I've got to admit, it sounds stupid. Not the quote from Peta Wilson, but the title of this post. I mean, come on, who on God's Green Earth would fear success...when most strive for its very existence? There is a laundry list actually.....actors, musicians, professional athletes, professional wrestlers, and your neighbor down the street who was keen on 'Being The Man' but uncomfortable with the concept of 'Staying The Man.' If you want to succeed in life, you've got to fail by being yourself. And to you women out there, I only used the term 'Man' loosely....I should of just used the term human being. Well, from a man, I have feared success for the better part of 31 years.
Why did I fear.....BECAUSE! I just have. Notice that's the past tense, I don't anymore...or won't anymore, whatever the reality. I have covered my eyes as I cried, closed my lips as I smiled, run to a corner when I wanted to hug....but you know what? Yeah, you know....I hope. It's B.S., this fear. We all have choices....to remain on the sidelines or to play the game.
The game is actually simple, as is success. Throw yourself to the wolves, let them eat you alive....then step back and watch as you heal. I admire and advocate planning and learning, yet true Success requires you and a whole lot of failure getting there. The fear of Success is good, it's like having butterflies before the big game. You've got to be at your best every step of the way. That goes for our physical world, emotional world, spiritual world, and any other WORLD you may have. Of course, that's just my opinion...
which brings me to my point. Yes, every once in an off colored moon, I have one.
This has been stirring in the breeze around this forum, this culture, & every high-school gymnasium on the Somewhat Green Earth we live on....Popularity. Well, to keep it somewhat simple, I'd like to concentrate on whether or not your Blogs are popular...or not so much.
I've asked the question, been asked the question, and wrote lousy posts just to see....and I think I might have the answer. Do you want your posts to be 'Popular.' Do you want to stick out in a crowd? Do you want to be the next 'Popular Blogger.' Tell you what...don't fear that success by bitching about why you've failed to become that.
Some blog strictly for business, some strictly for professionals, some for whatever reason at all. Blogging is not only about gaining an audience, but keeping it....whatever your particular focus may be. It isn't so much about comments or stars or anything like that, as much as it is about showing you to whatever selected audience you are going after. Your knowledge, your empathy, your wisdom, your mistakes, your life, your losses, & whole bunch of stuff that may be able to help other people. If they can identify, they will come.
Now, that said, I'll be honest....I've thought about it. I remember the days very astutely when I wrote a post here on AR and nobody commented, it wasn't featured, and if it was...got 7 comments or so. I felt slighted to an extent. That was pride screwing with me.....Watch Pulp Fiction, you'll understand. Do you want to be popular or do you want to live your life? I don't buy the hype now and I certainly don't want the change if I bought into it back then.
I know....this here post is supposed to help you become popular....so I should try to help REALLY do that before I leave the keyboard. So, here it goes. You want to be popular, be featured, be sought after & alive because they recognize you....I've got the key. Buy my 'No Money Down Popularity System' and reap the rewards of its existence, there is a 30 day Money Back Guarantee. Or, you could do it the old-fashioned way........EARN IT!
Jason,
I love that you're over your fear. I am reading a book right now, called "Failing Forward" by John Maxwell.
an excerpt is "feel the fear, and do it anyway!".
Sandra - Lol, I only hope it is something that can actually be of use....
Jennifer - That's the ticket....Be who you are...the rest tends to be ridiculous. Though, there are those out there who want their crap not to stink, so to speak. Ironically, popular is vastly overrated...
Rocky... You forgot to link to your No Money Down System... Do you think a rebate scheme would be equally effective?
Well Jason - went back and read your post......A true Sardi post, if ever I read one : )
I can't speak for everyone, but I personally don't care if I popular or not...love me, hate me, who cares...I comfortable enough in my own skin not to give a damn what others think.
So, any guesses to how many emails you will get asking for a copy of your book?
Fear? To an extent everyone has a fear....or else it's the "male" false pride thing....okay, using the "male" term lightly here. Earning is from learning and as long as the gut feels right...it is right.
P.S. You are popular right?
Lisa - Take a look at the most subscribed to blogs...and then do the math. Fuzzy Math with some...
