In an interview on his Here’s The Thing podcast, Alec Baldwin is once again perplexed:
Why is Jerry Seinfeld happy when, according to Alec, he could be doing so much more? With the level of fame and success he has achieved, he could have his own “Seinfeld TV Network”.
But Jerry Seinfeld isn’t falling for it. He has defined his own form of success and one of the keys was knowing the difference between what makes him happy and how society defines happiness. Alec Baldwin asked, “You are very happy…but why aren’t you doing what other people are doing?”
[Huh? Didn’t he just answer his own question?]
Jerry Seinfeld answers emphatically, “I’ve been in all the chairs, I’ve been in all the rooms. You can’t pull that over on me! You can’t trick me into thinking that’s good. Most of it is NOT creative work and not reaching an audience. You want to be on the water? How do you want to be on the water? You want to be on a yacht or a surfboard? I don’t want to deal with a yacht. Too much time and energy spent [in corporate work] that is not the juice. The really great stuff is a great line. As a stand-up comedian I can control that.”
Jerry Seinfeld ventured into making a film called “Bee” Movie. Afterwards he realized what he truly loves is standing in front of a live audience, delivering lines, and hearing the laughter. You don’t get that in corporate offices, you don’t get that in anything but standing in front of an audience. Other people’s definition of success doesn’t make everyone happy. It's important that we define our own success.
There is freedom in knowing what truly brings you happiness, but you have to be willing to think for yourself -- a good practice for people who want to be creative.
I see so many creative people striving to follow the footsteps of other people when what others are doing is not really their thing. Yes, seeing what’s out there is important to stock a reservoir of creative resources from which we can draw upon and apply when it makes sense. But on the whole, creating our journey according to who we are is the true path of the creative soul. Plus, when we’ve done this, chances are we will persevere and won’t be among the 85% of people who give up on their creative dream because they are doing something that's not resonating with who they are.
When I left my “yacht” in the corporate world and started out working for myself, I found out the hard way, how to paddle toward a meaningful success. I went to networking meetings, stood when I was called on, and said my “30-second elevator speech” just like everyone else. I tried filling in the blanks of someone else's marketing plan template.
I felt like a polka dotted dodo bird lunching with a flock of flamingos. I was not a bird of this feather, it was torture and it didn’t get me a lick of business. I did it because I thought I was supposed to. Later when I flew this coop, I decided that if I am going to work for myself, I have to do it in a way that is fun, ignites my passion, and is preferably without torture.
It wasn’t a linear course, but I invented a business by making dry concepts entertaining, and now it's not only thriving, but has removed the work/play dichotomy for me. My work is fun and my play has become inspiration for my writing, art, and creativity coaching.
I’m on my surfboard paddling among moments – the mentoring moments where asking a question results in someone letting go of pressure and finding a whole new way to live life; the writing moments where words come together on the page in a way where my soul sighs with approval. The art moments where I pause because my drawing amuses me.
Moments I love that will keep me afloat in a way that makes me happy for the rest of my life.
What is YOUR definition of success? Is it one derived from your own personal values and characteristics? If you got sucked into the hypnosis of society, it's not too late because if you can finish reading an article that mixes bird metaphors with surfing metaphors, you probably have the patience to do just about anything.
Previously on The Map to the Star series
(R) 2015 Jill Badonsky - www.kaizenmuse.com