The Myth of “Making It”
When exactly do you “make it”? We hear that expression our whole life, but I get the sense it means different things to each of us.
I’ve asked myself this question many times, and I find the answer keeps changing. Is it a certain income level? Number of clients? A big press feature? Every time a milestone gets checked off, the bar just slides a little further away. That’s the trap: the idea that there’s a future point where you’ll finally feel complete, validated, and done. But for most creatives and entrepreneurs, “making it” is a mirage. The finish line keeps shifting, and along the way, it can steal joy from the work itself.
I see this mindset all around me. Artists fixated on their follower counts or sales numbers. Freelancers convinced that one more big-name client will grant them peace of mind. But the truth is that even the people you think have “made it” often feel like they haven’t. Success just brings a new set of insecurities and challenges.
A healthier way to think about this: there is no finish line. There is only the path. The practice. The work. Whatever you want to call it, it’s a trite cliche, but for good reason. The daily work that defines who we are and what we care about. If you can learn to see the work itself as the reward (not a step toward some elusive destination) you can find more satisfaction right where you are.
Making it isn’t something that happens someday. It’s something you define, every day, by the choices you make and the values you uphold. And if you let go of that future-perfect fantasy, you may find that you’ve “made it” already. Not because everything is perfect, but because you’re doing what matters to you.