Alysa Liu won something more precious than gold before her skates even scratched the ice in Milan.

By enjoying every minute of her performance, regardless of possible results, the UCLA student-turned-figure skating star showed the world that living by one’s own rules is more valuable than any medal.

UCLA students should take inspiration from fellow Bruin and two-time Olympic gold medal champion Liu to let go of outside expectations and define success in their own terms.

Liu retired from figure skating at 16 after 11 years on the ice. What was supposed to be a fulfilling career became a burden. In a Rolling Stone interview in March, Liu said she had started hating the sport.

“I was dreading going to the rink every day,” said Liu in February on the podcast “Sports in America” with David Greene. “I did not want to be there, and I felt like I was doing it against my will.”

Liu returned to the rink two years later after having recovered her passion for the sport during the break.

This time, however, she would be in charge of her own career: Liu conditioned her return to having full creative control over her programs and managing her own training schedule.

A year later, Liu won the world championship. But winning the title was not her focus.

“It’s more about the skate instead of the results,” Liu added in “Sports in America.” “I would rather people know me for what programs I did.”

Such a mindset is not just beneficial to top-of-the-field athletes. UCLA students should draw from Liu’s experience and avoid letting others determine what success looks like.

Jessica Rodriguez, a first-year graduate student in urban planning, said students face pressure to measure their success in numerical terms. She said the number of internships they secure or the number of classes they take is considered a mark of success.

Students risk losing the ability to distinguish what they actually consider important from what is expected of them by leaning into others’ expectations.

Diana Winston, the director of UCLA Mindful – UCLA Health’s Mindfulness Education Center, said students often internalize messages from society, culture and family. As a result, they are turning others’ expectations into their own.

“These expectations can cause a sense of ‘I’m never good enough,’ and that can lead to anxiety and depression,” Winston added .

Trying to live up to other people’s concept of success may compromise students’ health.

“We’re constantly comparing ourselves to others, and we feel like we might not always be doing what we should be doing and meeting the expectations of others,” said Juan Rodriguez, a fourth-year political science student.

Linking our own view of success to other people’s expectations will also cause dissatisfaction in the long run. When we lose track of why what we are doing matters to us, feeling content with our everyday life becomes a challenge.

Losing purpose was one of the reasons Liu said she quit skating.

“I didn’t even know what I was doing it for anymore,” Liu added to the Rolling Stone interview.

When she regained her passion for skating, Liu did not let other people’s expectations spoil her joy in the sport again. By taking control of her career, the figure skater won something more valuable than two Olympic gold medals. She won genuine fulfillment with the way she lives her life.

Reflecting on our values and pursuing what is important to us is key to living a life we are truly content with.

UCLA students must therefore let go of external pressures and prioritize their own happiness to achieve meaningful success.

“When you listen deeply to yourself and follow your passions and your heart, you can create something wonderful,” Winston said.