Lori - Excellent quote and way to live!
Running Man - I didn't forget nothing, I didn't link because Rocky don't think. As far as the link, you'll have to watch my new commercial..."How To Make Money Off of Blogging Irregularly". Doesn't make much money, but it's a feather in the cap of of life...
Sandra - Dan is a lucky guy, I like your attitude very much!
Sis - I love fear, reminds me that I'm human and fallible...
Aziz - Damn right! Busy is good man, this is just a side note to the business we are in and/or run!
(((-:
Jason, thank you for the smile.....
I really enjoyed the candor of your post....do you think people are really out for popularity? I often think that maybe they just want their souls to be seen for once....everyone is so fragile underneath it all...
if I have a few friends who care about me and 'know' me, that is worth more than a zillion admirers who only see my surface...
Jo
Jason, Great post. We have an old saying that we used all the time, "Fear causes hesitation and hesitation causes your worst fears to come true"
Eric Anderson, Team Leader
Keller Williams Realty - Fayetteville
mailto:EricAndersonNC@kw.com
Jo-Anne- I know for a fact that 'Popularity' is what turns most of us on. Every once in awhile, I would like to be you....
Great quote Eric!
Success is dynamic....is that what we fear? That we'll reach the top, but won't be able to stay there?
What a phenomenal post!!! Would I prefer to be right knowing that I made a difference to the many? Or would I prefer to be popular, even though I steered many down the wrong path? Not to say that popular is wrong, but its not my preference....
My biggest reason for NOT fearing success is that I truly want to make a difference......for my wife.....for my kids.....and for all of those that never wavered in believing what I was capapble of doing......
Bring it Jason!!! We all fear success....the only way to overcome fear is to deal with it head on.....
I am going to be serious with you on this one. I for one have feared success for years..... each year after reaching a certain level, kind of self sabotaging my business. I would blame it on anything I could... clients wearing' me out... brain overload.. or just too stressed to do anymore. I never took responsibility that I just didn't want it. I was afraid if I broke that barrier I would somehow change.
Well I gave up on the excuses several years ago and now when I getting overwhelmed with my business I've learned to take some time off and analyze what was "really" going on. And with that.... my success has come, no longer being able to squash it in its own tracks. Every year I am proud to say I have increased my income and volume of sales in leaps and bounds. Never would I have imaged I would be the "top dog" in my market. You know what... I am and I've got the consistent numbers to prove it... wanna see!!???
What does that mean too you? Who the hell knows..... but well that was my serious side for this evening.... now ... Carry on!!!
Jennifer - Popularity coming easy...My God kills that real fast.....you'll get an autograph from my MWA!
Bill - Well said Mr. Nazur, well put indeed!
Bob - That was/is a horrible song....you are killing me!!!:-))
Hey Jason - Do you think that fear of failure and fear of success are different? They both paralyze. Sometimes glimpses of success are scary....you wonder if you really are deserving. You wonder if you'll be able to keep it up. You wonder how you got there.
Jason, great post! Love the humor and the freshness and sincerity that runs through your writing. Some deep thoughts embedded in your irreverent words... Keep on writing!
***********************************************************************
So let's see,
This blog is really about:
The fear of success.... no
The fear of Popularity.... not really
The fear of ACCEPTANCE .... perhaps.
*************************************************************************
Fear is a paralyzing thing. It can stop you from doing so much in life. It's really only after you've fallen in the fire a couple of times and realized that it was just one of those fake fires, made of red paper and a fan, that you begin to realize your own strength. It's at that point that you burst forth, with an invigorated attitude, ready to take on the world. Have you tested the fire and found it to be false?
Good for you! Now, go get em!
Hey Sardi, I finally get it. If your posts don't make sense, the comment thread weaves it all together so it's a great work of blog! Heck, you just provide the concepts and the commenter's piece it all together, kind of like a quilt or a good therapist.
What's up with that? Is this the method to your madness? And look at the quality of your quilters, you've got the best of the best sewing it all together. How clever you are.
I'm quoting Bob, "It's soo much easier to bring someone down than it is to over come your own fears." It's only 4:36 in the morning and I've already said it once, but this bears repeating.
