Fame is Not Worth the Peace of Mind You Often Sacrifice
Your purpose covers more ground than fame ever will.
Photo by Charisse Kenion on Unsplash
No matter who you are or where you’ve been, we’ve all fallen for the popularity contest. We’ve sought approval from people because we thought it would make us happy.
Deep down, though, the core pursuit is usually a means of escape. We wanted a way out of the dark world we find ourselves in, with toxic expectations and the pressure to measure up to someone else.
Some people get what they want, only to find out it’s not what they need. It just leads down an even steeper road of conformity.
Most of us refer back to our childhood when we think about how innocent, free, and peaceful we were. There wasn’t much stopping us from living our best lives. Then we added on cares, responsibilities, and goals that were/are important to us.
Life involves sacrifice. There has to be some sort of exchange to reach what we chase after. But sometimes, we find ourselves on the wrong side of the equation. We give up what keeps us sharp to grasp what will ultimately make us weak.
The truth is, we’re on the outside looking in. Our phones and computer screens remind us of the “perfect” lifestyles. But they’re just highlights. That’s why fame should never be the goal. Your purpose should be.
Popularity Comes at a Price
It didn’t take long for people to catch on to my little social media scheme. I had one goal and one goal only: to become the most famous Twitter-er at school.
A varsity basketball star, notorious musician, and proud member of Future Business Leaders of America, I had all the attention I needed and then some. But that didn’t satisfy my fame cravings.
I’d spend most 16-hour days building an audience, drafting content, and pushing for more notoriety. Then I noticed something. My friends started drifting away. They saw how I interacted with them in a fake, I-hear-you-but-I-don’t sort of way. And it irritated them to death.
The act of creating quality content that people enjoy while taking it seriously wasn’t the issue. My heart was in the wrong place; that was the problem.
Though my followers grew, my number of real friends declined. I gained their friendship back, but only when I accepted the fact that the quest for fame blinded me from the value of living with purpose.
You Only Treasure What Your Heart Finds Valuable
What blinds so many of us from building strong relationships is the pursuit of popularity. Famous folks have the attention of lots of people, so we figure the best thing we can do is adjust our lives to whatever might lead us towards that reality. But we chase after what we do not understand, all for insufficient reasons.
The truth is, everybody wants the spotlight until it exposes who they are.
When you build your life on the foundation of pleasing people, you’ll lose sight of what matters to you. You’ll lose yourself to make others happy. Then once you decide to show it, the same people who uplifted you will push you down again.
But when you are driven by what matters to you, it won’t matter what anyone else thinks. You know who you are. You know why you do what you do.
You Only Move When You Have a Sense of Direction
There’s no other feeling more rewarding than living with purpose. You understand that what you do is not just for yourself; it’s also for those who need help.
The big lights aren’t the point. The six-figure salary isn’t the point. The attention of the masses is no longer the point. Being practical is.
Think about someone you know who lives like there’s meaning to every breath they take. How do they speak to you? How do they treat other people? How do they treat themselves?
At some point in their lives, they were tired of taking meaningless steps. They wanted to make a lasting impact. So they took the time to dig deeper into what drives them, found it, and kept moving.
An even better question would be: Do you even know anyone who lives like that? Part of the problem is that we model our lives after people we don’t know — people with whom we couldn’t even have a meaningful conversation. There’s just so much superficial gunk to get through.
You have a choice to either live in the shadows of other people or figure out what makes you the most impactful person you can be. Only then will you cultivate the relationships in your life successfully.
Your Purpose Covers More Ground Than Fame Ever Will
A crucial part of survival is finding your purpose, getting down to the point of why you exist. I guarantee you it’s not to waste your days on stuff that won’t last, people who don’t care about you, and little things that aren’t worth worrying about.
Of course, some people will get more attention than others. But that shouldn’t be your focal point. When that happens, it becomes a distraction keeping you from where you truly belong.
Fred Rogers said it best:
“Fame is a four-letter word; and like tape or zoom or face or pain or life or love, what ultimately matters is what we do with it.”
It doesn’t matter how much you have in your hand — if your aim isn’t to empower other people to live selflessly and with intention, you’ll allow fame to dictate everything you do.
First, become an expert in love. Nothing will change the world faster than the consequences of this four-letter word. No matter what you do, if this isn’t a priority, you’re simply wasting your time and everyone else’s.
Then figure out what you love to do. What comes naturally to you? In other words, you want to focus on what takes the least amount of effort without sacrificing impact. After that, become an expert at that thing.
Fail. But fail while reaching out to save someone else. Just remember that you can’t save anyone else if you’re hanging on the edge of a cliff yourself.
Fame is all about you. Your purpose is all about changing lives for the better, both for yourself and others.
Everyone loves attention to some degree. But the reality is that attention is short-lived. Whether we choose to accept it or not, we’re either giving or taking. The posture of your heart will determine which one you want.
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