Success Is A State Of Mind

Let me ask you a question:  What will it take for you to be successful?  In other words, what do you need to accomplish in order for you to consider yourself having reached success?  Perhaps a more relevant question is what is your definition of success?  The former dictates the latter.  What kinds of standards do you set for yourself?

All of these things inevitably affect how you will succeed, and what this success will entail.  If you only do the minimum to get by, you might accept the smallest triumph as a victory.  On the other hand, if you are a perfectionist, you might sense failure when you don’t cross your T at a square perpendicular angle.

The trick to this, as is with anything, is to find the balance.  Where is your ideal medium?  This will be dependent upon your lifestyle, routines, and natural habits.  How high can you place your goals and standards before they cease being beneficial and begin becoming inefficient, tedious, and inhabiting?

Where does success come from?

Success itself is comprised of opportunity, ambition, and potential.  Opportunity is related to what is happening, being offered, or who is present in the society.  Ambition is the hunger or drive to be successful and potential is defined as how capable one is to achieve their goal.

There are some characteristics that can be traced throughout history as being present commonly among successful people.  These Include:

An Unwavering Passion.  Pursue that which you love.  Be passionate for what you do, only then will you try your hardest to reach it.  If you pursue that which you have no passion for, you risk abandoning it for something more appealing.  Commit and be dedicated.

Open Mindedness.  Have the imagination of a child.  Even the most intelligent realize that they will be forever learning.  Be flexible, at times you might start from one direction and end up in another.   Make the most of wherever you are and be open to new ideas!  The result might be better than you imagined.

Hunger.  Starvation for excellence.  Desire to be an expert, to master the craft, and to make it bend to your will.  Never lose sight of what you are striving toward.  This trait in particular helps with “hopeless” circumstances.  Sprint, don’t run.  Most people walk and even wait motionless.  Sprint.

Progression.  A forward-looking approach.  Learn from the past and move on.  Take the wisdom and experience and leave the rest.  Use it to better your future approaches.  This is the only way you will grow to your fullest potential.  Optimism is king, and the means to become one.

Creativity.  A constant flow of ideas.  Amazing problem-solving and innovation.  Love for the art of your specialty.  Never stop creating.  This is the life-line to your brand.  The most successful people always have a constant flow of new products or services to keep them relevant and profitable.  How can you be innovative?  Better yet, how can you be innovative with your previous innovations?  Offer your audience complete originality.

GOOD LUCK AND NEVER GIVE UP!

Back To The Basics

A little inspiration for my readers:

Can you remember when you were little?  Think back.  I mean REALLY little; your mother still holding your hand to the school bus little.  Do you remember how you used to act, how you used to think, feel, and be?

You were careless and were concerned with a different set of priorities.  You had other pet peeves and triggers.  Simpler things made you happy and you were more family-orientated.  Instead of worrying about what others will see you in and spending hours to pick and reevaluate your outfit, you styled yourself with whatever suited your mood and were done with it.  And I’m pretty sure a lot of us had little bloated baby tummies and did not flinch once in front of the mirror.  We loved running around, being reckless, and rolling in the mud.  Getting dirty was an adventure, not a chore.

Remember how we used to interact with others.  Without troubling ourselves over future possibilities and scenarios, we acted upon impulse.  Although taking certain consequences into consideration is sometimes crucial in the decision-making process, why should it affect the way in which we converse with others?  In other words, why should the prospective reactions from others determine our initial actions?  At the risk of sounding cliche, my perfect world is one in which all are true and sincere without the fear of judgment on their conscious.  It is your life you’re living, so why should others dictate your story line?

Dance for all that are watching.  Speak for all who are listening.  Shine for all those residing in darkness.  Be yourself for the world.  Be true and self-fulfilling first, burdened and careful last.   IT IS OKAY TO PLAY NOW, PAY LATER (thanks, Mishon).  You could spend your life dreaming of living, which sounds redundant, doesn’t it?  It is always good to work then play, to balance yourself in order to survive, but remember also that youth is for doing things you cannot do with age.  And why should your age signify the number of regrets you collected along the way?  “Playing it safe” may look appealing at the moment, but deciding not to do something could be just as regretful as the alternative.

The longer you prolong a decision, the more attention you are taking away from others to be made.  You could spend just as much time considering an action as you could spend completing it.  For example, while you are trying to decide if you are going to participate in the bull-riding contest in front of hundreds, you are diverting your concentration from other opportunities you may have.  In this time, the prize could be claimed by another contender, the love of your life could be considering introducing him/herself to you, or your favorite celebrity could be behind you in line for the contest.  I’m not trying to pressure you into becoming a Yes-man, and some decisions require more consideration, but definitely do NOT hesitate and miss an amazing moment due to fear.

