the best way I can. 
I surround myself with family and friends that support and motivate me.
In turn, I support my friends and family to succeed in whatever way they want to. 

 

Success is what you make it out to be!

 
 
 
Bre-RO
Bre-ROPosted 31-08-2021 07:32 PM

Ahh, this is really heartfelt and wise. Exactly my advice: There is no rush!

 
 
Jords_km
Jords_kmPosted 31-08-2021 07:24 PM

I think because its society’s way of gauging how well someone is doing, how accomplished they are and how well comparatively they are doing to others. But society doesn’t know you or your struggles, or goals. Someone may compare themselves to you, not knowing how much you have overcome to get where you are. For instance, there’s an analogy where someone looks at the size of a giant iceberg and thinks “wow they’re so successful” what they don’t see is everything that’s under the water. The struggles, the cost, the obstacles, the pain…

 

We like to compare and we like to make ourselves feel better about where we are in life. And I think that’s why we “think” success matters so much. What’s most important is yourself and doing what makes you happy and what you need to have a good life.

 
 
 
Kathleen_RO
Kathleen_ROPosted 10-01-2022 03:22 PM

I agree with you there @Jords_km and social media can play a huge role as well with comparing ourselves to other people. Success means something different to each individual person. 

 
 
 
WheresMySquishy
WheresMySquishyPosted 31-08-2021 07:29 PM

I love what you said! You can't tell everything about a person just by looking at them.

 
 
 
 
Jords_km
Jords_kmPosted 31-08-2021 07:31 PM

Exactly! I have been judged so many times for where I'm at, but no one knows what it's taken to get there, what I've overcome just to even still be here today. 

 
 
 
RevzZ
RevzZPosted 31-08-2021 07:29 PM

I feel like we, as humans, are wired to compare things. Obviously it's handy for many situations but, as with anything, it has its place.

 

I LOVE your analogy. It reminds me of all the previous sayings on viewing successful people like "Don't judge someone until you've walked a mile in their shoes" or "You don't need to always understand who they are now but rather the person who made it all the way here". (I think I might've botched those quotes from memory lol)

 
 
 
 
Jords_km
Jords_kmPosted 31-08-2021 07:33 PM

I'm so glad! I LOVE analogies and quotes. They are honestly the best. One today that I read is "One day you will tell your story of how you overcome what you went through, and it will be someone else's survival guide" ❤️

 
 
 
 
Hozzles
HozzlesPosted 31-08-2021 07:32 PM

Haha yeah, we definitely are wired to compare things. I think the core of the matter is that no one really knows what they're doing, every single thing that makes up our experience is crafted by other people.

Love that analogy too @Jords_km! Exactly right. And I love that quote too, sometimes I think I'm not succeeding for taking longer to graduate but on the other hand I'm doing SO WELL getting so far with the hand I've been dealt!

 
 
 
 
 
Jords_km
Jords_kmPosted 31-08-2021 07:37 PM

If I could like this a million times I would. I feel you. I am 26 and everyone I know has pretty much gotten married and graduated and is well and truly on a different path to me. But if you look at things in perspective, your path soundly like it hasn't been easy, and you've had boulders to overcome and so you're doing amazingly to be where you are. 

 
 
 
Bre-RO
Bre-ROPosted 31-08-2021 07:27 PM

But society doesn’t know you or your struggles, or goals.

 

 
Bre-RO
Bre-ROPosted 31-08-2021 07:09 PM

 

Thank you so much, @Nigel-YA and @Jords_km, for being so generous with your time. Sharing your life experience and tips really helps others who are facing obstacles you can understand.  

 

Tonight we're unpacking the idea of success and how it relates to our happiness. A community member has asked a great question to kick us off: 

 

What is success to you?

 

 
 
Nigel-YA
Nigel-YAPosted 31-08-2021 07:17 PM

Success to me is having the confidence to make the choices I want to make in my own life. It’s not about what other people think, the job you work, the money you earn, or what other people think you should be doing. Success is what you want it to be, and success is different for every person.


