--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For me, success is when I'm making a…" description: "\"For me, success is when I'm making a contribution and fully engaging all of my talents. In terms of the key quality, it's being willing to continue to ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f7/melissa-harris-perry-10452_able_for-me-success-is-when-i-m-making-a-cont_3109576.png" --- # For me, success is when I'm making a contribution and… ![“For me, success is when I'm making a contribution and fully engaging all of my talents. In terms of the key quality, it's being willing to continue to believe in yourself even when other people don't, and being able to fail and to come back.” quote by Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f7/melissa-harris-perry-10452_able_for-me-success-is-when-i-m-making-a-cont_3109576.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f7/melissa-harris-perry-10452_able_for-me-success-is-when-i-m-making-a-cont_3109576.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f7/melissa-harris-perry-10452_able_for-me-success-is-when-i-m-making-a-cont_3109576.png) > “For me, success is when I'm making a contribution and fully engaging all of my talents. In terms of the key quality, it's being willing to continue to believe in yourself even when other people don't, and being able to fail and to come back.” [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success is defined by contribution, full use of talents, self‑belief despite doubt, and resilience after failure. **In simple terms:** Success means using all talents, believing in yourself, and bouncing back. Key Takeaway Focus on contribution, talent, and resilience. Themes achievement self‑belief resilience Mood inspirational determined Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - leadership - entrepreneurship - creative projects - personal growth Key Concepts psychology career development Questions to Reflect On - What contribution feels most meaningful now? - How do you sustain belief when facing criticism? A Different Perspective Self‑belief can be fragile under external pressure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Contribution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contribution/) [Excellence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) ## Related quotes > [“Eventually everything connects — people, ideas, objects...the quality of the connections is the key to quality per se...I don't believe in this 'gifted few'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-eames/eventually-everything-connects-people-ideas-objects-the-quality-of/) [Charles Eames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eames/) > [Success is about making your life a special version of unique that fits who you are - not what other people want you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-cuban/success-is-about-making-your-life-a-special-version-of-unique-that/) [Mark Cuban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-cuban/) > [“Early in my career, during my first few years at Oracle, I defined my success by making money and achieving power. By my early…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-benioff/early-in-my-career-during-my-first-few-years-at-oracle-i-defined-my/) [Marc Benioff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-benioff/) > [The key to happiness is having dreams; the key to success is making them come true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-allen/the-key-to-happiness-is-having-dreams-the-key-to-success-is-making/) [James Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-allen/) > [The secret of success is making your vocation your vacation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-secret-of-success-is-making-your-vocation-your-vacation/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Real success is making art your whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-walkingstick/real-success-is-making-art-your-whole-life/) [Kay WalkingStick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-walkingstick/) > [I've realised that if I aim for a successful record, I probably won't have any success. But if I keep making weird things, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diplo/i-ve-realised-that-if-i-aim-for-a-successful-record-i-probably-won-t/) [Diplo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diplo/) > [“Success is making those who believed in you look brilliant.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dharmesh-shah/success-is-making-those-who-believed-in-you-look-brilliant/) Dharmesh Shah > [“There are no absolute rules when it comes to success. It is not a case of you either are one or you are not.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-w-lord/there-are-no-absolute-rules-when-it-comes-to-success-it-is-not-a-case/) [J. W. Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-w-lord/) > [It's not a testosterone-driven industry any longer. Success is making money, not in the size of the airline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-bethune/it-s-not-a-testosterone-driven-industry-any-longer-success-is-making/) [Gordon Bethune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-bethune/) > [Success is making a positive difference to other people, especially seeing others grow, succeed and thrive as a result of your own small contribution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azran-osman-rani/success-is-making-a-positive-difference-to-other-people-especially/) [Azran Osman Rani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azran-osman-rani/) > [To me, success is making a positive difference through art - making art that affects the world and that changes the way people feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-me-success-is-making-a-positive-difference-through-art-making-art/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What's success anyway? Is success about making the most money? No, money for the most part turns people into jerks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sacca/what-s-success-anyway-is-success-about-making-the-most-money-no-money/) [Chris Sacca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sacca/) > [If you don't believe in yourself...nobo dy else will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kobe-bryant/if-you-don-t-believe-in-yourself-nobo-dy-else-will/) [Kobe Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kobe-bryant/) > [I know how important it is to have people who believe in you even when you don't believe in yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/i-know-how-important-it-is-to-have-people-who-believe-in-you-even/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) ## More by Melissa Harris-Perry > [I learned that you can't write a book in the margins of your life. I'd forgotten how much uninterrupted time it takes to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/i-learned-that-you-can-t-write-a-book-in-the-margins-of-your-life-i-d/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) > [ The debate was a chance for senator \[Bernie\] Sanders to have a game-changing moment to recapture the news cycle and build momentum going into… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/the-debate-was-a-chance-for-senator-bernie-sanders-to-have-a-game/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) > [Having a white parent undoubtedly makes for a different childhood experience than having two black parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/having-a-white-parent-undoubtedly-makes-for-a-different-childhood/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) > [Drink lots of water, and nap. I've made some really big messes along the way, whether on the academic side or on the media…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/drink-lots-of-water-and-nap-i-ve-made-some-really-big-messes-along/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) > [Terrifying mass shooting and high-profile officer-involved incidents have dominated the national conversation on gun violence in recent years. But most deaths by gun are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/terrifying-mass-shooting-and-high-profile-officer-involved-incidents/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) > [Stereotypes work to help divide women from recognizing their common interests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/stereotypes-work-to-help-divide-women-from-recognizing-their-common/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) > [I would agree if the race were today, most likely, our nominee would be Donald Trump, but it isn't today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/i-would-agree-if-the-race-were-today-most-likely-our-nominee-would-be/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) > [The Republicans don't need black folks to vote Republican, they just need them to not vote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/the-republicans-don-t-need-black-folks-to-vote-republican-they-just/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) > [I had a friend say to me the other day, I hate when I see Jonathan Metzl on your show because I know it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/i-had-a-friend-say-to-me-the-other-day-i-hate-when-i-see-jonathan/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) > [I am a supporter of much of the Arab Spring, as a matter of indigenous self-determination. So, I see the United States' role in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/i-am-a-supporter-of-much-of-the-arab-spring-as-a-matter-of-indigenous/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) > [ The leading non-establishment Republican candidate for president, Donald Trump, is just sailing past \[establishment Republican candidates\] in the polls. He is still surging. He… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/the-leading-non-establishment-republican-candidate-for-president/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) > [I think the idea that you're somehow rejecting whiteness if you don't identify yourself as biracial is odd because everybody engages in whiteness. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/i-think-the-idea-that-you-re-somehow-rejecting-whiteness-if-you-don-t/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) > [Popular films are so powerful and compelling that it's often easier to accept their versions of history than the much more complicated true stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/popular-films-are-so-powerful-and-compelling-that-it-s-often-easier/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) > [Donald Trump has changed the rule and so have the stations and the media coverage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/donald-trump-has-changed-the-rule-and-so-have-the-stations-and-the/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) > [As we watch Republican candidates like Scott Walker and Rick Perry and Bobby Jindal and George Pataki, and even Jeb Bush and Chris Christie,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/as-we-watch-republican-candidates-like-scott-walker-and-rick-perry/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) [Explore all 65 Melissa Harris-Perry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For me, success is when I'm making a contribution and fully engaging all of my talents. 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