I don’t think anyone should achieve high levels of success or wealth without going through a long process of consistent effort.
It scares me to see younger generations flipping NFTs and making hundreds of thousands of dollars.
It worries me when I hear Tik Tok stars talk about how much money they make off a single video.
I feel a sense of dread, a pit in my gut knowing there are so many people finding these “get rich quick” opportunities before they’ve even found themselves.
Success is the reward for figuring out who you are. Success should come after you’ve been through some shit and worked your way through it. Success should come to those who put in the effort to pursue something they cared about and stayed consistent through all the ups and downs.
If you achieve immense amounts of fame and wealth before you’ve created the best version of yourself, you’ll become the person you believe the world wants you to be. You’ll create content for the audience’s enjoyment, not your own. You won’t respond well to criticism because you’ll have enough money to not care what anyone else says. You won’t have any clear path or driving force because you no longer need one, you have the ability to do whatever you want whenever you want.
Maybe that doesn’t sound too bad to you. It would feel amazing to no longer have to worry about paying for monthly expenses. It’d be rad to wake up anywhere around the world and not have to go to a job you hate.
I think those feelings should come after you’ve faced the opposite. I think it should take time, effort, trial and error, and some sense of struggle to reach that point. You should go through shit and become a better person. You should fail and learn to try something else. You should try new things until you find what you’re passionate about. You should find your voice, your own unique way of sharing your story.
Money and fame shouldn’t create a person. The best version of you should come first. Everything else will simply be perks of being a strong, passionate, and good human being.
January 28, 2022
