Discussions
Just a couple of questions.
Posted by AngieA • 7/16/09 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: 10% rate of success, devoting yourself, what occupation
If you knew you could devote yourself to any single occupation such as-music, writing, acting, business, politics, medicine, etc. and be among the best and most successful in the world at it, what would you choose?
If you knew you had only a 10% chance of being so successful, would you still put in the effort?
User Comments
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acting. It is something that I am good at and gives just enough time to be somebody else, if only for a few hours, which keeps life interesting.
Even with a 10% chance, I'd still do it as that is primarily what I do now, even with a .1% chance
I am hard headed-
thats a great answer, must be the red hair
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that's what I tell people
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im want be teach,cause i want share my knowledge to other -
10% you say. I am a practical guy. I am not financially stable either. So I would rather work on improving that percentage then go for it.-
Marketborn,
Successful people are never practical.
Or let me put it to you another way, have you ever met a successful guy that was practical? -
I am not yet successful. I will need time on that. I am working on it. I have a plan. I am just working on increasing that %. You think every one who follows his heart comes out successful? No. You need to plan and be practical as well. I love space and travel. That does not mean I will leap into space tourism arena and leave everything else. Cuz the % is low.
Taking risk is not impractical. Even if the % is 99 there is still a risk. But its practical to raise ur chances from 10 to 50 if you can. -
@Marketborn,
A plan is good, nothing wrong with that, and everyone wants a higher % chance when it comes to being successful.
But if you have a problem with taking risks because you are a practical man, then, then hey, lets all stand in the 99% chance free line. -
I kinda agree with marketborn. We can work indirectly towards that particular occupation by doing other stuff that will increase the chances that you'll do well in that occupation. All your effort is towards that occupation but you're not really doing that occupation.(Doesn't make much sense I know)
Erm...Here is an example.
I want to be a great musical artist but I'm not really that well known plus I dont have much cash so i go to the cheapest recording studio and publish my songs but songs dont reach a really broad area. Here I have 5% chance of being a succesful artist.
I want to be a great musical artist but I'm not really that well known plus I dont have much cash so i do a few dirty jobs here and there get the cash, go to a good recording studio and hire a good publicist, my songs are distributed over a larger area and with good publicity. Here i have 50% chance of being a successful artist.
The end goal is the same but the approaches are different and that might be the key factor in deciding whether you reach your goal or not. -
exactly what I wanted to convey. If you really want to be a musician friend my wishes r with u.
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It's an interesting question, and I'm not exactly sure.
I think it would have to be something I'm terrrible at, with the least chance for success. That way I would be sure my success was purely a result of my own efforts, and not any actual readily available ability or talent.
Plus it would have to hold a lot of interest for me. So probably, some type of martial art, or maybe even singing.-
Something your terrible at? So that you wont be disappointed with your efforts?
I have a feeling your singing is much better then your martial arts. -
No. So I would be able to feel more of a sense of accomplishment than I would if I were to devote myself to something I'm good at or come by naturally.
I sculpt well. If I were to devote myself to sculpting, I wouldn't feel as accomplished, because it's easy. I don't feel much accomplishment when things are easy.
I have no talent for martial arts, as I have no sense of balance among my other obvious shortcomings. It's overcoming those things that interests me. -
or you can go a step further and mix the two. How about the musical martial artist? Would you call that creativity or the height of idiosyncrasy?
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I like that answer HTR, it makes sense to me.
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My dream would have to be a gangster rapper. I don't know why, but deep down being a hardcore rapper is bad ass to me. It is a funny dream for a white so-cal amateur surfer. I would act so hard just walking down the streets. -
music
Success is about how we feel about ourselves-
I get that acoustic,
so do you have success?
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Writing.
Because I've never wanted to dissociate myself from the written word. I don't ever expect to become one of the most successful people in the world but that doesn't stop me doing it. That isn't the point. I write first and foremost simply because I love doing so...-
agreed
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making comic or novel,cause i like to make stories and its my hobby.if u say the chance is 10% of successfull,i guess i'll practise harder and make it better.nothing is impossible even people say its impossible.what matters to me is enjoying the work.
