Yesterday afternoon, I stopped by an old friend's apartment for a much needed catch-up session. Kelley and I went to school together. She studied playwrighting the same time I was in the actor program. And it wasn't until we graduated that we forged a strong bond as storytellers navigating the unpredictable and competitive waters of New York theater. It was a wonderful time.
We often talk about what success looks like in our industry. There are plenty of conventional examples of course. Those who can boast they've won a Tony Award or two, or actors who find themselves on a hit series.
But what Kelley and I realized was no matter what level of acclaim we were to ever receive, working on original works in a little black box theater packed with 15 fully invested audience members was the absolute best. Everything was out in front and we absolutely loved what we were doing. "We've already lived the dream," I told her. "I never thought of it that way, but you're totally right," she said.
Unfortunately, we're conditioned to believe that success needs to come in a neatly packaged box. But true success is becoming great at something you love to do, and attainment of your goal is not the point but rather who you become in it's pursuit.
Take some personal inventory. You may have plowed right past a milestone, or remarkable achievement without giving yourself the credit. It's likely, you too, are already living the dream.
No comments:
Post a Comment