I don't know exactly where to ask this, and it's not essentially /lit/ related, so I apologize for that.
But I know most people here are working on reading and writing, which means spending a lot of time engaging brilliant/genius work while trying to increase our own skills.I was wondering if anyone else has noticed that this poses a unique (and very serious) danger regarding ego.
Certain writers achieve extraordinary fame, and command the highest levels of respect, influence and admiration an individual can have. It goes far beyond what a television star or a politician might hope for.
How do you (you personally, you right there!) keep your mind on the prize, keep your ego in check, and avoid crippling self doubt or setting goals too high?
I'm not asking for advice, I'm just wondering how others deal with this. For my part I've started noticing that my entire life has been really disrupted by this, that it perhaps goes back many years, to those first experiences that suggested "you there, might just be something special." There's a very real fear that my life will have substantially less meaning/purpose if I turn out to be not-so-talented. Before you accuse me of being silly, just make sure you're not talking to yourself.
>>7974219
You have to realize that no matter how talented you are, you're not going to amount to anything unless you bust your ass every single day. I'm currently working on a PhD in mathematics and it seems like most people just assume that I made it this far (which is really not that far at all) because I got lucky genetically. But what they don't realize is how much work/sacrifice I put in to get where I'm at (they were at parties, they were having girlfriends, they were getting married, they were having kids, etc.- I was doing math).
Also, a healthy dose of self-hatred can be helpful when you're feeling high on yourself.
>>7974254
Oof, if I came off like a humble-bragging douche, I apologize.
Work hard, hate yourself. That's all it takes.
>>7974254
>>7974261
While I find these comments worthwhile and interesting, I should again say that this is not an advice thread, so perchance the posts that follow might say "I do ...." rather "you ought..."
To the point, my concern specifically, should I ask for advice after all, is with
>There's a very real fear that my life will have substantially less meaning/purpose if I turn out to be not-so-talented.
It is hard for me not to decide that, if literature is valuable, purposeful, meaningful, then so is writing great literature. Then so must a life in ignorance or mediocrity be devoid of exactly this value, purpose and meaning.
>>7974286
Why would it be devoid of meaning if you didn't write? Where is this compulsion to create coming from?
Personally, I had a lot of promise in school, lots of "You could do better if you tried." but I was content to do the bare minimum. That has been the story of my life. Pressure from others made me feel like I was doing it for them and as I only get one shot at this crap I'm going to enjoy it on my own terms.
>>7974632
Lazy genius, me too man!!!!!
