When I thought of 'success,' I pictured a thriving career and high-achieving children. Then my daughter was born with complex medical needs.

The author's definition of success changed when her daughter was born. Courtesy of Jamie Davis Smith When I was younger, I viewed success through the lens of typical milestones. I pictured a career as a lawyer, a family, and kids who would go on to their own thriving careers. When my daughter was born with complex medical needs and disabilities, my perspective changed. When I was younger, I pictured a career as an attorney and a family with high-achieving children who would one day build successful careers of their own. I built my life around these goals. I went to law school , got married, and let my job dictate when I started a family. For a while, everything seemed to be going according to plan. I had a thriving career as a civil rights lawyer that I loved, and I got pregnant right on schedule.