Define Success for Yourself

People define success in many ways. Several successful people with disabilities use these words:

• Success is defined by who we are, what we believe in, and what we think it means to be successful. For some it is money; for others it could be relationships, family, jobs, religion, or education. I believe that success is reaching my own personal dreams. I'm not done with my dreams, but know that I have been successful so far because I've worked toward my goals regardless of my disability. (college student who is deaf)
• Success is possessing the capability for self-determination. Self determination is the ability to decide what I want to do with my life, and then to act on that decision. (high school student who is blind)
• A successful life is one where I can be actively engaged in creative activities that make a contribution to the lives of others. Success is a kind of by-product and NOT an end in itself! (professor who is blind)
• To me, having a successful life is being able to do things independently for myself, and not always have someone there to do things for me. It's achieving my goals on my own terms and at my own pace. (high school student with a mobility and orthopedic impairment)

"Don't allow your disABILITY to shut you out of life; your request for Access has been Granted"

disABLED

The content of this article is organized around the following advice for successful young people and adults with disabilities who want to succeed in a world built for able bodied people.  These are topics that I will cover for the next few weeks:

• Define success for yourself.
• Set personal, academic, and career goals.
• Keep your expectations high.
• Understand your abilities and disabilities.
• Play to your strengths.
• Develop strategies to meet your goals.
• Use technology as an empowering tool.
• Work hard. Persevere. Be flexible.
• Develop a support network. Look to family, friends, and teachers.

Perhaps young people with disabilities will find the experiences of others useful as they set their course toward successful, self-determined lives.

"Don't allow your disABILITY to shut you out of life; your request for Access has been Granted"

Disabled But Self-Determined

We often hear about the problems young people with disabilities face—physical obstacles, social rejection, academic failure, and medical crises. Yet some people do overcome significant challenges and lead successful lives. What does success mean to them and how do they achieve it? What internal characteristics do these individuals possess and what external factors have been present in their lives? What advice do they have to help young people build personal strengths to overcome the challenges they no doubt will face?

Included in this article are insights from successful young people and adults with disabilities. These insights may help young people learn to lead self-determined lives. But, what is self-determination? There are many definitions to choose from. The following definition is concise and incorporates a number of common themes found in other definitions.

Self-determination is a combination of skills, knowledge, and beliefs that enable a person to engage in goal-directed, self-regulated, autonomous behavior. An understanding of one's strengths and limitations together with a belief in oneself as capable and effective are essential to self-determination. When acting on the basis of these skills and attitudes, individuals have greater ability to take control of their lives and assume the role of successful adults.

Gaining control over your life involves learning and then successfully applying a number of self-determination skills, such as goal-setting, understanding your abilities and disabilities, problem-solving, and self-advocacy. The personal process of learning, using, and self-evaluating these skills in a variety of settings is at the heart of self-determination.

"Don't allow your disABILITY to shut you out of life; your request for Access has been Granted"