The Success Paradox

When I was 9, I aspired to be a professional singer. Day and night, I would dream about throwing concerts in major cities, coming on TV shows, my Youtube channel getting 100k likes. I would work in movies and be a worldwide sensation.

Now, I laugh. Really, so immature (but its ok at that age). I was so sure to be a professional singer. But, though it says that nothing is impossible, it is impossible for me. And for every guy like me—who dream.

A study says that for being perfect at something, at least 24 hours of effort should be put into it per week for 10 years! You have to spend shit-tons of time and effort into something for perfection. And to be the singer of my dream, the amount of time I will have to spend is more than my life-span! It would take 50+ years of constant effort to fulfil my dream. Now, I am 15. After 50 years of effort, I would be singing breakup songs at 65.

But, there is a problem. Even if I make constant effort for 50 years, I would never be a singer. Why? Because I would not make the effort in the first place.

To unpretzel your mind. I do not like singing. I only like the fame and riches as the result of 50+ years of effort.

That being said, I am at the foothills of Mt. Everest. Thinking about the summit, but not climbing much. So, I do not put effort, but only like to enjoy the results.

If you want to be successful, you should not want to be successful in the first place. Confused? This is the ‘Success Paradox’.

You should want to do that thing (put effort into it), in which you want to be successful, for being successful.

So, if you want to be successful in life, think again in which aspect you will shine.

I like writing. I do not want to be great famous writer. I just want to write. That’s it. Simple.

I just write for the sake of writing.

By this mindset, I can be a successful writer. But not a successful singer—as I don’t sing for the sake of singing.

So, you must not want to be successful, rather you must love outing effort into that aspect.

You should love climbing and forget the summit—you should wish that the summit never comes—so that you can climb forever—this is your love for climbing (and you will reach the summit, obviously)