Strayer University Petitions Webster's to Change Definition of 'Success'

ashley.rae | August 28, 2015
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Strayer University has launched a campaign in order to change the definition of the word “success.”

Strayer’s “Readdress Success” initiative is petitioning Merriam-Webster to alter the definition of success. Currently, the definition given in the Merriam-Webster dictionary is “the fact of getting or achieving wealth, respect, or fame.”

According to research conducted by Ipsos on behalf of Strayer, however, individuals have an alternative view of what it means to be successful. The survey found 90 percent of Americans believe success is “more about happiness than power, possessions, or prestige.”

Strayer reports 67 percent of individuals polled view success as “attaining personal goals,” 66 percent define success as “having good relationships,” and 60 percent of individuals responded success means “loving what you do for a living.”

At the same time, when asked, “What does success mean to you?” 51 percent of respondents responded with respect, 21 percent answered with wealth, and merely 3 percent claimed fame.

 Given the discrepancy between personal values and the current dictionary definition of success, Strayer’s petition states,  “the dictionary definition of the word success is too narrow and needs to be expanded.”

Strayer claims the current definition of success means “people with happy families aren’t successful. People who love their jobs aren’t successful. People who set and reach goals like becoming healthier, being a mentor, or helping out in their communities aren’t successful.”

“Reaching goals. Building relationships. Loving what you do for a living. That’s how Americans talk about success,” Strayer writes. “It’s not a reflection of their bank statements, but of their self-fulfillment. So this initiative is about more than words. It’s about recognizing and celebrating the kind of success we want for our children and ourselves: Less about objects and money. More about people and joy.”

Strayer notes for every signature on the petition, the university will donate fifty cents (up to $50,000) to the Dress for Success non-profit organization that provides professional attire for disadvantaged women.

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