Photo: Paul Lange

As much as my work in television has been a big dream, the truth is that I never set out to create this huge life. The path to my success was never about attaining incredible wealth or celebrity. It was about the process of continually seeking to be better, challenging myself to pursue excellence on every level.

What I know for sure is that it's only when you make the process your goal that your big dream will follow. That doesn't mean your process will necessarily lead you to wealth or fame—in fact, your dream may have nothing to do with tangible prosperity, and everything to do with creating a life filled with joy, no regrets and a clear conscience.

The whole point of being alive is to evolve into the complete person you were intended to be. I believe you can only do this when you stop long enough to hear the whisper you might have drowned out, that small voice compelling you toward the kind of work you'd be willing to do even if you weren't paid. Once you tune out the noise of your life and hear that call, you face the biggest challenge of all: to find the courage to seek out your big dream, regardless of what anyone else says or thinks.

What Oprah Knows for Sure

• Oprah on the joy of teaching
• Discovering a new perspective
• How she feels about getting older