Success.

It's what we all work so hard our entire lives for.

It's what we're shaped and groomed to do. It's just what we see as the goal. It's been drilled into our hearts, minds, and souls.

That's what we're supposed to do in life.

We're supposed to achieve this thing called success in order to be "happy."

Well.

Why?

What even defines that point in time where we can say that we've achieved "success"?

Is there some rule book that I must not be aware of or some judge that determines when I've made it or not?

Funny.

Good thing I'm not a rule follower.

Now, I was raised just like everyone else. I went through all the same steps to be shaped and groomed like every other person all to possibly be stuck in a lousy desk job for the rest of my life. I was prepared in every which way so that one day I may achieve the same level of monotone "success" like my peers.

Somewhere along the way, I guess something went wrong, and free expression took over.

What. A. Bummer. Right?

I hate a lot of things about our society today. Like. A lot.

But, I think the thing I really do hate the most is the lack of free expression that's found in the world today.

Raised the same. Taught the same. Treated the same. Groomed the same.

IT'S SO BORING.

There is something about each person that sets us all apart. We're all given a gift the other may lack. Instead of sharing those gifts with the world, we choose to "go with the flow" and keep those gifts hidden away.

Take a second and look back at the '60s and '70s for a moment.

The amount of free expression that lurked around each corner was ridiculous. Artists like Janis Joplin, Led Zeppelin, The Doors, and The Rolling Stones were producing a sound that created an artistic revolution. It was magical.

People felt like it was ok to share their gift with the world. The world actually seemed to look alive, not like some black and white place that never flips in a new direction.

Success to me had a completely different meaning back then compared to now.

It wasn't about the money. It wasn't about the picture-perfect life. It wasn't about having a desk job.

It was about being happy.

If you were happy, then you were successful.

Why can't it just be about that now?

I said I wasn't a rule follower.

And I'm most certainly not.

And the future may still remain unclear to me as to where I'll end up.

But my definition of success will always remain different compared to others.

If I'm happy. If I'm living my life to the very fullest.

Then I reached success.