Stop asking about it and start doing it

[GBGames]

Logging into my Gnu/Linux machine today, I got this fortune (fortune is a cool toy of an app):



For years a secret shame destroyed my peace--
I'd not read Eliot, Auden or MacNiece.
But now I think a thought that brings me hope:
Neither had Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton, Pope.
-Justin Richardson


I couldn't find the thread here, but someone was talking about how much more difficult it is to be successful, and it was pointed out that it isn't. It is just that years ago there weren't any forums like this for people to ask for advice. The successful people didn't have the luxury of peers. They were the first because they decided to just go ahead and do it.

Today we have these forums, gamedev.net, and other resources. But these resources didn't all exist back when people were first making successes out of themselves. And this fact should give everyone hope. </cheesiness>

[Omega]

Every overnight success story has existed for at least 5 to 10 years. Windows existed for many years before Windows 95. Snood has been around for almost 10 years. The founders of PopCap worked in designing internet games since the middle 90's. Even that NEW Walmart down the street has been around as a company for many years before today. Just like if you sell shoes for 10 years you'll become a great shoe salesman. You just can't become a failure for trying to do what you love for 10 years.

[Diragor]

You just can't become a failure for trying to do what you love for 10 years.

Depends on how you try. I've been playing music for 21 years, been in bands writing, recording and performing for 17 years. Yet, here I sit at a desk every day maintaining automated data processing code and getting very little satisfaction out of it. I'm only not a failure because I haven't given up yet.

[dflash]

I'm only not a failure because I haven't given up yet.

Well, precisely. Most people don't even try. The longer one sticks with it, the better he gets at his art/craft, and the others fall by the wayside who give up.

This is not to say it is a guarantee that hard work and perserverence will pay off financially. There are lots of other variables that come into to play, many out of our own control. However, you increase your chances of financial success by not giving up.

Not to sound cliche, but financial success is not the only measure of success. Of course, due to our economic system it sure helps a lot, but setting realistic (attainable) medium range goals and achieving them is certainly a satisfying type of success.