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poliphiloWhat constitutes success?
Take my man Stephen Foster. He was America's first professional songwriter. He drank too much and his marriage suffered. His songs are still performed today. He died broke at 37.
He wrote "Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair" but his wife had already left him.
Is that success or failure?
Or is the paradigm irrelevant?
I'm thinking about myself, of course.
I've never been cut-throat ambitious. I've written all my life, but never worked particularly hard at getting published. I have publication credits here, there and over yonder, but not what you'd call a career. And do I care? No, not really.
I'm living my life on my own terms. That's what matters to me.
Take my man Stephen Foster. He was America's first professional songwriter. He drank too much and his marriage suffered. His songs are still performed today. He died broke at 37.
He wrote "Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair" but his wife had already left him.
Is that success or failure?
Or is the paradigm irrelevant?
I'm thinking about myself, of course.
I've never been cut-throat ambitious. I've written all my life, but never worked particularly hard at getting published. I have publication credits here, there and over yonder, but not what you'd call a career. And do I care? No, not really.
I'm living my life on my own terms. That's what matters to me.
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no subject
Date: 2005-02-28 06:18 am (UTC)And he's right. At least about not wanting to get into the rat-race. He doesn't seem to understand that I am perfectly content doing what I am doing, working with the responsibilites I currently have, and am not interested in taking on a greater burden. Being 'boss' means getting a Blackberry that will reel me in at all hours, being subjected to pressure all around me, and stuff that I am not up to putting up with.
I chose not to marry because I didn't want that kind of pressure, and I chose not to have children for the same reason. I need a lot of 'me' time. I might not be making a six-figure salary (hell, I am barely above 'poverty level'), but I do well enough to make ends meet, and am slowly improving my lot. I started out ten years ago with pretty much nothing. I now have a car, some hand-me-down furniture (which I am gradually replacing with my own stuff), and a shrinking debt load. In three years, I'll be out of debt and eligible (I hope) to buy my first home. To me, that is success.
no subject
Date: 2005-02-28 06:33 am (UTC)My father was disappointed in me because I chose not to pursue a career. But, like you, I'm happy with what I have and with the freedom that comes from not needing to be "successful".
And it means a great deal not to have to call anybody "sir".