Results and Discussion
Education
For this research, surveys were used to collect information from adult males of 20-29 years old living and working in Saudi Arabia. The questionnaires included such open-ended and close-ended inquiries as “do you consider yourself successful” and “what factors contribute to people’s success.” For the first point, questions related to education and other professional skills. As a result, 36 people participated in the survey and answered questions. The outcomes of the data gathering process can be observed in Table 1.
Table 1. Common Answers of the Survey’s Participants.
The importance of education is noted by Humpherys, Babb, and Abdullat (2015) who find that the acquisition of professional skills becomes a stepping stone for most workers as is shown in Table 1. The authors note, however, that these qualities are not the only ones affecting people’s achievements. Peeters, Whitner, and Bale (2015) also point out the value of continuous education. Employees who undergo training even after becoming successful show improved performance (Peeters et al., 2015). Both studies show that education creates value and connection with a profession.
The collected results and data reveal that people value education as a tool for achieving success. The participants who considered themselves successful noted that they felt confident in their professional skills. They also highlighted the significance of education at the start of one’s career. The studies support this finding, as Peeters et al. (2015) found that studying improves people’s view of their future occupation. Studying also improved people’s personality traits and contributed to their confidence. Overall, education was found to be meaningful for career success. Other spheres of life, however, were not mentioned in the answers.
External Factors
In the second part, the men were asked to consider money as a resource for success. The results in Table 2 show that money plays a significant role in people’s success. For example, people noted that they were able to purchase specific books and courses for their interests. However, some also argued that perseverance could be more valuable than money. They insisted that they would succeed without much money as well.
Table 2. Common Answers of the Survey’s Participants.
Academic studies reveal that money can affect one’s path to success. Barling and Weatherhead (2016) find that poverty greatly reduces people’s confidence. Thus, they do not become leaders in their field or achieve academic excellence. Frese, Gielnik, and Mensmann (2016) encourage entrepreneurs with resources to elevate people with limited resources. They state that poverty reduction can lead to improved successes among all people.
As an outcome, one can see that people realize the role of money in their success. It is a resource that provides one with access to materials and knowledge. Moreover, it provides a sense of security and comfort to people. However, some entrepreneurs believe that money is not a core factor of success. Frese et al. (2016) argue that poverty limits people’s ambitions. Barling and Weatherhead (2016) agree, posing the lack of money as a barrier to skill formation. Thus, money continues to be a significant aspect of professional and personal growth.
Soft Skills and Personality
Finally, the participants discussed the roles of their personality and “soft skills” in their achievements. Soft skills include communicability, emotional intelligence, social skills, and other attainable traits (Gordon, 2014). The participants named four main characteristics as shown in Table 3. Moreover, they noted that the ability to communicate with people improved all spheres of their life. The participants talked about their romantic, family, and professional relationships while praising soft skills.
Table 3. Common Answers of the Survey’s Participants.
Many scholars highlight the significance of soft skills for progress. Gordon (2014) argues that all professionals should learn how to talk to people and present their points. Humpherys et al. (2016) find personal abilities necessary for academic achievements. Kauffman (2015) also notes that communicable people will succeed in online learning as well as in the classroom. Overall, all scholars agree that interaction with people is an inherent part of succeeding in the social world.
The findings show that soft skills are the most vital factors for achieving success. These traits are helpful in all areas of life, including one’s work and family. People focus on the social part of their personality to find compatible paths for self-improvement. Extraversion is named one of the most expected personal characteristics for success. Scholars state that emotional intelligence is an inherent requirement for future leaders. Interestingly, the participants agree, stating that leaders should be confident but flexible and open. These data suggest that success is closely connected to people’s personalities.
Conclusions and Implications
The paper analyzed people’s view of success and factors that help to achieve it. The study focused on several factors such as external influences (money and poverty). It also examined participants’ opinions about education and professionalism. Finally, it reviewed the role of personality and soft skills. The thesis proposed a strong connection between the mentioned above factors and people’s success.
The findings of the conducted survey revealed that education was perceived as a necessity for achieving professional excellence. Participants found that studying gave them the knowledge to pursue their careers. Furthermore, it awarded them with enough confidence to be creative. Continuous training was also viewed as a factor that helped people to grow professionally.
Another interesting result revealed the significance of soft skills, including emotional intelligence and extraversion. Participants considered communication as the basis for success in all spheres of life. Scholars also supported this idea noting that all professionals and students should possess non-academic skills to achieve high results. Confidence and open-mindedness were named as traits of a true leader.
The study suggests that to achieve success, people have to consider many factors. For example, they should view education as a tool for gathering knowledge and establishing connections. Moreover, one should not dismiss the importance of emotional intelligence. As success usually relates to relationships, social skills become necessary for people. The findings also imply that resources such as money are vital in one’s success.
In conclusion, one can see that the idea of success remains to be complicated. Many factors help individuals improve their professional and personal lives. Both internal and external determinants play a role in people’s experiences. Nonetheless, social skills and professional knowledge can be highlighted as the most critical aspects that can assist one in achieving various goals. Although success is an elusive concept, the path to it can be paved by perseverance.
References
Barling, J., & Weatherhead, J. G. (2016). Persistent exposure to poverty during childhood limits later leader emergence. Journal of Applied Psychology, 101(9), 1305.
Frese, M., Gielnik, M. M., & Mensmann, M. (2016). Psychological training for entrepreneurs to take action: Contributing to poverty reduction in developing countries. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 25(3), 196-202.
Gordon, W. (2014). Developing scientists’ “soft” skills. Eos, Transactions American Geophysical Union, 95(6), 55.
Humpherys, S., Babb, J. S., & Abdullat, A. (2015). Where do student outcomes begin? Developing personal and life skills as a strategy for student success in the first computing course and beyond. Information Systems Education Journal, 13(6), 4-26.
Kauffman, H. (2015). A review of predictive factors of student success in and satisfaction with online learning. Research in Learning Technology, 23, 26507.
Peeters, M. J., Whitner, J. B., & Bale, A. O. (2015). More evidence of professionalism and professional engagement. INNOVATIONS in Pharmacy, 6(4), 1-2.