NF Quote from “Remember This” on Success and How There’s Always Hate At Each Step of the Way

These people gon’ tell you that you will never make it /

Then when you do, they gon’ say they knew you were goin’ places /

That’s just how it works, next thing you know you’ll be overrated /

Hearing people say they miss the “old you,” it’s crazy, ain’t it?

NF, Remember This

Beyond the Quote (293/365)

It doesn’t matter where you are in life, there will always be noise that’s trying to take you away from where you are. When you’re first starting out, of course you’re not great. Who is? In fact, you probably suck. Like, you’re probably really awful. Especially compared to all of the greats that you’re probably comparing yourself to. So, of course you’re going to have people around you saying you will “never make it.” That you should probably quit and stick to something more “commonplace.” Or that you will never be as good as that person or this person. The noise when you first start out is real and it can stop you in your tracks before you ever even start.

The unfortunate reality of this type of noise is that some people would rather tear you down to keep you close to where they are than let you go on growing away from them. Or (and important to point out) maybe they’re right and you really just suck and they’re looking out for you. Either way (and most important of all) YOU have to make the decision for yourself based on what you see and feel inside as to which direction to head. NF says it later in the same song, “Who you are is up to you, don’t leave it up to them, no.” Because if you listen to that noise and quit, that’s the only way you really lose.

Let’s say you manage to work your way up to a little “success” in your chosen endeavor and all of a sudden you start hearing the opposite type of noise. Now, you have people who start loving your work and others who start seeing that you’re getting traction and want to change their relationship with you for selfish gains. That noise can get you feeling inflated and generous and distracted from the very work that got you to that “success” in the first place. It’s a deceitful kind of noise because while it feels like “love” (because it’s the opposite of the “hate”), really it’s just manipulation and distraction. If you give in to the inflated sense of having “made it” and lose your work ethic and grind—you’ll lose.

Let’s say that now you hit a pinnacle and are realizing the dreams that once felt so impossible to achieve. The noise only gets louder. You’ll have huge waves of love, hate, and everything in between being shouted, screamed, and sent to you. Why? Because you’re the one who people are focused on—it’s a typical consequence of “success.” And suddenly, everything that makes you human will be put under a microscope and may be used as fuel to burn you down.

Your insecurities will get challenged, your mistakes will be highlighted, your vulnerabilities will be attacked—and it will be completely overwhelming—if you listen to it all. The noise can be deafening. But, just as you learned in the beginning of the journey, only you should be in control of that. Overrated? Sounds like exactly the same place that you were in when you were back in square one. And unless you do what you did before to overcome it—you’ll lose.

When you set out on your journey to follow a path of a creative pursuit—you have to accept the fact that you will never be the same. I mean, heck, if we’re being honest, none of us are ever the same person moment to moment. But, what I mean is that creative pursuits expedite growth. You can live your life how you’ve always lived it and remain relatively the same person year-to-year, decade-to-decade. But, when you align your aptitudes, potentials, and talents with your passions, interests, and excitements? You will fundamentally change who you are—there’s no stopping that. And you have to be okay with that.

You have to be willing to let go of what was before and open up your arms to what lies ahead. The “old you” had his/her time and place in your life. New chapters call for new challenges which call for new, upgraded versions of you. Don’t live in the same chapter your whole life because of fear of growing or changing. Or, more specifically, fear of out-growing the people around you, or changing into someone that certain people are warning you not to become. Block out the noise—at each step of the way. Listen to YOUR heart. Take all criticisms and compliments with a grain of salt. Turn the page. Start your next chapter. Stay focused on your work and your daily grind. And embrace each new role with each new opportunity at each step along the way.

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