For over two decades, I held on to an unrealistic goal to be “the best” writer in the world.
Why?
Because I thought that if I’m the best, I will be accepted by the people around me.
I didn’t know what I meant by “the best”. So, I defined it using impractical standards that I thought other people would appreciate. I put myself under tremendous pressure to be the youngest writer to be published, the artist to be discovered quickest, and the most read author in all the world.
After failing to achieve these goals, I dolefully accepted that my ambitions where indeed unachievable.
But when I finally let them go, I was able to look within and rediscover myself.
I began writing from my heart. That’s when my work began to get noticed.
Through this experience I learnt that we don’t have to try to be the best or give in to the pressure to be number 1 to be accepted by others. We just have to accept ourselves and keep growing.
Are there any unrealistic goals that you have set for yourself?
It might be a secret one that you don’t mention to anyone else. Maybe your desire is nagging at you and driving you from the backseat. Maybe it’s a dream that you’ve not achieved, and it’s making you question your worth. Or maybe it’s something you’ve seen others accomplish, and you feel envious of their success.
In my article “How Sensitive People Can Deal With the Pressure They Put on Themselves to Be ‘The Best’” published at Introvert, Dear I’ve written about our struggle with this pressure to be “number 1” or “the best”.
I then explain where this crushing pressure gets its power from and how to let go of it in order to be our real and authentic selves.
