Most of us love the thought of being a famous actor, musician or singer, far more than we love participating in acting class, music lessons or vocal drills. And of those who do pursue these career paths, many give up; not necessarily upon the first sign of adversity, but eventually because of the overwhelming odds against finding a level of success that allows one to make any kind of a living at them, and because sometimes things simply do not work out for us.
The vast majority of those that give up, either at the first setback or after many, also do so due to the amount of actual effort it takes to be even adequate in these fields, just as it is in most coveted careers. Those that do make it, do so as they are filled with the sheer joy of simply being in the arts, which was what made them choose these paths in the first place, not dreams of superstardom. They became superstars because in addition to simply wanting to be in these fields, they had the innate talent, charisma and drive to do whatever their coaches told them to, whenever, wherever and however they were told to.
Most of us also care far too much what people think and consequently worry how we will be thought of for trying something ambitious, especially if the initiative fails. Further to this, at the first real sign of difficulty, we search for and then convince ourselves that we have a good reason why we cannot continue the journey – usually something that is outside our control, of course – and believe that we should be and will be respected for even trying, thereby deluding ourselves that in some way, we (almost!) did it.
It’s a shame that numerous people will sit back and remain one of the many who do not “make more monie”; being happy with the bragging rights of having (almost!) made it, their ongoing status quo, or because they feel things will just work out on their own, rather than really taking charge of their destiny. They will never leave the relative comfort of being one of the unsuccessful majority, because they are “getting by just fine”, so to speak. Like water, they will take the path of least resistance. Some even go so far as to delude themselves into thinking that fate will surely intervene on their behalf – perhaps tomorrow.
They have no interest in going to the gym, eating healthy, reading or listening to meaningful material, enrolling in beneficial courses or even taking the simplest steps to living a better life. They waste valuable time engaged in non-productive activities or on social media and other entertainment-style distractions by continuously being on their feeds with others like them. Sadly, these people get a sense of social well-being; in some cases that they are actually friends with social media stars, which gives them hits of the feel-good chemical, dopamine. Once the hit wears off, they come back for more, eventually developing a tolerance to it, so they need more and more exposure just to get the same effect.
This is the second time I’ve referenced dopamine (in as many posts), and will surely mention it again as it features prominently in much of what I speak about. I understand that it’s part of our evolutionary design, to reward us when we do things key to our survival, such as completing a successful hunt or relating to reproduction. This is to ensure we keep seeking it and therefore keep continuing these and other positive actions. Unfortunately, it has been hijacked, and used today in capitalizing on a psychological vulnerability in us. This sees us consuming – at an alarming rate – all that is counterproductive for us, from sugared refreshments to social media, from selective ads to smartphone apps.
It is the same sort of dependency that the motivational-industrial complex exploits in those that are addicted to it. These easily-influenced people become caught up in this vicious circle of reciprocal cause-and-effect, and cannot summon up the wherewithal to get out of it. This ensures an easily sustained, long-term source of income for our social media stars, who are able to line their already-full pockets with money handed over to them from those, in so many instances, that are least able to afford it.
Disclaimer: The information contained herein should not be construed or considered professional advice. Nonetheless, thanks for reading! If it resonates, there’s “plenty more where that came from” on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube ‘n’ Twitter.