Washington Post – On Success By Michael Berland - November 6, 2009

Q: Does success breed success? Are people more likely to succeed if they wind up with a successful organization like the New York Yankees or performing beside stars such as Derek Jeter? How often does the expectation and aura of success become a self-fulfilling prophecy?

Being and feeling successful is about putting yourself in an environment you're passionate about and/or a role where you can be successful based on who you are fundamentally, what your strengths are and what feels fulfilling to you.

The best teams in sports, in business and in creative fields all have people who are in the right roles for them.

You aren't more likely attain your personal definition of success just because you are at a successful organization or work alongside "stars" in your chosen field. To be sure, you get sprinkled with some fairy-dust just from rubbing up against the stars in your field or working for a star organization.

If you mistakenly choose opportunities just based the chance to work for, or alongside, an industry "star" or working for a prestigious organization, you could end up asking yourself "What's wrong with me that I'm not feeling fulfilled at this job?"

Parents can sometimes push young people toward jobs with an impressive "cocktail conversation" factor. I advise using introspection and self-knowledge, not the prestige of potential opportunity, to gauge your choices.