It was Friday yesterday and my wife and I decided to have a date night. We went to a nice restaurant and then visited the local cinema to watch ‘Fame’. My wife is very interested in acting and dancing, so she was really excited to see the movie. I had never seen the old movie or the stage show, so I wasn’t sure what to expect – I was pleasantly surprised.
I get very intrigued and involved in movies that have characters that face real life situations where the issues that they are dealing with can be related back to our own lives – and Fame is definitely one of those movies. Being about a performing arts school, all of the students had to face the struggle inside themselves between long term success and instant fame.
I just wanted to share a few thoughts that I had during the movie.
Success Is Built On Structure And Discipline
As I watched those who took the easy road, fighting the authority figures who tried to guide them otherwise, I saw glimpses of myself. They believed that they knew better than their teachers. In one of the scenes we see a pianist who is very talented, showing no enthusiasm while practicing his drills, complains to his teacher about how they should be focusing on expanding their creative talents – not doing boring drills. His teacher, Kelsey Grammer (From Frasier) replies to him saying, “practice and structure doesn’t hinder creativity, it unlocks it.”
This really opened my mind as a blogger. I was always the type of blogger that blogs as I’m inspired – much like the pianist who just wanted to be creative. However, if we are not structured and disciplined, we may fluke our way to 15 minutes of fame – but we will not achieve long term success.
Sometimes We Are Chasing Someone Else’s Dream
Another character who is also a brilliant pianist, we learn that although she was definitely amazing on the piano, the only reason she was playing piano was because it was all her dad would let her do. He was so focused on her becoming a classical pianist, that he was stopping her from exploring her other talents. Although she had been diciplined and structured with her practice, there was no passion because she wasn’t chasing her dreams – but instead living out her farthers dream for her. What this did was stop her from realising her amazing singing talent.
Are you chasing someone elses dream and not your own?
Success Is Doing What You Love And Living Out Your Full Potential
I know I probably shouldn’t argue with a Dictionary, but this is what they say is the definition of success:
the attainment of wealth, position, honors, or the like. – Dictionary.com
I don’t know about you but I think this definition is very distorted and to the most part – wrong. You don’t have to be wealthy to be successful – ask Mother Teresa. And you don’t have to have a position to be successful – ask the mother who has raised her children without a father. And honours, that may be success to a degree, but there are many successful people who never get any honours – just look in the eyes of an african orphan that works to feed her younger siblings while finishing school and tell me she isn’t a success.
That is why I believe that success has been grossly distorted in modern culture into what is really just fame. You see, I believe that success is doing what you love and living your life to your full potential. When you are living out what you were made to do – that is what I call a success.
Pursue Success In Blogging
Now let’s bring it back to blogging. Success isn’t just having a blog is that is visited by a million visitors a month. I mean, it is success if that is your goal. But if you are blogging with structure and discipline, chasing your dream (by following your passion), and doing it to your full potential then you are successful!
If you haven’t already, I encourage you to signup for my free ’7Days to successful blogging’ e-course!
Tags: success or fame
Success, I think regardless of what you are in it for success should be a top goal. You are right I don’t always think you need the fame to be successful. There are hundreds of company’s out there that have plenty of success without the fame. I think one of the big ones in the blogging world is Darren Rowse of ProBlogger.net and now ProBlogger.com the community. Darren wants success but I think is not so enthralled in the fame. He seems to prefer just giving good advice and letting the content speak for itself. Bottom line aim for success and the fame will be there if that is what you want, but fame should not be the end goal.
I definitely set my goals for success by my own standards. I think it’s important to achieve success on your own terms. Do what you want to do, but be open to learning HOW from others. ;)
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I am not sure but I think I am targeting both. Thought success is my priority.
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I have many commercial blogs that do earn, but I am not really attached to those blogs. The only one I am really attached to is Let’s Sermo where I blog about life and my experiences. If I just had to pick between fame and success I would choose fame when it comes to blogging.
That is a great point! I know what you mean about getting attached to the more personal blogs. I can definitely understand your choice of fame, but hopefully if you did achieve fame it would convert into long term success.
As a general rule, and not just for blogging, I tried to define success for what I’m working on. Along the way, I know that money and fame/credibility will come if I hit my success objectives.
I also know that if I turn my focus on money and fame instead, those may happen quicker. I simply choose to be “successful” first and know that those other things aren’t far behind.
i agree to the things you pointed out like the meaning of success is distorted here in our modern society. mass media bring about our desire for things that we don’t actually need just as mass education makes us fuel for the economy and doesn’t make any thoughtful individuals out of us.
That’s great point! I know what you mean about getting attached to the more personal blogs. I can definitely understand your choice of fame,As a general rule, and not just for blogging, I tried to define success for what I’m working on.