Write your own personal definition of success.
My friend John Cantu is a humor writer, and was co-producer at the legendary
Holy City Zoo comedy club in San Francisco. Many great comedy stars got their
start there. When he counsels young comedians and new speakers about their
success, he always says "Don't compare yourself to where Robin Williams or
Dana Carvey is today. Compare yourself to where they were at the same point
in their development." Success is an illusive and relative concept.
When my friend Scott McKain interviewed Tom Hanks, Scott was the fifty-eighth
interview of sixty that the two-time Oscar winner did in one day to promote
his
latest movie. (That's got to be harder work than making the film!) But Tom
acted
as if it were his first meeting of the day. He actually walked over to Scott,
introduced
himself, and shook hands. (Tom is the only star who has ever asked Scott,
"What
do you think of the movie?")
Scott asked Tom Hanks, who had already won two Oscars back to back:
"What is your definition of success?"
"It's too soon to tell if I will be successful or not," Hanks replied. "To
me, success is
constantly getting better at your craft and performing at a high level for an
extended
period of time. Jimmy Stewart, Gregory Peck -- those are people who have been
successful. Fame is different than success. Fame does something to your head
from which you may never recover. Sure, I get to cut in line at restaurants
and
airports, but if you think that is success, you are sadly mistaken -- as the
tragic
events of today clearly show." (The interview was taking place in Los Angeles
during the infamous O.J. Simpson Bronco freeway chase.)
We'd all like to have the esteem and admiration of our colleagues and being
exceptionally well known in our business community or professional
association.
But I recommend avoiding the kind of "fame" that has the paparazzi going
through
your garbage for scandalous tidbits.
My brother, international guitarist Robert Fripp, says, "Why would anyone want
to be 'famous'? Can you imagine what it's like to be gawked at and followed
everywhere you go?" Celebrities have great inconveniences despite the solace
of the extra income that their status sometimes brings.
Your "five minutes of fame" may be very pleasant, but never sacrifice your
true
success, earned by hard work, for mere notoriety.
(412 words)
