“Acting is not about being someone different. It’s finding the similarity in what is apparently different, then finding myself in there.” Meryl Streep

The same could be said of success. Find yourself in those you admire, because you’re in there.

Today’s Topic: how so many people strive for mediocrity because they believe that greatness is out of reach.

“The Control and understanding of our personal fears is one of the most important undertakings of our lives”

– Helen Mirren

A few posts back I talked about how the word ambition has sort of received a negative stigma. Have you ever told someone a sincere goal of yours, and been received with the mocking phrase “Well, that’s ambitious?” I have, and it makes me so angry. What’s wrong with dreaming big? What’s wrong with aspiring to win an oscar, and to work as an actress full-time? What’s wrong with wanting to be remembered in a significant way before I leave this earth? Our world is controlled by fear. We’re all afraid of the unknown, and so many of us are afraid that if we really and sincerely try, our effort won’t amount to anything and we will be left with the knowledge that we’re not good enough. But guess what! If you really and sincerely pursue what you love and what you are naturally gifted at, it’s impossible for you to fail! You just need to believe that failure is not an option. I mean yeah, you’re going to fall down a couple of times, but that’s why you need to learn resilience. Just keep picking yourself up, and eventually you’ll get there. Read the stories of those people who have truly made it, and try to see yourself in them (because guess what, they’re just like you). Stop looking at those who have achieved greatness with a jealous eye, and put yourself up on that pedestal.

“The surest way to lose at any endeavor is to quit. Don’t give up. Fatigue, discomfort, discouragement are merely symptoms of effort. Often success is right around the corner.”

– Morgan Freeman

I am a hard worker. I am very proud of the fact that I never stop moving to the point where I get restless if I’m sitting doing nothing for too long. Sometimes I catch myself feeling weirdly ashamed of my productivity, because others draw attention to it as something that stands out in me. I’m ashamed to admit that I am concerned with fitting in, and sometimes my abnormal work ethic makes me stand out. It’s scary to stand out. Every one of us has something in us that differentiates us in a significant way from those around us. So then it’s up to you: are you going to embrace that thing that makes you different, or hide it? Your decision could be the difference between working a 9-5 job for the rest of your life (until retirement) or doing that which you really love. Keep that in mind.

So bringing this post back up to the top. Don’t idolize or criticize (in a vindictive way) those who have achieved great success. Instead, commit to achieving that level of success for yourself. It is possible. I believe this from the bottom of my heart. It is possible.

“I realized that I had quit at everything and I made a vow never to give up on myself again… I realized that if I didn’t take the initiative and rewire myself I would end up being like so many people I knew who never committed themselves to anything and just took any job they could get and stayed there forever…Be bold. Don’t be afraid. Trust your instincts.If you quit you’ll never find out what could have happened. So be yourself, and remember: fortune favors the bold.”

– George Lopez

* All quotes are from the book The Best Advice I Ever Got: Lessons from Extraordinary Lives