What does the word "success" mean? Does it mean money? Fame? Family? There are SO MANY ways to define success that there are four immediate definitions on Google and every one of them are just as vague and meaningless as the next. There is no universal way to define success, so we must resort to the next best thing, find out what it means for ourselves to succeed and try as hard as we can to acheive it. Success cannot be determined by anyone else but you, so don't LET anyone tell you what that should mean to you. If success to you means becoming rich and living in Beverly Hills, don't let me tell you that's not what success is, because in your reality, you are right and I am wrong (and vice versa). For me, success does not mean riches or anything close to that. Success to me is being able to change someone else's life for the better. I want to live to change people. The times that I've felt most successful was when I've been in love. Every day, I knew I was making a difference in their lives just by living, and that is such a great feeling. Unfortunately, until I'm married, I will never acheive that feeling every day, which for now is fine. I can live with that. What I do now is try to write, either in song, poem, or even on this blog just to try and change your life. I remember another time when I felt so successful. Joel, Dylyn, and I (all members of the band Echoed Illusions) all went to an acoustic performance of the band Coheed and Cambria. We were standing toward the back, trying to escape the sea of people crowding the stage, when a kid we'd never met leaned over and asked "Hey, are you guys Echoed Illusions?" We answered yes, and he said "I saw you guys play at the U the other day. I really liked what I heard!" Even that small, insignificant scentence really made my day. Just to have someone remember me and appreciate my band made me feel successful. I hope one day I can play my songs or read my poems to big audiences just so people can smile for the night and have a good time. So to me, success is being able to affect the lives of as many people as I can. What does success mean to you? Find out, and pursue that dream as hard and as fast as you can. I love you all.

-Michael Howell