I love Bob.
You're pretty cool too, Jason. :o)
Tracey's comment is so right on. Yay Tracey!
Sarah's up at 4:36? So was I. We should excahnge AIM id's.
OK, so I'm avoiding making a comment of my very own. Let's give it the old college try.....
Just how big is the potty these people are sitting on? A little bigger and they'll fall into their own caca. (ok so this comment has more to do with Sarah's comment than your post. i guess it goes back to the Tracey thing...)
Jason,
Me and Sarge...just getting popped! This is when I was popular.
Jason,
Thats Old school with the Pulp Fiction.. Sick Movie, Yet Great! I also Understand you. You have made it easier to figure everything about you out.
Tom Weiss
Jason, fun to read all the comments, you write with a new twist on things, but I didn't know there was a popularity contest here, where have a been?
Fear regardless of where is comes from is a noose around one's neck, it chokes the life flow out of us. I do think some people fear success, not consciencely but do things to sabattoge it.
Ahh Jason....funny, but I read what you write, for one simple reason.....a while ago you gave me a comment (about one of my posts).....and your timing was perfect, I needed the message at the time. You touched something, that days need, without even knowing it....and from that day on I have followed you.
I don't care what you write, or how you write it....it is just a cyber piece of whatever you are sharing that day....that is why I come here. I do want to say Thank You...in case I didn't before.
Hi Jason,
I like your No Money Down Popularity System. You, for one, are sought out for your gift in writing!! You are beloved by many. Not so sure anymore since "Real Men Don't Wear Pink". JK.
Sardi, you look gooooooood in pink.
Or, you know, wifebeater Ts. ;o)
And...
:)
By the way...I'm with Blog Boy. I don't think like this deep anymore either.
I no longer have that kind of energy :)
TLW...ROAR!
Tracey - Interesting perspective. Personally, I'm a hard one to cripple in any way.
Kim - Lol, I'll try to work on that.
Lisa - Sorry :-(
William - You are a wise soul, that's a fact in my book!
Unfortunately Lisa, others do. I had to point it out.
That's better Carney!
Thank you Griselda!
ARDELL - I have no clue:-)
You're the breast, er, best.....Blreast....
Trevino - Now that is a FEATURABLE comment!
Thesa - Maybe that's even the hardest part.
Tsk on you Cooper and MWA on your cheek:-) I love Bob as well!
Agreed Maggie, Tracey's dead on!
Speaking of the throne Maggie.....
Ahhh, the good old days Neal!!!
I'm not a puzzle Tom, I'm a person. And personally, life is quite puzzling:-)
Linda - You know I love you!
Missy - Don't play the 'naive' card, you know what I'm talking about:-)
Carole - And thank you for your continued support.
Linda - I prefer Medium Rare....
Kathy - That means more than any words I could say or write, so I will shut up....
Sardi = Slacker
Sandra - I have matching underwear:-)
Thank you so very much Diane Barody!
Diane Aurit - Your post was FANTASTIC!!!
As are you Tracy, and I should reiterate....you don't want to see my underwear drawer. It may put that 'Real Man' image to a test.
MWA BAMBINA!!!!
Indeed I am Kathy, if I do say so myself....
Thank you Sarah, I need to buy matching socks:-)
You are good looking Dad, I can see where I get it.
That's all you Miss Jennifer.
Sarah - I'm not too proud to die, that ones blue by the way:-)
TLW - You can still do hand-stands, that's good enough for me:-)
What is Victoria's Secret Jennifer?
Ah Dez, will you still respect me in the morning?
I know you are Jennifer....
What was that Daniels?
And you MWA too much as well Cooper!
Jason - Time to open your lips when you smile and give us a big, toothy grin! I wanna see the twinkle that will move from your heart, to your lips and into your eyes. Time for some fun buddy. Fear is a thing of the past, right?
Sweet Dreams,
Your pal in Cali,
Marlene
Jason, Sometimes it pays to wait to comment on your posts. Not only because of your candor, but the comments you receive are very interesting....
I suppose in my younger days I was a prime example of fear, comparing myself to others, the whole list of thou shall not's.
Now I accept me, I let me allow success in my life.