There are a million scenarios that could occur as a result of participating in such a contest.  You could fly off and break your arm.  You could accidentally rip your shirt and expose yourself.  You could fall off the fake bull after the slightest movement.  BUT sometimes the pain of today is worth the memory for tomorrow.  Five years from now, does it matter if Jessica Alba point-blank witnessed you rolling ridiculously, unnecessarily, and embarrassingly off the fake bull before it even begins to jerk you?  You fall flat on your face, and happen to be wearing a skirt or extremely short shorts, slightly exposing yourself.  But what do you do when you pick yourself up?  The moment has begun and you are helpless to that fact.  But your next move makes your story.  Get up and run out the door?  Or hop up, shake it off, and get back on the bull?  Most of the time, the important factor in a situation is not what happens, but how you handle it.  The world is filled with unfortunate events, but succeeding against all odds is always admirable. 

When you are old, wrinkly, lacking full mobility, and left to your thoughts alone, what will be memorable to you?  Rolling out of the spotlight and sneaking off to blend into normalcy, or getting back on the bull, winning the contest and a high-five from Jessica?  Even if you don’t win the contest, you still might get the high-five, which might just be as satisfying.

Today, a lot of people are preoccupied with being leaders, not followers.  So when you are older, will you be a speaker or a listener?  Will you be passive, and reminisce with others of their tales, or will you recount your own, and continue to awe your audience?

Oh, Marilyn!

“Do I Look happy?  I should – for I was a child nobody wanted.  A lonely girl with a dream – who awakened to find that dream come true.  I am Marilyn Monroe.  Read my Cinderella story.”

Jean Harlow.  She was Marilyn’s Marilyn: her inspiration, and the stimulation of her passion for the cinema.  Harlow was the idol of the time and she awed everyone surrounding Monroe.   So Marilyn set her sights early on.  She got married very young so as not to return to foster care, however her spouse enlisted with the war efforts and she divorced him upon his return.  During this time, she was considering having children and becoming a housewife.  Instead, she signed with Blue Book Modeling Agency and bleached her hair blonde.  She began experimenting with countless names, none of which she liked.   A short list of her aliases and married names can be found below.

After being discovered by Twentieth Century-Fox, she started developing the look that would later be known as trademark and adopted the name Marilyn Monroe.  She mainly played as an extra, having only silent background roles.  She then signed with Columbia and her overbite was corrected.  She returned to modeling after acting roles became scarce.

For the only time in her life, Marilyn posed nude for pay.  The release was signed “Mona Monroe” and these pictures later resurfaced; scandal was not far behind.  However, Monroe handled the situation with grace and class, explaining her need as a struggling actress to pay her rent.  She signed again with 20^th Century-Fox for seven more years after being discovered once more.  She then had a slight bump removed from her nose and started making appearances at the Academy Awards (presenter) and magazine covers (in GTech wear supporting women’s rights to enroll and multiple magazines covering her life story in a sympathetic light).  She started dating famous baseball player Joe DiMaggio and overall became very popular in the limelight.  Hugh Hefner used a picture of her in the previously mentioned extremely low-cut dress on Playboys first cover, with a picture inside from her earlier nude shoot in 1949.  (Although Hefner had never met the young starlet, he has reserved the crypt next to Monroe's as his resting place, attributing his magazine's success to its first issue).

Marilyn was one that took risks.  She wore controversial clothing: skintight with plunging necklines.  She posed for nude photos at the beginning of her career.  She bleached her hair in a second and revolutionized the “dumb blonde” persona.  She was a risk-taker that knew the odds before she played the game.  She conquered the industry in a way that granted her a ridiculous amount of power.  For example, when discussing her third (and final) contract with 20^th Century-Fox, she was able to on her terms after Seven Year Itch.  She demanded the right to reject any script, director, or co-star, as well as investments and shares to newly founded Marilyn Monroe Production Company.

Ms. Marilyn Monroe died so young, at the age of 36.  She was just reaching the peak of her career, or at least the highest it had been yet.  She had multiple films lined up, with a 10-year contract overseas.  All deals were again negotiated on her terms; she had become very powerful.  The world lost one of its brightest shining stars.  Monroe never stopped standing up for unity and kinship throughout the diversity in America, and even begged an interviewer to include a closing quote telling her of belief in brotherhood between all people.

After her death, Marilyn Monroe continues to influence the entertainment industry to this day, as many would love to fall into her footsteps and conquer the world as she did.  But it did not come easy to her, and she knew nothing but a life of struggle and loneliness.  Largely unknown, Marilyn (born Norma Jeane) was raised in multiple foster homes, with a mentally ill mother continuously reappearing and trying to kidnap her.  She was harassed and assaulted in multiple familiar homes, and was finally declared a ward of the state and married young so as to not be sent back to foster care.  She conquered more obstacles in her early years than most people come across in a lifetime.  And throughout the remainder of her years, she refused to give up on the entertainment industry.  She sat through bad years along with the good ones, and she never stopped putting her all into her roles.

