Hard Lessons on the Road to Success

Hard lessons on the road to success

When you have a goal, or a passion to pursue the road to success will definitely be a tough one. I am still in the process of reaching my goals although I have attained some success as a writer. I continue to learn great lessons along the way that may have been hard but definitely necessary.

One lesson that I learned is that everyone will not be happy for you during your journey. My messages are often geared toward positivity or the uplifting of other people but to most people this is boring. This is who I am but it is disheartening when people would rather see you post about negativity, fighting, or sharing ignorance. I find that it is has been harder to build a following organically without nudity or the behaviors mentioned in my previous statement. I am far from perfect, no i’m not always positive, or happy, I curse, drink, dance, sing, and trash talk just as much as the next person. My goal is to push one step closer each day to being better, and more importantly, I want to encourage other people. For me, surrounding myself and spreading that positive energy is how I will be able to do so.

Another valuable lesson is that it is no one else's responsibility to support your dreams. Having friends, family, and people in your circle it is easy to set an expectation for the level of support they should be providing to you. Setting this expectation is a mistake and can cause disappointment when it is not met by your standards. Knowing that your dreams and goals are yours and that you are the only person who is responsible for getting you there is very important. Except the fact that everyone does not provide support in the same way, recognize who your supporters are and continue on your mission.

Success is never instant. No matter how many people you know with their foot in the door, it still doesn’t guarantee success. It is human nature for us to expect instant gratification which can have a number of negative effects. One story that you always hear is how people struggled and pursued their goals for five, ten, or twenty years before receiving their big breaks. Being discouraged from lack of gratification has caused many people to end their pursuits before they have the opportunity to reap their rewards. As long as you are passionate about what you do continue to push forward, and be faithful that you will be rewarded handsomely for your diligence.

Lastly, never sacrifice who you are to get to where you want to be. I know that this can be difficult, especially if you have worked tirelessly on your craft and you finally receive an offer you can’t refuse. For one second you may think to yourself, “well all I have to do is this”. If you are faced with an offer that makes you uncomfortable, that makes you question your morals or the views of the people whose opinions you value, more than likely that is not something for you. I believe that success will feel so much greater knowing that you can rest well while enjoying your harvest.