You’re never the fastest gun in town forever

October 22, 2016 3:37 PM

Where your dominant ethos is
rebellious and thoroughly individualistic, it’s easy to get down on yourself
for not standing out and being special.

Because that’s the currency. You don’t
feel truly successful unless your voice of dissent is being heard. Unless
you’re constantly resisting people’s expectations. And unless the world is
publicly recognizing you for choosing to do things as an expression of your
identity.

When I first came on the scene as a writer, dozens of media outlets
interviewed me about my work every year. And it never failed to make me feel
special and successful.

But a decade later, it was a different story. Quite
literally. My novelty started to taper off. The phone stopped ringing. Because
the media had moved onto their next shiny object.

No matter how many new and
exciting projects I launched, the creative landscape was simply too saturated
for me to stand out like I used to. And that broke my heart.

Carlin experienced
this phenomenon as an artist, even into his sixties. He said you’re never the
fastest gun in town forever. Sooner or later, you’re no longer the new guy. And
the only way to reignite your creative juices is to see others else excelling
and think to yourself, wow, I better get busy.

It’s a noisy culture. I need to raise my voice. Both figuratively and literally.

That’s the challenge. Not
dropping into a deep hole of shame, but continuing to make art in the face of
the indifference with which society often greets you.

Sure beats the
alternative.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…

Is your strategy for sticking yourself out there as unique as what you’re sticking out there?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…

For the list called, “99 Ways to Think Like an Entrepreneur, Even If You Aren’t One,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *

Scott Ginsberg

That Guy with the Nametag

Author. Speaker. Strategist. Inventor. Filmmaker. Publisher. Songwriter.

[email protected]

www.nametagscott.com