Success is too squishy

1/31/19

Success is relative. I don’t think there can be a universal answer that everyone would agree with. Especially in the world of writers, artists and those who create… stuff. Because I mean, those who just want to make money, are going to say they will be successful when they have a million dollars; those who struggle to put their words on paper may say success is putting an entire page of words into existence. I suppose, like all words, it can mean something different for everybody.

But also, this is my blog… so what would success be for me? I think I have two definitions of success that I apply in my writing. The first being, am I being authentic, genuine? Does this writing reflect a part of me? Along with that, have I revised this? Have I decided this is okay enough to commit time to finding the right words and rearranging sentences? Am I making a connection with my reader? Have I sought the courage to share this with another human beings… that can actually read and give feedback and judge me? That’s the kicker. Sometimes I think that the sharing part of the process needs to be replaced with ‘put this writing in a box with a combination lock and never open again’. And yet, that doesn't’t seem to be realistic.

The other version of success that exists in my head is this unattainable, far away, amazing piece of writing that I’ll never be able to write. Success is this idea of fulfilling my purpose of writing that one thing that I was meant to write. An issue that arises however, is that there’s no way for me to ever get to this looming, ominous, piece without being successful in the first sense. Being genuinely authentic, honest and open, raw and vulnerable, that is the true success in the process of writing.

That is really hard for so many of us, though. Being okay with people peering into your mind, soul and heart. Sounds a lot like the side affects for that could be similar to those commercials about a new medicine:

“Share your writing, be open, be successful! Possible side affects include but are not limited to: stress, anxiety (attacks or otherwise), depression, extreme sadness, or death. But don’t worry, you’ll probably be fine!’

Suppose I’ll just have to count on success being simple words on paper.