Photo by Casper Aprikatis on Unsplash
"After I'm dead I'd rather have people ask why I have no monument than why I have one."
Cato The Elder
Many kings have ordered for statues to be built in honor of their victories, only to have them torn down after their lives have ended. Who benefits from the endless heralding of one's own successes? If one is truly great, others will proclaim their greatness for them.
Though you may see wealth and happiness in your life, focus on what you can continue to do rather than what you have done. It is wise to be proud of your achievements, but allow your reputation to speak of your magnificence instead of your words.
Seekers of glory vanish the quickest. Build a better life for those around you and they will build your monument.
"Fame usually comes to those who are thinking about something else."
Oliver Wendell Holmes
The successful do not dwell on the opinions of reporters and fanatics. To the famous, fame is merely a side effect of their greatest achievements. Flashing lights and cameras are tools of the trade: windows for the public to gaze through as they search for people and things to seize their attention. Fame is simply a pedestal lifting up objects for others to desire.
Seekers of fame rarely find good fortune. Instead, choose to create something that will be desired by many, and they will lift you up into the heights of prominence on their own shoulders.