What is success? Is success about money, friendship, or power? Is it about achieving excellence in college and beyond or about finding a purpose in your life? For most people, success is a combination of all of these factors and more. While luck or “who you know” may play a role in success, first and foremost it will be the result of your planning and hard work.

To become successful, where do you begin? First, it is important to establish goals—goals for today, this week, this month, this term, this year, and beyond. While some students prefer to go with the flow and let life happen to them, those students are more likely to waste their time and less likely to achieve success in college or in a career. So instead of simply reacting to what college and life present, think about how you can take more control over the decisions and choices you make now to achieve your goals. While it is easy to make general plans, you need to determine which short-term steps are necessary if those plans are to become a reality.

As you plan your college experience and life goals, think about your personal strengths. For instance, are you interested in science? Do you like to help sick people? If your answers to these questions are yes, then you may want to consider a career in health care like nursing or physical therapy. Do you like to help people learn? Do you think you enjoy teaching? If so, you might want to think about education. Do you like to work with computers? Do you like to design games? If so, you may want to think about computer science or game design. Your campus advising and career centers can help you discover your strengths and weaknesses, which, combined with your interests, can help you explore career choices.