Success. What is it? How do you decide when you are successful?
I met this documentary filmmaker a few months back at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Fine Art in Kansas City. The filmmaker was screening his award-winning documentary about decommissioned American school busses. After Kansas City he was headed to Chicago. The next day would be another city. His film had started a journey and was taking him to museums and film festivals all across the United States.
However, even at this point in his career money was still an issue. Traveling across the United States isn’t cheap. And despite the funding he received through supportive foundations and Kickstarter he still was struggling.
I do not doubt that his creative work will someday take him to financial stability.
But his situation brought me back to the idea of success. Despite the story we tell ourselves, monetary wealth, where it can be important, is not the only way to define success.
There are two types of success: Linear success and Inspired success. Linear success mimics others. It tries to recreate someone else’s experience. Inspired success taps into your own innate Being.
I invite you to study your own excitement. Follow your joy and passion; See where it takes you.
And don’t forget to acknowledge your many successes big or little along the way.
“Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Seek what they sought.”
-Basha, Japanese Poet
image from imgfave.com
Actually no matter if someone doesn’t know afterward its up to other visitors that they will help,
so here it takes place.