What is success?

I came across a very interesting story today. This is about Dr. Kim Ung-Yong, also known as a 'failed child prodigy'. 

As a child, Dr Kim displayed extraordinary capabilities. He was solving complex calculus problems by the age of four and his IQ was an astonishing 210. He got a job in NASA as a researcher when he was all of eight years old. While in NASA, he was making some important contributions. 

By all means, Dr Kim was being regarded as the next big name in the world of science. The science fraternity and many in South Korea (home country) were waiting curiously for a big bang discovery from this child genius. He worked in NASA for almost a decade, but then did something that shocked a lot of people. 

He quit NASA and went back to Korea. He then enrolled himself in a local university to study civil engineering. Post completing his studies, he did a desk job with a corporation and a number of other such odd jobs. After a number of trials, he decided to become a full-time professor in a university and today devotes his time to teaching and grooming the minds of young students. 

Most people would have assumed that Dr Kim would have been on cloud nine with all the attention that he was getting as a child and later a teen. The truth, however, was far from this. Dr Kim revealed later that when he was in NASA, he felt very lonely and depressed. He worked with adults who could neither understand him nor were interested in mingling with him. He missed his family, his culture, his food and most importantly, he missed being happy. After 10 painful years, when he decided to leave NASA and pursue ordinary education, he was met with a lot of criticism in his home country for not 'living up to his potential'. Which also later gave him the unfortunate title of a 'failed child prodigy'. 

Today, most of us may not be extra-ordinary like Dr Kim but we all have, at some point in time, faced the pressures of 'living up to our potential' ...as if we owe something to our potential! 

Do we?

Dr Kim has left an important lesson for each one of us - Do what gives you happiness. You don't owe anything to anyone. If pursuing a fast-paced corporate job gives you happiness, then do that. If a slow-paced life of a teacher (like Dr. Kim) gives you joy and peace, then be proud of that. Dr Kim chose happiness and how can happiness be a wrong choice! In a world where it is sexy and cool to be driven by ambitions, a simpleton has taught us that true success is having the courage to set your own standards of success!  

It is famously said - there is no greater burden than great potential. A humble South Korean has shown us how to lighten this burden.   

At the end of the day, You do You! 😊

Thanks for reading! Always be brave and kind!

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