Success

Success is when one's goals are accomplished or passion fulfilled. The first step is commitment; one has to endure it in order to get to the next step. Commitment is a frightening word and because of it, many won’t or can’t follow through. All commitment is, is to acknowledge and dedicate oneself. “I’ve decided I’m going to live my life for some time now”, McCandless writes in a letter to Westerberg. Westerberg was a man who was a friend and a boss of McCandless. He made a commitment to live his life the way he wanted after graduating college; the way he wanted to with just about nothing and no brainwashing involved from society. He also knew that his journey would be a while. When goals are accomplished with the hard work put into it, the outcome is a rewarding one thus calling it success. Success isn't something that is handed on a silver platter like inheriting things like money, business, or property. It is not success because it has been handed down as a gift; the one who created it had the success. Success has no dimension, it doesn't always have to be big, could be something as small as tying a shoe. It's when one feels like one has worked for something and felt some type of relief and satisfaction when all is over.

The second step is achievement and doesn’t come easy all the time.  It requires patience, dedication, and hard work. It breaks down the barriers of one’s confidence. It helps boost self esteem and give the desire to accomplish much more. Also helps to know one by figuring out what one is good at or what one likes or dislikes. McCandless puts in words, “Ultimate freedom; An extremist; Aesthetic voyager whose home is the road.” He reaches this achievement when he gets to Alaska and finds the magic bus. He carves these words on a wooden board in remembrance of who he is and his journey up to that point. He’s traveled through the states, met interesting people, and been through a lot of adventure. He did what many people wouldn’t do; to live on the road with no money and still find joy. And that was just who he was. He had so much adventure in those two years he was out. He travelled through a few states which a lot of people wouldn’t get to do in their whole life. Being in nature is great; it’s nice to not know the time and just be free to do whatever one’s heart desires. To do it for two years, that is total commitment and achievement. For people who thought he was crazy for doing what he did, I don’t believe that. I think they just don’t understand. He was successful in my book, he wanted to tell his story and he did.

Lastly the results are happiness, the feeling of joy. “Happiness is only real when shared,” were the last words McCandless wrote before he died. McCandless fulfilled his dream of ultimate freedom. He enjoyed going wherever life took him but the real happiness he had was when he was with the people who he had relationships with. He reflected upon his last breaths of life looking into the cloudy sky, imagining running into his parent’s arms while smiling; meaning he forgave them for his resentment built inside of him for many years. As he took his last breath, the sun shone onto him. Before this, Franz express’: “When you forgive you love and when you love god’s light shines on you.” Franz states this to McCandless as they were sitting on the rocky hill where McCandless first brought him. His conversation with McCandless was how he was going to miss McCandless when he leaves for Alaska and about the problems McCandlesss has with his parents. After his expression, the light shined on them. It is a cycle, happiness is the result of achievement and happiness is needed to make the commitment. One should always strive to be happy because everyone deserves it. Happiness plays a role in our well being. Unfortunately, McCandless was alone physically and you would think how happiness comes into play; although he was alone, mentally and emotionally he was with his parents then god. He was suffering but he left this world a happy individual. He proved it with a note to inform everyone who read it that he had a happy life. 

“Success is getting what you want, happiness is wanting what you get” 
― W.P. Kinsella

Happiness impacts success