when i’m rich enough to not care about the money
and i’m loved enough not to care about the pain
when my worth isn’t reliant on the adulation of others
and my days are lit by the sparks of my desire
when i no longer care to contend with expectation
and instead, let passion guide my intention
i become selfish.
looking within, i can now give myself to the world
not a version built by another, in the image of the average,
strained by conformity, stamped with approval.
this stance is the measure of a man,
measured, vulnerable, confident
where identity is no longer driven by a score to settle
but impressions to make
where mortal rewards are no longer enough to pay the rent
but concepts to forget.
i become selfish
without narcissism, ego, or pride
but clarity that in this version, i can best serve the world.

In an effort to fit in, we often trade pieces of ourselves. But what if those pieces are the unique things that allow us to leave our mark on the world? We all want to be somebody, to someone. To be noticed, loved, seen and heard. We’ve become all too willing to smooth our edges so that we don’t upset those who we seek attention from, without realizing that inclusion comes with the risk of obscurity. Our incessant need to fit in, has made us invisible. Without actions, thoughts, speech, and ideas of our own, our individuality is lost and our influence diminishes. The best way to change the world is to lead, and you can’t do that by living within the framework set by another. You have to become selfish, in the sense that the best way to have an impact upon the world is to be you. You have to be selfish. To sell fish better than anyone else, you have to fish for yourself.