I believe that success is a rather loaded word. We often associate it with significant milestones, achievements, recognition, or reaching a goal we have worked towards. And while these are certainly successes worth celebrating, I believe success also lives in the small, everyday moments that we so often overlook.

For me, it is important to distinguish between the big milestones and the little victories of everyday life.

Big successes are often linked to goals we have consciously set for ourselves. We work towards something, put in the effort, overcome obstacles, and eventually reach our destination. These are the moments we tend to recognise as achievements.

But what about the smaller successes? Getting through a difficult day, learning something new, finding the courage to try again after a disappointment, or simply making progress when progress feels slow? These moments may not earn us recognition or deserve a place on a trophy shelf, but they matter just as much to our personal growth.

Looking back over my life, I have to admit that there were milestones I achieved without truly acknowledging them as successes. I reached certain goals, moved on to the next challenge, and rarely stopped to celebrate what I had accomplished. Perhaps I was too focused on what came next to appreciate how far I had already travelled.

Now, in my senior years, I have learned to do things differently. I no longer believe that a success has to be enormous to deserve recognition. Whether it is a major milestone or a small personal victory, I allow myself to acknowledge it and, more importantly, to celebrate it.

I have come to understand that success does not simply happen. It is usually preceded by effort. Sometimes that effort is visible to everyone; sometimes it is a quiet, private struggle that nobody else knows about. Either way, something had to be done, attempted, endured, or learned for that moment of success to become possible.

One of my famous countrymen, Gary Player, is often associated with the saying:

“The more I practice, the luckier I get.”

I love this quote because it reminds me that what people sometimes call luck may actually be the result of preparation, dedication, and persistence. We may not always control the outcome, but we can influence our chances of success through the effort we are willing to invest.

So, what does success mean to me?

It means setting goals and working towards them, but it also means recognising the value of the journey. It means being willing to try, to learn, to persevere, and sometimes to begin again. It means acknowledging the big achievements without dismissing the small ones.

Most importantly, it means no longer rushing past my successes in pursuit of the next one.

I have learned that life is not only about reaching the destination. It is also about recognising how far we have come, appreciating the effort it took to get there, and allowing ourselves a moment to say, “I did that. And I am going to celebrate it.”