Success for you might be to get good grades, travel the world, work a job, start a family, or do the things that make you happy. Don’t let anyone else stop you from making your own choices.


For me, I do what makes me happy. That has involved changing jobs, learning new sports, taking a break when needed, and even starting from scratch. It keeps me excited for the new things I will try!

 
 
 
Bre-RO
Bre-ROPosted 31-08-2021 07:20 PM

I love this!! It really sounds like your sense of success comes from staying true to who you are and what you want in life 😊

 
 
 
 
Nigel-YA
Nigel-YAPosted 31-08-2021 07:26 PM

Definitely! I have had a lot of people give me advice over the years. Some of it I incorporate into my life and other times I don't think it is the best advice for me. Either way, I trust my gut feeling to make the best decision for me at this point in time 😎

 
 
 
RevzZ
RevzZPosted 31-08-2021 07:20 PM

> I do what makes me happy

 

I love this. I feel like when some people start getting older, they think responsibility or maturity somehow equates to doing something for what everyone defines as "success" rather than prioritizing something that makes them happy.

 
 
 
 
Nigel-YA
Nigel-YAPosted 31-08-2021 07:23 PM

I wholeheartedly agree with this. Do what makes you happy! 🙌

 
 
 
 
Jords_km
Jords_kmPosted 31-08-2021 07:21 PM

Absolutely agree. There's a shift to comparing yourself with others and where they are at in life 

 
 
Jords_km
Jords_kmPosted 31-08-2021 07:11 PM

I think success to me is feeling a sense of achievement and accomplishment within yourself. Success is always going to look different for everyone, but the most important person to consider is yourself. Success also doesn’t always have to be something huge. Some days, success will look like you getting out of bed, brushing your teeth and having some breakfast. Other days, success may be finishing an assignment or going for a walk. Success can be viewed in many different ways. But if you feel proud of something, and have accomplished something you set out to do, no matter the size, then that is success to me!!

 
 
 
Hozzles
HozzlesPosted 31-08-2021 07:26 PM

I love this so much! Success can look differently on different days, and there can be big and small successes! Definitely relate that some days success is getting out of bed, other days it's getting a new job! 

 
 
 
WheresMySquishy
WheresMySquishyPosted 31-08-2021 07:13 PM

Hi @Jords_km! Thanks for being with us tonight!
I agree that success is something that looks different for everyone. The world would be a boring place if everyone did the same thing as each other.

 
 
 
 
Jords_km
Jords_kmPosted 31-08-2021 07:15 PM

I absolutely agree! Comparison is the thief of joy.

 
 
 
Bre-RO
Bre-ROPosted 31-08-2021 07:13 PM

Well said!! I totally agree with you and in particular love this: the most important person to consider is yourself. That is so very true, success is a personal thing and that is so good to call out. 

 
Bre-RO
Bre-ROPosted 31-08-2021 07:04 PM

 

Hey, community, you are in for a treat tonight. We are spending the next two hours with @Nigel-YA and @Jords_km, who are both ambassadors of ReachOut. 

 

We're answering your questions, and the theme is "redefining pathways to success", - and there are some super relevant questions that I think we're all going to gain a lot from discussing. 

 

Before we get started tonight, if anything we chat about hits a nerve, and you need some support, feel free to create a thread and express how you feel.

 

You could also reach out to a friend, relative or helpline such as: 

 

Lifeline: 13 11 14 

Kids helpline:1800 55 1800 

eheadspace and the work and study support service 

 

 
Hozzles
HozzlesPosted 31-08-2021 07:00 PM

Looking forward to this! I'll be popping in and out as I'm pretty busy at the moment, but it's also super relevant to me (as someone whose uni pathway is all over the place... withdrew a unit today actually lol) 😳

Welcome back!

Join the Community

ReachOut is confidential & anonymous.

8+ characters, 1 capital letter, 1 lower case letter and 1 number

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.