I'm Great at What I Do. So Why Am I Unsuccessful?

Have you ever thought or said that about (or to) yourself?

Your definition of success matters. It matters immensely. It determines your level of happiness or sadness.

It determines your state of being—mental, emotional, and physical. Beliefs are not so much intellectual but felt. 

It's easy to tell me (using words) your definition of success. But do you hold that definition vibrationally (vibrationally means "beyond words")? Or do you think one way and feel another?

Imagine you're a writer who's great at the craft. You love writing, and you do a lot of it.

Are you "successful" if you don't sell your work? It depends on your definition.

If you define success as something requiring monetary exchange, you will see the writer as "unsuccessful" if they don't sell any books, for example. Or, you might make their success conditional—the condition being now that the book is published, it's time to make money—because you can't be a "real" writer unless people know about your books and buy them.

If you BELIEVE the JOURNEY of writing and publishing a book is "success," then you will view that writer as successful.

I play Mah Jongg with a group of lovely, caring women. We discussed our interests the other day, and I shared that I'd written two children's books. It so happened that one of the players had been an elementary teacher for 50 years. She was still in touch with a former student who's currently a local elementary teacher.

I joyfully gave her one of my children's books to share with this teacher. There was no monetary exchange. 

Should I consider myself "unsuccessful" because I gave the books away for free? Did my generosity diminish my "success" as a skilled writer and author?

Two women in the group asked me if I had sold many books.

"No, I haven't. I enjoyed writing them so much, though."

I also mentioned to the group that I have no desire to market my books. It's not my passion.

"Oh, you should definitely market these books and get them into schools. They're so cute! They'd do great in schools!"

But I don't want to spend any time marketing. It never even crosses my mind to "market" them. I love thinking about all my books and reflecting on the writing process—how the ideas came to me, working with the illustrators, and holding the finished product in my hands. Creating books is a very satisfying experience.

Marketing these books would be a "should" action, not an inspired one. I only think about my children's books occasionally, and when I do, I think, "I'd love to write another children's book!"

I never thought: I'd love to market a children's book.

So, depending on who you ask and their definition of success, I'm either successful because I wrote and self-published five books or unsuccessful because I don't market them, and sales are practically non-existent.

Do slow sales mean the books aren't any good? Not at all.

I know it's hard to believe, but whether a book sells is NOT a marker of its value or worth to potential readers. Check-in with your definition of success right now. Do you doubt that last statement? If your active definition of success includes sales, you'll feel it. You'll think, "Yes, it does have to do with sales. To be a successful writer, you have to sell books. Otherwise, what's the point."

The point is the JOURNEY. Success includes all aspects of the journey—imagining, writing, and perhaps selling. You'll be desperately unhappy if you insist that sales need to happen as "proof" of your worthiness or value as a writer. 

Many authors wait their entire life for recognition. No matter how much you market, sales are not a guaranteed part of the writing process. It doesn't define success.

It may be relevant for you not to sell your books, depending on what soul lessons you decided to explore before you focused your consciousness here. For example, let's say that one of your soul themes is self-worth in relationship to your passions.

If you didn't experience slow sales while also holding an active BELIEF that "success is determined by books 'flying off the shelves,'" then you wouldn't have the opportunity to examine the idea of self-worth in the way you do now.

The goal is the journey. The process is the point. Do you honestly believe that? Or do you have an active belief that success is about money, attention, and external markers? Check in with how you feel. Your active belief is revealed by how you feel, not what you think or say.

Let's look at "success" from another angle.

Pretend that you're an entrepreneur who's excellent at what you do. But you don't make a lot of money. Maybe you don't make any money at the moment.

Are you "unsuccessful" because you don't make money? Feel around inside for an emotional response.

That's your actual definition of success—the emotional response TELLS YOU WHAT VIBRATION YOU'RE IN, WHICH TELLS YOU THE VIBRATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE BELIEF: CONSTRICTING (NEGATIVE) OR EXPANDING (POSITIVE).

This is essential self-awareness. If your definition of success includes a (necessary) monetary exchange for your knowledge or services, and you don't have that exchange now, you'll feel bad. That's how you know what your operational definition and belief about success are at the moment.

Going back to the beginning of this post, I asked whether or not your definition of success included being great at your craft. If it does, you'll feel great and view yourself as successful. If you color that definition with the idea that monetary exchange must be part of the process, and you don't have that, then your definition of success has changed—and so, most likely, has your emotional state.

So often, we've INTERMIXED the ideas of success with worthiness and deserving. If you believe success is about monetary exchange and you don't have that right now, if you've added worthiness to that definition, then you'll feel bad.

This is excellent self-awareness. It's part of HOW you get out from under the emotional rock keeping you down.

Breaking this down even further, let's pretend that for you, "success" IS about worthiness and deserving. Let's talk with Source and see what they say about success and worthiness.

YOU: I'm very good at what I do but haven't succeeded in my career.

SOURCE: Why is that?

YOU: I feel like I should get paid for it.

SOURCE: Why don't you?

YOU: I don't know.

SOURCE: Sure you do. What are you afraid will happen if you ask someone to pay you?

YOU: They might reject me.

SOURCE: Why?

YOU: Maybe I'm not as good as I thought? But I know I am.

SOURCE: Aha. This is an issue of worth and "deserveability."

SOURCE: By the mere fact that you exist, you're worthy in the eyes of All-That-Is. Otherwise, you won't exist. All-That-Is doesn't make mistakes. If you exist (and you do), you are worthy of your existence, and being your authentic self is why you're here. To say you're not deserving is to argue with me (Creator) arrogantly (I alone, out of everyone in the universe, am the ONLY one undeserving!), and you'll never win this argument. I never make mistakes. You are here because I NEED you to be a complete reflection of myself. Are you not worthy then because you exist?

YOU: I am.

SOURCE: There is always an energetic exchange for your work and passions. This is essential to the balance of the universe. Whether or not that is money is not a prerequisite for success and worthiness. Money is an arbitrary standard set up by humans in their limited POV subjective value. It has nothing to do with your worthiness. You are worthy because you exist. Success is not about what happens to you but your willingness to follow your passion and explore the path.

YOU: Why does it have to be like this?

SOURCE: It hasn't always been like this. It won't always be as it is right now. In the "future," you do not exchange paper with fluctuating value. Instead, you have a value exchange based on the pursuit of passions. People willingly follow their excitement because they understand it's the path of least resistance to more creativity and abundance for everyone. Passion is divine guidance. Divine guidance contains within it the concept of harmony and balance. They know curiosity is a marker of conversation with their Higher Self. So they trust and take inspired action. 

YOU: That sounds great. How long until this happens?

SOURCE: It is happening now as there is no moment other than the present. The collective consciousness will witness this creation as a group when the majority has shifted to primarily positive vibrations. Until then, follow your highest excitement from the choices you have before you at any given moment. Take it as far as you can until you can't take it any farther, and don't insist that their original passion become something specific. Stay in a positive POV no matter what shows up. This is HOW you get to where you want to be—faster. You learned this all in Kindergarten. Be the child you have been and let go of the need for the present moment to be anything other than what it is.