You can't pursue greatness, it's just smoke that slips through your fingers. You have to pursue the very action itself, cross out the ends and chase after the means. Don't be a great author, write a story instead.

In other words, enjoy the process, not the product

Right. Anyone can want to be great author, but only a great author wants to write.

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It's not about a better book, it's about a book, just the next book. Improve because you learned, do it because you want to. If you do that, you won't have to worry about the next goal, because there never was a goal, just a love of the process.

i think there has been a misconception that a life that is truly lived is only when you achieved greatness like your art has changed the world, or if you're well-known even after you die, or if you become at the top of your chosen craft.

but i agree with you when you mentioned "find the thing that you love doing so much that you're willing to spend the rest of your life doing it with 0 recognition or success." do a craft because it gives you joy and not because you want to be known or something. but also, i firmly believe that your art deserves to be seen so at least, share your craft to people.

i also stood by what vincent van gogh said "what is done in love is well done!"

The first thing that comes to mind here is the quote "the person that loves walking will walk further than the person that loves the destination". I agree with you there is an inherent expectation in this world to be "great" but I think the real goal is to fall in love with the pursuit of greatness. Try not to slip into the nihilistic mindset of "I will never be great" as greatness can be defined on many different levels. Instead frame it as I am on the journey to becoming great. Ill either be great or die trying to be great

That's a great perspective. I think accepting that you might never be "great" helps you embrace the pursuit of it, in a weird way.

Good thoughts, thanks for sharing them!

I'm glad you're doing what you love and are working to be not just happy in your pursuit but also healthy. You may not consider yourself a great writer (though you may someday) but you are getting great at *being* a writer and a human being.

People are motivated by different things. For every person who wants a reputation to be revered, there is another person’s’ hardest reality/worst ever.