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wow. I like that hobby of yours. Putting stories to pictures. kool. I am poor art hand though.
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thanks
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It would have to be writing or being a philosopher (or perhaps both...)
I could be an advice giver - but then - yanno - who knows... at 10% success - I might end up killing someone by accident with advice that I give.
LOL!
I guess that it is better to try and aim - regardless if you can make it or not - than to never aim at all.-
Wagerwitch, You’re a great poet. Iv seen you come up with stuff in seconds without even thinking about it.
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True - but - I can do that... there is no money in it... So even if I was the 10% successful - I'd still be poor...
The only way I'll make money is if someone wants me to write lyrics for them... and THAT I CAN do.
I write lyrics for my band ALL the time.
Wish someone would walk up to me and say - HEY _ I'll give you 25,000K for one song lyric...
Or write for our people and you'll make millions...
Yeah - sure.. Uh huh...
I can dream tho...
*THANKS* for the kudos tho... *grin* -
ahhh I should of guessed you wrote lyrics for a band.
Well, I use to write music, and would love to see some of your lyrics.
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hermit !-
good luck. U don't even have to worry about the percentages. I have one doubt though. Are there successful hermits and unsuccessful ones too?
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hermit are bound to be reaching beyond the both after encompassing both of them in full proportions !
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? I am not even sure I understand the Q.
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Basically, I'm doing just this. I'm a writer. I write marketing pieces and manage the marketing programs. I've always dreamed of writing fiction from home full-time (preferably in a scenic locale!). Instead, I do so in my spare time where ever I can.
Who knows if I'll be successful, but I feel compelled to finish the novel I'm writing. I'm getting there, but it's taking time.
We'll see what, if anything, happens with it.
At least I had a minor reward recently of coming in second place in a humor writing contest. So that was a little encouragement to continue on.-
I am looking forward to reading this so much, don't disappoint me
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I could probably swing a PDF of an opening chapter your way and disappoint you now instead of later.
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Oh really?
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If you're desperate for reading material, which I can't imagine.
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and she could do the proof reading for free, i suppose.
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I wouldn't ask anyone to do that. Not my style.
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Also Jenn is not likely 2 knead mi epertize.
Would luv ta reed it.
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Hmmmm probably writing/illustrating books for adults and children focusing on mental health issues.
Which would combine my interest in therapy and my love of doodles.
If they helped a handful of people that would be cool. -
I want to be a cartoonist and/or a novelist. Fat chance of making them a success, although actually doing the things themselves isn't a problem... just getting an avenue for them that will make people sit up and take notice, and pay off, is like asking for the planets to align! Bleh. -
What type of cartoons and what type of writing?
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I've always loved comic strips, so that's what I do on my blog with Trottersville. As for the novel I've only just started writing (after years of ridiculous procrastination), it's a fantasy story that I'm intending to be different from most other fantasy out there right now.
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Although I love cartoons/illustrations and especially doodles, I have never gotten into comic strips. I think it takes more thought to put together a comic strip than a mad doodle, well more thought than I have.
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Fair enough too. I don't think comic strips are quite everyone's cup of tea, that's for sure.
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If you knew you could devote yourself to any single occupation such as-music, writing, acting, business, politics, medicine, etc. and be among the best and most successful in the world at it, what would you choose?
Writing.
If you knew you had only a 10% chance of being so successful, would you still put in the effort?
I already have done. I went back to university to get an MA in Creative Writing, and I'm finishing up a doctorate in the same. It's a slow, grinding process, but the key is to never give up.-
@Greencurmudgeon
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Gynaecology. -
Interesting....right now I feel like I have a 10% chance of success (if we are gauging success as publishing my book) and I still give as much as I can to my writing. I do it for no other reason besides I just like it so much. Even if no one else thinks it's great I still feel accomplished every time I finish a piece. -
Music, and I'm already working on it too. I've performed on radio, tv, done loads of concerts, but I'm still pretty much unknown, so I can't say I'm successful yet. Success is not really the goal for me in itself, but just something that will make it easier for me to keep doing what I love doing. You have to pay your bills somehow, so being famous and successful would help a lot with that...
