I was speaking at the National Urban League Youth Summit last week and the guy who spoke after me gave some very sound advice to the teenagers in attendance. He said that young people these days behave too much like groupies. They “fan” their favorite artists on Facebook, they “follow” their favorite celebrities on Twitter, and they have lengthy conversations about how many records Drake sold.
I chuckled, because adults do the same thing. Where do we think the kids get it from? Mama’s sitting on the couch watching Real Housewives of Detroit.
The point he was making was that many of us spend so much time keeping tabs on other people’s lives, that we rarely stop to evaluate our own. We spend our time on celebrity gossip sites while our own life is in disarray. We keep track of how many millions Beyonce is worth, yet our own money is funny. We sit up and watch the Kardashians get married, but do nothing to improve our own hubby prospects.
I think it’s cool to have people to look up to where you can say, “I want to live large like that one day,” but it can be dangerous to live vicariously through them. It can lead to avoiding the very real and very difficult task of becoming the people we were meant to be. Because that “one day” pinnacle of success will never come in your life if you don’t take steps to achieve it. Look at Diddy. The man has a lot of dough, but he worked hard to get it. He gets out of bed early to go make those deals that push his businesses forward.
If we just spent a little more time on becoming our own biggest fan, maybe we’d drop the compulsive need to be all up in everybody else’s fabulous life. In fact, we’d be too busy living our own.
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Rosetta: Great points – I think we really have started to believe that watching somebody else succeed is the same as succeeding yourself. I read a great book by Russell Simmons called “Do You.” He talks about how truly successful people get up earlier than everybody else, go to bed later, and work while others are playing.
I’m going to share this blog with my kids!
Donna Highfill (@DameDonna, http://www.damenationblog.com)
I’ve heard others mention Russell’s book as well – will have to pick it up! Thanks for stopping by
Well said!
so i guess they want us to “like” this article and share it with our peers. i’m thinking NOT
Pingback: At Least He’s Not A Groupie « The Candy Shoppe
Great post. This goes with progressive thinking, “small minds talk about people, average minds talk about events, great minds talk about ideas.” We must encourage youth and adults that we can create and become anything, it starts with the right motivation and mindframe. In regards to becoming our own cheerleader, I've had that conversation so manytimes recently, I think as individuals we need to realize our own potential, understand our worth and don't allow anyone to define it for us. Great post!
Great post. This goes with progressive thinking, “small minds talk about people, average minds talk about events, great minds talk about ideas.” We must encourage youth and adults that we can create and become anything, it starts with the right motivation and mindframe. In regards to becoming our own cheerleader, I’ve had that conversation so manytimes recently, I think as individuals we need to realize our own potential, understand our worth and don’t allow anyone to define it for us. Great post!
Great post. We should be living our lives in the present!
Ooops!! I just realized I posted the comment under the wrong post!!! Sorry.
Great post. We should be living our lives in the present!
Ooops!! I just realized I posted the comment under the wrong post!!! Sorry.
Hey Girl! I found your blog through a good friend of mine who is doing a blog branding challenge, My Hair is Me (http://myhairisme.com)
I just love this post. I’m sorry about your moms experience. That had to be tough!!
I am natural and I have a natural hair website where I post and host all things natural hair. I try to provide my readers with resources Ive found and lots of information on how to style, manage, and maintain natural hair.
I will definitely follow your blog.
Check me out when you can. http://KinkyCurlyCoilyMe.blogspot.com
Very well said! I guess for some it is easier to watch people chase their dreams than to chase their own
You said that very well, and I agree. We seem to lack the displine to manifest our own dreams.
Very well said! I guess for some it is easier to watch people chase their dreams than to chase their own
You said that very well, and I agree. We seem to lack the displine to manifest our own dreams.