Power, Money, Pleasure, Fame

I was reading Sahil Bloom’s newsletter recently (if you want to see how to earn money with your writing, his newsletter is a good example).

The writer quoted Arthur Brooks, an authority on happiness, who says that everyone worships one of four idols: Money, Fame, Power, or Pleasure.

The idea originated from St. Thomas Aquinas in the 13th century, and was compelling enough to stick around for 700+ years.

Here’s how Sahil/Brooks/St Thomas characterize each kind of worship:

·      Money: Financial wealth and the accumulation of resources.

·      Power: Control over others; commanding position.

·      Pleasure: Feeling good.

·      Fame: Admiration of others; approval and respect from peers.

I figured mine was NOT fame. Who wants to be famous? No privacy, lots of judgment from other people, impossible to hang on to. Ick.

But then I looked at the definition above, and realized that indeed, it is fame. I want people, lots and lots of people, to buy my books and say how awesome they are, tell other people and of course, tell me.

It’s not a felony (or even a misdemeanor) to worship an idol. The problem arises when you’re unconscious of which idol you’re worshipping. The work is to figure out which one is yours, and be aware of how your worship affects your actions.

Here’s how mine affects me. If I don’t sell a zillion books, my ideas must not matter. And if that’s the case, all the pleasure, stimulation and joy is sucked out of my writing. If other people don’t pick up my ideas, then they’re worthless. In that world, there’s no reason to write.

My idol, left unconscious and unchecked, wrecks my creativity.

What are you worshipping? What effect does it have on your creativity?