As for the percentage... I never really cared much about what the chance of success was. Probably pretty low, but that didn't stop me when I decided to go for it. I'd rather be poor and do something I love, than be well off and hate my job. You spend a lot of your life on your job, so it seems kind of important. -
I've actually been in that situation. I used to be an actor and a musician. I put enormous effort into it--but that was only as long as I believed in myself. When I stopped believing in my talent, I could no longer put the needed drive into it.
Losing my dreams of making it in the theater was the one thing that really broke my heart.
Now, I am a writer and I believe in myself. I probably only have less than a 10% chance of really making it--but I have learned a lot since my old theater/music days.
I also want to mention that I still play my guitar--you can enjoy music/writing/whatever without being famous or making a lot of money doing it!-
Still--I had a lot of those same fears when I started graduate school. I was in my mid-thirties. But things work out--and forty isn't that old anymore (I keep telling myself that anyway!).
It is great that you have some real options you are looking at. Let me know if I can do anything to help.
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I have to say I am not a very courageous person. I have fear of not being financially stable. Having been out of work for 6 months has compounded the fear. I watched my savings evaporate and have become increasingly anxious. I used to be more impulsive, but it's been at least 5 years since I became a compulsive planner. I plan all my big decisions now which can be detrimental. I can feel trapped by my fear and anxiety over a new turn in the road. Whereas when I was younger, stuff like that didn't phase me.
Going to Paris is the most impulsive thing I have done, ever.-
Are you glad you went, Still?
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Oh yes, very glad I went. I feel like it's the one really positive experience that came out of being unemployed.
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I'm so glad that you feel that way! Then it was worth it. Are you going to join the Peace Corp? I would seriously consider doing that if my situation were different. I've always had a fantasy about it.
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I have the meeting later today. I was trying to think of plausible time line. I was thinking about this and I think I should try my best to get into grad school. I did find out that I can start taking my licensing exams next month so that gives me something to work on while I am looking for work. Next fall, I will start school. After I finish grad school, rather than go straight to work, I can go do my service with the Peace Corps. After the Peace Corps, I can find work in my field because the industry will have recovered by then. Hopefully.
The flip side of this is joining the Peace Corps and starting my service next year, then applying for grad school. The thing about all of us this is that my life is essentially going to be put on hold for the next 6 years. I will be forty with no retirement savings and only 6 years of work experience. Gah!
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I want to be one of those celebrities that nobody knows why they're famous in the first place. They havent done anything amazing and have no discernible talent, they just show up to parties and get paid for it. ex.Paris Hilton, Nicole Ritchie, kim Kardashian....etc
Actually I would be happy writing, perhaps a contributing editor of some mag or having a weekly column somewhere. -
Definitely be successful? Possibly politics, I think the House of Commons could do with some me-style common sense
Otherwise, writing...and I am putting in the effort right now trying to write a novel. -
Actually, doing just one thing at a time is the best way to ruin things, in my opinion I like to have several occupations at any one time, it keeps me from getting bored. But having said that, I could certainly get involved in one field, and that would be the arts, which is what I already do. (I'm an "artist", see, lol, that covers a lot of ground). -
Empowering myself & my fellow humans (How? -see my blog and website) Even though I have not received even a 10% success rate YET, I will continue as that is my mission and passion for the rest of my life. -
Unable to choose just one but that is my changeable nature. Vocalist, Painter, Poet, Writer, Pastry Cook, Broadcaster. By jove I've got it! I would be a successful Creator. There. That hits the head of the nail.
Lately, I have felt like sculpting. Go figure.
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