Monroe is highly regarded as one of America’s most popular sex icons.  She is considered the sixth greatest female star of all time by the American Film Institute, as well as first in Sexiest Women of All Time.  Her image is still widely distributed (via posters, clothing, make-up, jewelry, collectibles, calendars, Instagram, film, inspirational quotes, etc.) and her look is largely emulated (Anna Nicole, Madonna, Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani, Michelle Williams, Lindsay Lohan, Nicole Kidman, Rachel McAdams, Paris Hilton, Pamela Anderson, Taylor Swift, Katherine McPhee, Megan Hilty, Kelly Osbourne, Lady Gaga, Scarlett Johansson, Blake Lively, etc.).  As far as the world is concerned, there is only one true Marilyn Monroe.  This is further proved with every new sexy, fiery, seductive actress that surfaces but never surpasses this Pioneer of Beauty.

Some names and aliases used by Ms. Monroe:

Norma Jeane Mortenson (she never knew her father but was born under his misspelled name)

Norma Jeane Baker (her mother immediately changed Marilyn's legal name to match her own)

Norma Jeane Dougherty (name change after first marriage)

Norma Jeane DiMaggio (name change after second marriage)

Norma Jeane Monroe (she followed Harlow's lead in taking her mother's maiden name Monroe)

Norma Monroe

Jeane Monroe (several varieties using "Monroe" were tried &trashed before she was satisfied)

Marilyn Monroe (the name Marilyn was suggested due to her resemblance to Marilyn Miller)

Mona Monroe (she used this name on the release form when shooting the nude series)

Marilyn Monroe Miller (name change after third/final marriage)

Walking Poetry

You know the girl: the one with hair flowing voluminously in the wind with the perfect bounce corresponding to her walk.  Each foot follows the same straight line as she struts down the cat-side-walk.  Her hourglass frame is complimented perfectly with her catalog-style outfit.  Absolutely glamorous.  It is difficult to determine where her beauty ends and where it is enhanced with make-up; there are no flaws.

When she passes by, the seductive scent of her perfume lingers just enough to consume your thoughts for the next few moments.  Her passing wind seems as if a gust of fresh air, quick and crisp, traveled through the room instead.  The methodic click of her heels is all but too-distinguishable amongst the ordinary population of rubbery soles.  Her rhythm holds the most precise beat and is accompanied by a clean, determined stride that rings true and clear.

She may be out of a magazine, but in essence she is a picture in motion.  When she adds that red flower to her neutral outfit, she gives you the impression she walked off a black-and-white set.  But the next time you see her, color flows from all angles and flares from her features.  It almost overwhelms your sense of beauty, which suddenly became so sensitive.  She is entrancing: the only thing that holds your attention.  She is today’s definition of “siren” and you can’t give her enough of your gaze.

Everyone sees in three dimensions, and everything seen is visual.  However, this girl seems to paint imagery in all places, which immediately seem dull in comparison.  She makes white appear brighter than sun-illuminated snow, and red more lush than the Queen of Heart’s roses.  Black on her shoulders has never looked more Noir and her blue runs louder than the summer sky.  Somehow her gleaming eyes shine through it all with surprising ferocity.

She is that girl.  She sets the precedence for those following her footprints, and raises the standards for those who have walked before her.  She naturally brings out the “gentlemen” in the males surrounding her (why would they let her open her own door if she can help it?).  Even the normally disrespectful men cannot help but be affected by her eloquent presence.

She is silent rhymes and melodic imagery.  This girl is walking poetry.

Be Your Own White Knight

Sometimes we just need a little glamour in our lives.  A beautiful gown and little pumpkin carriage to go with our hard and demanding Cinderella jobs.  A break from reality’s strain and work.  But there won’t always be a fairy godmother to wave the magic wand.  Life moves too quickly for any one person to deliver ambitions on a silver platter, and life is too short to wait on the delivery.  It is much more practical to grab your own vegetable and sculpt it yourself.  Your hands may get a little messy, but at least you will be able to design your own custom Lambo.

The tale of the glamorous life has a long road of yellow bricks and many deceiving, almost enchanting, obstacles.  Not everyone is guaranteed a “happily ever after.”  Some spend eternity waiting for the prince to break their sleeping spell while others decide to ride the white horse and fashion-forward knight armor themselves.

Dreams don’t chase the catcher and nothing ever grew without water.  Opportunities will pass by you regardless, but seeing them does not equate to seizing them.  If you do everything within your power today, then the only battles you face tomorrow belong to that day alone.  The stretch to the top is long, dark, and barren.  The higher you climb, the more the path becomes deserted.  Even after transformed, inspired, and given a vision, Cinderella has to struggle to secure her future.  The prince found her shoe and sought its owner, but it was her initiative and perseverance that broke her out of her step-family’s imprisonment and into his arms.

Our dreams can come knocking on our door and even enter our close proximity, but even then the journey is not finished.  They can come as close as our fingertips, but unless you grab it and hold on tight, it will vanish just as quickly.  The odyssey to wealth and riches has many characteristics of the historical baroque period: ornate with glamour and glitter to distract from the poverty and struggle.  Do not be fooled by what appears in front of you.  This is a very superficial industry and the deeper you swim, the darker the water.  Keep your eyes on your vision, conquer the day and seize the world.  I'll see you up there.