DJBReBlog UnSolicited Advice (From 3/3/14)

Unsolicited Advice (3/3/14)

I recognize the irony in writing an unsolicited advice post unsolicitedly.

Being an artist can be tough. It's a personal journey that requires being lost in order to be found.

On any given artist's path, there are roadblocks, detours and free falls. An artist deals with those reroutes and creates via those reroutes.

On my journey, I've taken quite a few detours. One of my most important detours was monumental to my happiness and subsequent success. I share it with you all because I think it's an important detour to take.

For my first 6-8 years of doing comedy, I put more value in impressing my peers than I did on achieving my own goals. In fact, my own goals were ALL crafted via what I thought my peers expected from me.

I listened to the haters and I put them on pedestals. Pedestals that didn't really exist outside of my mind. Outside of my inner critic. I wanted to please the haters more than I wanted to please myself.

Then, something happened. I set a goal for myself. I achieved the goal. I felt great.

Things started happening. Doors started to open. My smile grew wider and more genuine. I became more happy and more confident and I wanted to help everyone become more happy and more confident.

It's win-finity. Win+win+win. We all win forever. I know that's crunchy and hopelessly optimistic but that's me. I own that. 

Through setting a small goal for myself, I unknowingly began to realize what I believe is my calling.

My calling is to help people connect with their confidence such that it translates into happiness and eventually success by their own definition. No one can tell you how successful you are or aren't if they don't know what your goals are. You define your own goals. If you haven't, try giving it a shot. Start small. You have your whole life to go big. 

The sooner you can cut away the outside noise, the sooner you'll start to make progress with what it is you're trying to achieve. Like minds will find you and build you up. Haters will fuel you. For me, the best thing about haters is that they make me realize how difficult my goals are and yet, in the face of haters, I will achieve them. 

Set goals for yourself. Not for the world, not for your peers, not for your parents. Do you and the world will do you back tenfold. 

17 years ago, I was a petrified child stepping on stage for the first time. If I could go back in time, I'd tell him to set goals for DJB and work diligently toward them without worrying about the noise. There will ALWAYS be noise. There will not always be you. Take care of you. (or I will)

I love you guys.

DJB