There’s a thing I read if not every day, then frequently. I suppose you could call it an essay? I’m not certain.
Mastery, by Stewart Emery
I like it all, but there are a couple places that really resonate with me. One is in the second paragraph.
The first step to mastery is the removal of everything in your environment that represents mediocrity, removing those things that are limiting. One way is to surround yourself with friends who ask more of you than you do.
Have you got friends like that? I’ve got friends like that. They don’t always directly ask more of me than I do, but their actions will. It’s difficult to explain, but I’m grateful for it.
The other part that I really appreciate is as follows, at the start of the third paragraph.
Another step on the path to mastery is the removal of resentment toward masters. Develop compassion for yourself so that you can be in the presence of masters and grow from the experience. Rather than comparing yourself and resenting people who have mastery, remain open and receptive; let the experience be like the planting of a seed withing you that, with nourishment, will grow into your own individual mastery.
Oh, that’s the entire third paragraph, actually. Anyway.
I can’t speak for anyone else, but I have more than once felt a burning jealousy and the urge to give up when I find out that this person started writing at a much younger age and now has ridiculous accomplishments under their belt. Or when I learn about that writer that became insanely successful writing out of her car. Why haven’t I done that? I missed the boat, I’m doomed to failure…
Yeah. Except…
That is a hard thing to get nailed down. To believe that there is enough room for all of our writing, and when someone else succeeds it does not mean that I have failed.
That’s powerful stuff.
So I’m going to hold my friends close, the ones that keep pestering me for words to share. And I’m going to remember along the way that I don’t need to compete with every success that isn’t mine. I just need to keep succeeding myself.