Success is different for everyone; everybody defines it in their

Hear the words of William Shatner, spoken with the voice of one who has walked many roads and seen many faces: “Success is different for everyone; everybody defines it in their own way, and that’s part of what we do in Close Up, finding what it was each person wanted to achieve and what their willingness to sacrifice for that was.” These words, though wrapped in the garment of modern conversation, hold within them an ancient truth. For success is not a single crown worn by all, but many crowns, each shaped by the heart that seeks it. What is victory to one may be emptiness to another; what is triumph to one may be folly to another.

In this saying, Shatner reminds us that success is not universal but personal. Some measure it in wealth, others in wisdom. Some in fame, others in quiet contentment. For one, the battlefield is the stage, for another it is the hearth, for another it is the service of others. To demand that all men bow before the same idol of success is to dishonor the diversity of the human spirit. Each soul is given its own dream, and each must walk its own path toward it.

Yet the second half of Shatner’s words pierces deeper: he speaks of the willingness to sacrifice. For every vision demands a price. To build a kingdom, one must labor long. To write a book, one must burn the midnight hours. To raise a child, one must give up the freedoms of the self. Thus, the true meaning of success is not found in what is desired, but in what one is willing to surrender for the sake of that desire. Without sacrifice, the dream remains an illusion.

History proves this truth. Consider Thomas Edison, who lit the world with his inventions. He sought not fame alone, but the triumph of discovery. His willingness to sacrifice was endless—thousands of experiments failed before one succeeded. The sleepless nights, the endless ridicule, the moments of despair—these were the sacrifices that built his success. His triumph was not in the bulb itself, but in the endurance that made the bulb possible.

Or reflect upon Mahatma Gandhi, who defined success not in wealth or power, but in freedom for his people. His path demanded not gold but suffering, not applause but imprisonment. Yet his success, though different from the world’s measure, outshone the riches of empires. He sacrificed comfort, health, and even his safety, but in so doing, he carved a place in the eternal story of humankind. His life testifies to Shatner’s wisdom: that success is always bound to the price we are willing to pay.

The lesson for us is luminous: do not measure yourself by another’s vision of greatness. Ask instead, What do I seek? and What am I willing to give for it? Define your success not by borrowed dreams but by the truth within your heart. Then, walk with clarity, knowing that every sacrifice is the shaping of your destiny. Success is not given—it is exchanged, traded for sweat, for time, for discipline, for courage.

And what must you do, O seeker? Sit in stillness and define your dream. Name it clearly, for a vague dream can never be attained. Then count the cost, and accept it with open heart. Do not envy the triumphs of others, for their sacrifices are not yours. Instead, honor your own journey, and let each step be taken with faith and endurance. For in the end, success is not in the applause of the world, but in the knowledge that you sought, you gave, and you became what you were meant to be.

Thus, let the words of William Shatner be a torch for your path: success is different for everyone, and the measure of it is not only in the goal, but in the sacrifice offered for its sake. Define, sacrifice, endure—and in so doing, you will find the success that belongs to you and you alone.