Growing up in a culture where academic excellence was often equated with worth, I internalized the idea that my value was tied to my productivity. Moving from Bangladesh to the U.S. only deepened that pressure. I was the new student, the outsider, trying to prove that I belonged. I studied harder, stayed quieter, and avoided risks, believing that achievement would be the key to acceptance.

Even in college, surrounded by ambitious peers and an endless stream of “success stories,” I found myself constantly comparing. Everyone seemed to have a direction, a polished resume, and a post-grad plan. Meanwhile, I was still figuring myself out quietly, wondering if I was enough.

The turning point wasn’t a dramatic revelation, but rather a slow unraveling. I began to feel the weight of burnout. I was overcommitted, under-inspired, and emotionally drained. That’s when I finally paused and asked myself the question I had avoided for so long: What do I want success to feel like, not just look like?

That one question changed everything.

I realized I wanted success to feel peaceful. Aligned. Joyful. Not something that constantly left me anxious or second-guessing. I didn’t want to keep sprinting toward a goal that wasn’t even mine.

Today, I’m slowly redefining success on my own terms. It no longer means perfection or people-pleasing. It means waking up and feeling content, not overwhelmed. Choosing rest without guilt. Being proud of progress, even if it’s quiet or unseen.

I’ve learned that life isn’t a race. The pressure to constantly achieve doesn’t lead to fulfillment; it leads to burnout. Real success, for me, now looks like living in alignment with who I truly am.

This shift hasn’t been easy. I still fall into old patterns. I still compare. I still question if I’m doing enough. But now, I try to catch myself when those thoughts arise and ask: Does this align with the life I’m building for myself?

I’m unlearning the belief that worth is measured by output. I’m letting go of the idea that success only counts if others can see it or applaud it. And I’m learning to trust that being true to myself, no matter how unconventional that looks, is the bravest and most beautiful version of success there is.

So if you’re feeling lost, behind, or like your version of success doesn’t match what the world expects, know that you’re not alone. You are allowed to define success in a way that makes sense to you. And you don’t need to have it all figured out right now. Take your time. One step, one breath, one decision at a time. Your version of success is already within you; you just have to give yourself the freedom to follow it.