If there's a shortcut to success, then it's probably hard work and perseverance. There's no magic bullet for achieving the things that you want, but consistent effort and dedication will take you far.
Think about it for a minute, success, whatever it may mean for you, is at the other side of consistent action. We can have all the best intentions and dreams in the world, but without taking steps to make them a reality, we'll never achieve them.
For me, what often seems weird is that success, as defined by society is dynamic and keeps us increasing in terms of money, status, and possessions.
The weird thing is that many people just blindly follow along, and not question whether this definition of success aligns with their own values, principles, or what they deeply want to achieve for themselves.
Sometimes, it can take a lot of pondering to realize that true success is subjective and should be defined by the individual. And this simply starts with taking a step back from all the noise and asking yourself what truly matters to you.
Basically, there are levels to this game of success as defined by society.
Societal Hustle And The Journey Of Self Discovery
And there are telling differences between chasing societal expectations of success and defining your own path.
For one, societal expectations of success often leaves you feeling empty and unfulfilled, you're playing someone else's game and it's moving target, constantly changing and making it hard to keep up.
Defining your own path can be both overwhelming and liberating at the same time. Overwhelming because you might not know where to start or what your true passions are.
Besides, it can be scary to loosely break away from the expectations of others. On top of that, there's no roadmap or guaranteed outcome.
Liberating because it allows for greater flexibility and growth, while also opening doors for unexpected opportunities.
I wouldn't be where I am today if I didn't step out of the mental framework that the environment I grew up in imposed on me.
Growing up, the emphasis was always on academic achievement and a secure career path. While I did well in school, I felt a constant pressure to conform and a nagging sense that something was missing. So I was pulled in two directions at the same time.
The turning point came when I volunteered at a local community arts center. Surrounding myself with passionate artists pursuing their dreams made me realized that success could also mean personal fulfillment and creative expression.
From that realization, taking a basic pottery class just for fun was the first step and it turned out to be a gateway to a whole new world of self-discovery.
For the most part, society's version of success is a distraction and a shortcut out of it is simply finding your own path and sticking with it.
I know, it's not that simple in practice. It can take a lot of trial and error just to discover your own path.
But even the detours and wrong turns can teach you valuable lessons about yourself and the world around you.
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