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Abstract

ng a single mom living in deep, crippling poverty.But even then, I wasn’t really concerned with fortune.I don’t make decisions based on how much money I might make, as long as I’m making enough to keep poverty at the gate and keep me from needing to get a day job.Once I had that much income coming in, I started making decisions based on other things.So, not fortune.And I have to just come right out and say that it’s pretty obvious to me that a desire for a lack of responsibility has never driven me to do anything. Ever. Whenever a little bit of space in my life opens up, it just seems to magically fill with another person to take care of or another big project to plan.I like the idea of freedom. I’m pretty driven, for instance, by wanting the freedom from having to work for someone else. Lots of my decisions are based on that.I’m rebellious by nature and I like being able to do what I want to do, but that’s rarely about wanting fewer responsibilities.Sometimes I think about the possibility of a totally passive income and what it would be like to spend the day on the beach, doing whatever the hell I want to do.But the absolute truth is that I wouldn’t last very long. I’d attract responsibilities like a magnet. It’s just how I am. And, I also find myself rebelling against the idea that freedom only means fewer responsibilities.I guess I’d say I’m partially driven by freedom — but my own interpretation of it. But the truth is, I often willfully make decisions that restrict my freedom.<h2 id="1448">And that leaves fame.</h2>Tim Grahl defines fame as being known and seen.There’s Kardashian-fame, where you’re famous for being famous. Popula

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rity fame.And there’s fame that comes from doing a single thing — like the kid in the red manga hat who stared down the Native man in DC a few months ago. Notoriety fame.And there’s fame that comes from being recognized for your work.It feels weird to say it, but I think if I had to pick one, this is what drives me.By weird, I mean a little icky.Like am I really, really driven by fame?I’m a writer. I want to be read. I want my work to be seen, almost more than I want to be paid for it. In fact, my brain translates being paid for it into a measure of how visible it is.If a publisher gives me a solid book advance, that means they believe a lot of people will want to read my book.I definitely driven to work very hard to be someone who helps other people through my writing here on Medium.And when I make a decent pay check, the most satisfying thing about that is that it means I reached a lot of people. They saw me.And what feels like freedom to me is freedom from having to clock in at a 9-to-5, so that I can do the work that I want to do — work that I want to be seen for.So. Yeah. I guess I’m driven by fame.Weird.<a href="https://upscri.be/848309/">Here’s my secret weapon for sticking with whatever your thing is.</a>Shaunta Grimes is a writer and teacher. She is an out-of-place Nevadan living in Northwestern PA with her husband, three superstar kids, two dementia patients, a good friend, Alfred the cat, and a yellow rescue dog named Maybelline Scout. She’s on Twitter @shauntagrimes and is the original <a href="http://bit.ly/2dfEiaJ">Ninja Writer</a>.</article></body>

Fame. Fortune. Freedom. What Drives You?

I’m surprised by my own answer.

I read Tim Grahl’s Running Down a Dream on the airplane the other day.

There was a little part that’s stuck with me. Grahl asks his readers to think about what drives their work: Fortune, fame, or freedom. You can get more than one, Grahl says, but only one will drive you.

So, let’s look at that.

Fortune means money. Pretty straight forward.

People driven by fortune make decisions that are designed to earn them more money.

Fame means becoming known and seen.

People driven by fame make decisions that are designed to gain them more attention.

Freedom means, according to the book, wanting “less responsibility more than you want money and fame.”

People driven by freedom make choices that lead to them to more control over their time.

So, I’ve been thinking about what drives me.

Money does, for sure. I have a lot of responsibility and it’s important to me that I’m able to earn enough money to keep my balls all in the air.

There was definitely a time when practically the only thing I cared about was making money. That time is AKA being a single mom living in deep, crippling poverty.

But even then, I wasn’t really concerned with fortune.

I don’t make decisions based on how much money I might make, as long as I’m making enough to keep poverty at the gate and keep me from needing to get a day job.

Once I had that much income coming in, I started making decisions based on other things.

So, not fortune.

And I have to just come right out and say that it’s pretty obvious to me that a desire for a lack of responsibility has never driven me to do anything. Ever. Whenever a little bit of space in my life opens up, it just seems to magically fill with another person to take care of or another big project to plan.

I like the idea of freedom. I’m pretty driven, for instance, by wanting the freedom from having to work for someone else. Lots of my decisions are based on that.

I’m rebellious by nature and I like being able to do what I want to do, but that’s rarely about wanting fewer responsibilities.

Sometimes I think about the possibility of a totally passive income and what it would be like to spend the day on the beach, doing whatever the hell I want to do.

But the absolute truth is that I wouldn’t last very long. I’d attract responsibilities like a magnet. It’s just how I am. And, I also find myself rebelling against the idea that freedom only means fewer responsibilities.

I guess I’d say I’m partially driven by freedom — but my own interpretation of it. But the truth is, I often willfully make decisions that restrict my freedom.

And that leaves fame.

Tim Grahl defines fame as being known and seen.

There’s Kardashian-fame, where you’re famous for being famous. Popularity fame.

And there’s fame that comes from doing a single thing — like the kid in the red manga hat who stared down the Native man in DC a few months ago. Notoriety fame.

And there’s fame that comes from being recognized for your work.

It feels weird to say it, but I think if I had to pick one, this is what drives me.

By weird, I mean a little icky.

Like am I really, really driven by fame?

I’m a writer. I want to be read. I want my work to be seen, almost more than I want to be paid for it. In fact, my brain translates being paid for it into a measure of how visible it is.

If a publisher gives me a solid book advance, that means they believe a lot of people will want to read my book.

I definitely driven to work very hard to be someone who helps other people through my writing here on Medium.

And when I make a decent pay check, the most satisfying thing about that is that it means I reached a lot of people. They saw me.

And what feels like freedom to me is freedom from having to clock in at a 9-to-5, so that I can do the work that I want to do — work that I want to be seen for.

So. Yeah. I guess I’m driven by fame.

Weird.

Here’s my secret weapon for sticking with whatever your thing is.

Shaunta Grimes is a writer and teacher. She is an out-of-place Nevadan living in Northwestern PA with her husband, three superstar kids, two dementia patients, a good friend, Alfred the cat, and a yellow rescue dog named Maybelline Scout. She’s on Twitter @shauntagrimes and is the original Ninja Writer.