waiting for greatness
By the time you reach your 30’s, the chances of being “discovered” or becoming famous are pretty slim. We all know how this works, right? The fast track to fame starts at age 18, peaks at 25, and starts going downhill at about 27.
I don’t mean to sound discouraging. But think about it. How many people with worldwide or even national success didn’t hit the tabs, get a mention in Newsweek or make the Today show until they were middle aged?
Sure, there have been a few. Noble Peace Prize winners who huddled in labs in obscure countries until they walked out on stage at 50 to make their speeches. Actor Steve Carell didn’t start appearing on TV until he was 30 or so.
But with rare exception, if it was gonna happen, the rocky road to fame would have already started by the time you reach the third decade of your life. Small, sweet tastes of success. Walk-on roles in movies. Prestigious awards given to young people with promise. Even George Clooney, well-known for late in life fame, did his time on The Facts of Life during his 20’s. And Thoreau left Walden by the time he was 30.
The building blocks to fame.
For the rest of us, I think the jig is up.
You can buy an expensive bag, but that won’t make you Lindsay. Speak eloquently of portentous worldly topics, but you still won’t be Novalis. And there’s not much we can do about it.
I’ve had friends who were struggling musicians, trying to “make it.” This gets a little sillier as we all get older. They obviously feel that way too, because many of them decided to disband their bands. The question I always had for them was would it be so bad to be a popular local band and to just keep playing on weekends, and providing a lot of enjoyment for the people who like you, right here? Is that really so awful? Because from my perspective, it sounds ok.
And for the most part they’d be ok with it too, but along with giving up wistful dreams of fame in their 30’s, for musicians that also includes the cold reality of hauling, set-up, taking down and moving out music equipment. As the idea of fame becomes more and more far-fetched, moving heavy equipment starts to lose its appeal. A metaphor of sorts, perhaps.
At some point, I think it’s time to stop waiting for greatness. To just accept who you are. To be happy with who you’ve become. To feel proud of your life’s accomplishments, and to understand, from this point on, very little will change.
Sure, we’re our own agents of change. And I don’t mean to throw cold water on our dreams. But with self-acceptance, and seeing, really seeing, all of the good things that you have in your life already, without worrying so much about what you don’t have, comes a great sense of peace.
Sometimes, giving in can feel really good.
I don’t mean to sound discouraging. But think about it. How many people with worldwide or even national success didn’t hit the tabs, get a mention in Newsweek or make the Today show until they were middle aged?
Sure, there have been a few. Noble Peace Prize winners who huddled in labs in obscure countries until they walked out on stage at 50 to make their speeches. Actor Steve Carell didn’t start appearing on TV until he was 30 or so.
But with rare exception, if it was gonna happen, the rocky road to fame would have already started by the time you reach the third decade of your life. Small, sweet tastes of success. Walk-on roles in movies. Prestigious awards given to young people with promise. Even George Clooney, well-known for late in life fame, did his time on The Facts of Life during his 20’s. And Thoreau left Walden by the time he was 30.
The building blocks to fame.
For the rest of us, I think the jig is up.
You can buy an expensive bag, but that won’t make you Lindsay. Speak eloquently of portentous worldly topics, but you still won’t be Novalis. And there’s not much we can do about it.
I’ve had friends who were struggling musicians, trying to “make it.” This gets a little sillier as we all get older. They obviously feel that way too, because many of them decided to disband their bands. The question I always had for them was would it be so bad to be a popular local band and to just keep playing on weekends, and providing a lot of enjoyment for the people who like you, right here? Is that really so awful? Because from my perspective, it sounds ok.
And for the most part they’d be ok with it too, but along with giving up wistful dreams of fame in their 30’s, for musicians that also includes the cold reality of hauling, set-up, taking down and moving out music equipment. As the idea of fame becomes more and more far-fetched, moving heavy equipment starts to lose its appeal. A metaphor of sorts, perhaps.
At some point, I think it’s time to stop waiting for greatness. To just accept who you are. To be happy with who you’ve become. To feel proud of your life’s accomplishments, and to understand, from this point on, very little will change.
Sure, we’re our own agents of change. And I don’t mean to throw cold water on our dreams. But with self-acceptance, and seeing, really seeing, all of the good things that you have in your life already, without worrying so much about what you don’t have, comes a great sense of peace.
Sometimes, giving in can feel really good.
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