Is the pursuit of success becoming a detriment to society?
Demi Lovato rushed to the hospital due to an apparent overdose. Katy Perry struggles with “situational depression” following the flop of her latest album. Some of the biggest names in their respected fields “suffering” at the hand of “superstardom.”
What about the young no-name entrepreneur who works day and night on their new product launch, only to wake the morning after to discover a “dismal commercial performance.” Their life savings gone? They don’t get news coverage, but their “setback” is none the less notable.
Is the pursuit of success becoming a detriment to society?
What do you do when doing what you love to do brings you so much pain you succumb to self-harm?
In the 40’s we jumped out of windows. In the 21st Century we are overdosing, checking ourselves into self-help clinics, and even worse, committing suicide a thousand different ways. For what?
Be careful what you ask for.
“Success” isn’t what it’s all cracked up to be. Stability is a necessity to sustainable success; physically, emotionally and spiritually.
Don’t rush into the limelight. Allow success, fame, fortune, if you are so inclined, to beckon you until you just can’t resist.
“Greatness” often stays “underground” until it’s “appointed time.” Too much exposure sooner, and greatness suffers from pressure it’s never built tolerance to.
It’s hard to stand up to what you’ve never been under.
Societal pressure is the leading cause of depression, suicide, self-harm, and failed dreams.
Think about it ? … Taking your own life because someone doesn’t like you, or what you stand for, or what you offer? (At least that’s what you think)
What if every person on the planet, this very second, who is suffering with some kind of rejection, decided they were no longer significant and ended their life. How many people would be left?…… ?
Both success and failure are lies.
Find solitude in being yourself; with or without the fame or notoriety. We have the power to take our power back. Refuse to be judged by social media. Refuse to be dictated by fans and followers. Refuse to put your trust in a broken system. You’re not broken; you’re just putting too much trust in a broken system.
Remain true to you; to your gift. Remain true to your cause; to offering your gift to the world; not because of what it necessarily does for others, but for what it does for you when you share it.
Success or not, you are greatness in motion.
The very breath you breathe (the one you took just now) is your greatest pearl.
Originally published at medium.com