The Editor's Perspective Success is Your Only Option by Robert G. Miller

THE BLACK COLLEGIAN's 30th anniversary commemorative edition is a cornerstone achievement in a history of publishing success.  Yes, we've enjoyed success in the dictionary sense of "a favorable course or termination of anything attempted...the gaining of position, fame, wealth, etc.;" thanks to the wealth of recognition and awards we've received from the academic community, public sector, and private industry.

More significant, however, is the "success" of our three-decades' relationship with the millions of college students who have sought in these pages valuable career and self-development information.  That kind of success isn't a termination. It's no one-time pat on the back.  That's the success that sticks, lasts, and leads you down paths to new successes.

For college students, it's common and easy to focus on the termination part of success: finishing the paper on deadline, reaching graduation, raising the GPA, getting the degree of your dreams.  These are themselves sound goals and terrific achievements, but success in college isn't just about getting the work done -- it's about how the work is done.  How well is it done?  What challenges did you overcome?  What did you do better this time than the time before, and why?  How will you build on this advancement the next time around?

The keys to the terminal kind of success in college or a profession are easily grasped: solid preparation, rigorous study, quality time at work with your sleeves rolled up to responsibly meet deadlines will get you that degree, that promotion, that high GPA.

The formula for failure is also easy to guess: poor preparation, lazy study habits, spotty work that's hastily done and turned in late or incomplete will ultimately, unsurprisingly result in lower grades.  The root of real failure in most aspects of life -- for the collegian, for the professional, even for a magazine -- is aiming low; thinking short-term, thinking small.  Many students like to cram the night before (or the day of!) a test and expect to get great grades. But, it's better to pace yourself, set aside quality time to do projects as best you can and on time, and the excellent grades will come.

However, the path to truly rewarding and long-term success is harder to walk.  Looking back at the monumental civil rights leaders and famous artists, the groundbreaking politicians and professionals and business moguls in editions of our magazine over the past 30 years, you see a great deal. More than just hard work, these trailblazers shared long-term visions, high goals, and dedication to doing their best, often in the face of overwhelming obstacles.  Where would we be if these great African-American men and women were content to only "cram?"

Thirty years ago, it was hard to imagine this lofty anniversary.  We knew that if THE BLACK COLLEGIAN were to succeed, we must set a long-range goal to make each issue just a little better than the one before, because you, the reader, expected and deserved it.  And here we are in the 21st Century, looking forward to 30 more years plus of helping you aim high and performing a lot better each day of your journey, up to and beyond, your biggest college success to come yet: graduation. Congratulations to you on your future rendezvous with success, both on and beyond, the college campus. Remember this if you will: success is not purchased at any one time, but on the installment plan. Stay focused in achieving your goals throughout life keeping in mind, the reason most major goals are not achieved is that we spend our time doing second things first.  Here's to your and our continued celebration of success!

Robert G. Miller is the vice president of Editorial Administration for iMinorities, Inc., and the editor of THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Magazine.