Illusions of success, or perhaps even delusions of success, have become the key reason that most talented individuals find themselves in dead-end avenues of employment or must struggle as “starving artists” in an attempt to get by. The issue is not in having employment where you have to answer to a boss or going to school in order to get required degrees or training; these things are perfectly fine if they are taken in the proper context, and the end result is one that is favorable for the individual when it comes to a sense of accomplishment and matches well with one’s skill sets. 

If you feel a sense of accomplishment and know that you’re actually doing a service for humanity, and others don’t appreciate it, keep in mind that those who usually mock you are those who are quite unhappy with their lots in life, most of the time due to their own poor decision-making. The major issues come into play when someone loves what they do but not who they have to do it for, or someone pursuing a particular course in education and career choice simply on account of the potential earning capacity – then only to realize that the cost of the required education far exceeds long-term earning potential. 

I see far more effort put into solo or pair endeavors such as reselling businesses, crafting businesses, or simply hustling seven days a week, than people who sort of just hang on to nine to five jobs in order to scrape by because they don’t seem to have any more motivation to do anything else. This isn’t to disparage people trying to do their best, but most of the time I don’t actually see “best efforts” being done, especially because there are so many distractions with streaming entertainment, social media, and information overload to even be able to get your sights straightened out on what really matters: living a fulfilled existence where you actually accomplish something worth mentioning.