The Secret of Success

Rosanne Barr gained fame for her role as creator and star of the hugely successful 80’s sitcom: Rosanne. She has strong views on many things, including what it takes to be a success. Here’s an excerpt from her website:

Believing in yourself does not make you talented. Talent is like obsession.

Honestly, if you are not spending hours each day writing or creating content of some kind, then you probably never will actualize your dreams.

Getting ones hands dirty has become unfashionable. Success, it is believed, is a state of mind most often found amongst the perfect: those unsullied by hard work.

Having demolished the common myths surrounding success, Barr then turns on what is currently considered success’s close cousin: fame.

…my advice is to accept reality - the odds are that you will never be famous…

Barr’s advice made me think about successful writers: those who have achieved fame, and those who have not. These writers have something of the fanatic about them: they are driven by their art; they are not afraid to lose themselves in their work; they are not afraid to furrow their foreheads in thought. And while it may seem that every writer wants to be read, I think some writers write so as to better understand themselves. This may not be the path to fame, but perhaps it is the path to true success.