Are you successful in your career, home life, love life, and being in general? Were you always this way, or did you have circumstances and people which helped make you who you are?
No matter our positions in life, all of us have had others to help, nurture, support, and pay for our success along the road regardless of achievement. From giving birth to a child to our daily work as being loyal, caring, sympathetic, and encouraging to those we love, the devotion should never end on both sides of the equation. But, do we pull them along with us as we grow and surge forward, or conveniently disregard, sometimes even forgetting about those who got us there? Therefore, yanking up the ladder behind us.
I remember when I was working on my first book, Sons In The Clouds. I was talking with a professional about the literary business and the intricacies of becoming successful, really successful, like John Grisham successful and how that actually happens sometimes. I stated how I could only imagine what his editors, publicists, and agents feel about him. How they probably became wealthy and super well-known while working with, and being attached to such an amazing talent. After all, when you consider all of his bestsellers, and movies made from those pieces of work and the millions of dollars paid for rights to them, I’m sure it was a dream comes true for the many involved. She said, probably so, but oftentimes the more successful, in this case, a writer becomes, the more tendency they have to pull up the ladder behind them to those who got them there. That once mega-success is achieved, now it’s a new ball game, and the little people are oftentimes cast aside in favor of the major league players (those connections who can propel you into the higher stratospheres full of golden keys). It made me think, and realize how that thought process can apply to every level of our lives.
I believe that if someone becomes successful, they should never forget the efforts of those who helped surge them forward. From parents to grandparents, siblings, friends, spouses, co-workers, even those we’ve never personally met through things like social media, our individual posies are who make us who we are. Great talent is what’ll cause you to rise above the pack, but never stop thanking those who helped you, retuning them some favors, believing in their individual efforts and goals, and helping them gain whatever it is they’re seeking to achieve.
I wrote in a previous article how I told very few of my writing efforts when I started. That I didn’t want to risk receiving any negative, or discouraging words along the way which could detract from remaining focused. This was my personal decision, and one I stand behind. But, on the flip side, I did have those who knew what I was doing before, during, and after my work went to market. And I’ll never stop supporting, helping, and talking about them when given the chance. Hollywood hasn’t knocked on the door with a movie offer for my story yet, but if they ever do, I know exactly who I’ll be taking with me to walk along that red carpet. They are the ones who believed in me, encouraged me, and thought I had something special to offer. I appreciate these people, and I’m extremely grateful to them.
We all have those we should never stop loving and supporting. And you don’t have to be a writer, or someone else with big dreams to take notice. They can be your elderly parent who raised you, clothed and feed you, educated you, and still help you even to this day. It can be a neighbor who helped jumpstart your car on that frigid morning, allowing you to make that all-important meeting or job interview; motivational speaker, minister, school teacher, coach, or best friend who gave you encouragement when needed the most during your youth. Or how about God, who gave you every tidbit of success you’ve ever known.
Success in life, no matter how large or small, is bittersweet when it comes; moments in time making it all worth the effort. Luck plays a part in achieving certain things, but long lasting success is definitely a team effort.
Thanks for listening…
To read more of Randy Mitchell's writing, visit his website @ www.theinspirationalwriter.com
Purchase his inspirational novel, SONS IN THE CLOUDS on Amazon!