While many of us think of a job as a means to an end, many others are looking at a job as the thing we were born to do. I remember being in high school and taking a career assessment test. My assessment came back saying that my career path would be best suited for engineering. While, at times, I can be innovative and a very stealthy problem solver, I wanted to be famous.
I wanted to be famous. I had no idea what fame was other than everyone would know my name and life would be easy. I had dreams of being on Broadway because my community theatre and high school experience granted me such dream. I wanted to be a famous singer. Although, now, I am not sure what type of fame that would have entailed. Then, in college, I wanted to be a famous artist. I knew what that looked like. I would be called to be in all of these galleries and I could just create art all day long in my studio.
Now, in reality, I spent so much time wanting to be famous that I didn't take the time to just create because everything I did was going to create this fame. My art was good and my ego was way too strong. Wanting fame not only made me feel like I was missing out on something, it made me miss out on the whole part of becoming famous. I would even say that because I didn't achieve this fame, I was worth nothing.
Go back to the times before social media where you didn't have endless platforms to put yourself out on. This is before YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. Are we able to remember such a time? This was before the smart phone. So, last night after watching the Apple Event which they unveiled the iPhone X, I thought about Steve Jobs. Many people know about Steve Jobs, but many more people know about the iPhone. It would be safe to say that the iPhone won the fame game. was Steve Jobs ever jealous of his creation's fame?
As I started creating my InstaStory today, I thought about how this need for fame has diminished. The need has been replaced with pure creation. I am not creating for someone to notice me. I'm not singing so someone will book me for a show. I'm not taking endless photographs for a gallery to pick me up and sell my art. I do all these things because I have. I have to because it's who I am. I am a creator. I find inspiration in things people don't ordinarily pay attention to. Creativity is like air to me. Without creativity, I have serious issues.
When I dissect this idea of fame, I have to say I am famous in my own way. I am brave. I have performed in some amazing spaces including Carnegie Hall. I have shown my artwork on the campus of Google itself in Mountain View, CA. I have served my community with my talents. I guess you could say - Fame comes from within. I create because that's who I am.
Trying to be famous is like going to the casino and saying I'm going to win $1,000,000. It rarely happens, but, every now and then, you win $60 on a slot machine called Kitty Glitter.