Misunderstanding Success: Snoop Dogg, Jewel, and Us

Would you notice if you “made it”? It seems silly to say it that way, but I’ve got a point here. If you struck gold, the stars aligned, and all your dreams started coming true, would you recognize it was happening to you? 

I assume I would, but now I’ve got doubts. 

In consuming an obtuse amount of podcasts, I’ve heard two remarkably successful (and famous) artists share a common experience recently. Singer songwriter and entrepreneur, Jewel, articulated recently that when she hit it big. Someone asked her what it was like to have “made it” when she was offered a million dollar signing bonus and a record deal. Knowing she was busking on San Diego beaches and building an audience at a local coffee shop while living out of her car, she wondered “Is this making it?”

Similarly, rapper and entrepreneur, Snoop Dogg, had the same experience when his first music video was getting great airplay. While on a friend’s couch, he was asked, “What’s it like being a star?” Looking around, he wondered:

“This is how stars feel? On the couch, no money..”

The reason for me sharing this is that you might very well be on your most incredible path. If you keep comparing how you feel to how you think you ought to feel, the best case scenario is you don’t enjoy the ride. The worst case? You quit a winning path and never make it altogether.