Let us continue diving deeper into what we’ve explored last Monday together.
What does the craving of feeling important, for making it big, for reaching six figures, for feeling powerful say about the human race? Let us begin observing this notion at a wider scale, then narrowing it to us as individuals. Aka, boring stuff first, rainbow sprinkles last. Imagine it as if you’re staring at your dating life. First dates are rough and weird, then after some time those rainbow sprinkle kisses light up your life and you can’t get enough of them. Here we go.
Graham Greene: English Writer. "… approaching his eightieth birthday, he expressed the startling thought that he was a failure. After publishing 40 books, he still didn’t think any of them were very good.”
John Mayer: Singer & Song-writer. “Something’s missing… and I don’t know what it is, no I don’t know what it is… at all. Friends- check. Money-check. All well slept- check. Opposite sex- check. Guitar- check. Microphone-check. Messages waiting on me- check. How come everything I think I need, always comes with batteries? What do you think it all means?” -Something’s Missing track.
Skift Take: Previous Finance Man & CEO. “After pursuing a career in finance, it was not long until I found myself unfulfilled. My biggest fear was being trapped.” So he left Wall Street and pursued a start-up career in renewable and energy, but two years later found himself unhappy again.
A writer claims his work sucks even after publishing 40 novels. Like what? A gifted singer communicates his confusion behind why he feels like something is missing despite having everything. And a finance man on wall street goes on making bank who then leaves his job because the money just could not fill him. Whoa.
How telling is this of our souls? I mean, these are people who have thrived in the world of riches and fame. They all have had titles of importance. They all have had the security of being seen as something incredible and noteworthy to everyone else. Yet, even the approval of their crowd was not enough. Eventually, the love of being liked ran out. The love of making millions could not sustain. A microphone and guitar and the spotlight just didn’t have the battery power to bring the happiness, John Mayer, oh so longed for during the time he wrote this song.
As Mayer so wonderfully put at the end of his song, “What do you think it all means?” Take a second to reflect upon this observation. Before you do so, I invite you to not agree with me here just because I am writing this and it looks all professional and cool and honorable. I invite you to actually distrust me until what I say begins to ring true to you and your trust for me can build from there. Think for you. I hope to just be an instrument in the process of forming your own thoughts.
But really, what does all of this signify for us? School systems tell us a degree is the golden ticket. Our company says a promotion and a raise is the golden ticket. The medical schools say a white lab coat is the golden ticket. Instagram tells us 10k followers is the golden ticket.
What if the messaging of this world is all wrong? What if everything society has been feeding us doesn’t actually bring us the success, happiness, and fulfillment we thought it supposed to?
Could there be something that gives us the peace we need that no one wants to mention? That everyone is scared of exploring? Is it possible to achieve a perfectly content and blissful life? Or no matter what you fill your life with, will you always question if there is something more? Is there something more? There must be because then what is the purpose for our existence?
As I’ve mentioned before, I’m in a place where I do not feel fulfilled or peaceful, or content. It does feel like something is missing. I question though if the reason I am not feeling “whole” is that I am looking for things of this world to fill my unavoidable void. Are a title and a salary really going to shake this restless hole I so feel right now? It is likely it won’t. Yet, I have it in my mind that if I just publish this one book, then I’ll be satisfied and happy and everyone will see me as professional and important and skilled and capable. But according to Graham Greene who published 40 books, he still never thought he was good enough, he still thought a piece of his work or himself was missing. So the truth is, I do not believe money, titles, or even relationships can fill us in the way our soul longs for. But something else can and already has. Keep your eyes and your heart open and you may encounter it.
So then, what do you think has the power to give you deep satisfaction? I’ll leave you to explore this question today at your own pace. Have fun with it, it could lead you to something beautiful.
This, my friends, is the psyche of a new writer that craves something deeper than what my naked eye can see.
XOXO,
Kelly