The word successful does not necessarily mean having material things such as bags, shoes, phones, and other expensive possessions. To me, success is when you know in your heart that you have achieved most of the dreams you had while growing up and fulfilled the goals you once wrote down in your jotter.
I would say that the younger me felt pressured to appear more successful than I actually was. During my university days, I would see my coursemates wearing trendy clothes, carrying fashionable bags, wearing beautiful shoes, and making their hair. Some of them would say that if I did not dress in the latest fashion, I would not fit into their group. Being young, I was bothered by this and wanted to belong. I started looking for ways to fit in, including borrowing money from people to buy new clothes and hats just to look good.
Deep inside, I might have gone without food for days, but whenever my friends suggested that we go partying, I would use the money I had saved for food to join them just to feel accepted. In essence, I would say that peer pressure contributes to making some people appear successful when they are actually broke.
However, the older me would no longer allow peer pressure or other people's expectations to control my decisions. I am now more focused on building my life than on chasing material things or trying to impress people.
Those expectations and the pressure to look successful when I was actually broke taught me to be content with the little I have. I have come to understand that material possessions do not define a person's success.
What matters to me now is genuine success: building my career, growing my business, and setting higher goals to achieve in life. I want to be able to pay my bills without depending on anyone because being too dependent on others can make a person lose the motivation to strive for success. Above all, do not disappoint yourself by pretending to be someone you are not. Do not lie to yourself just to fit in or belong to someone else's world.
I would also say that some people are genuinely successful and enjoy their material possessions. As long as they can comfortably afford these things without trying to impress others, there is nothing wrong with that. We can be successful and enjoy material things at the same time.
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