I have many reasons for being unable to break out of anonymity. But the most telling one lies in my childhood.
When I was four years old, my parents took us to the zoo. It was spring time. Somewhere around the miniature goats, there was a green activity patch: May bug hunt. Instead of Easter eggs, the activity team had laid out lifelike chocolate bugs wrapped in printed tin foils. At a shot gun start, they let a bunch of us kids inside that corral. I picked up a bug and proudly showed it off to my parents.
“Run,” they yelled. “Get more!” But I was too slow for that. In 30 seconds, all the bugs were picked. It hadn’t occurred to me that I could take more than one treat. My parents were disappointed. I should have gotten at least five chocolate bugs for the 1 Mark fee they had paid.
This childhood May bug story only just starts to describe my predicament. I thought about it long and hard and came up with at least 13 reasons why I can’t be famous:
- I am in a slow, contemplative gear by nature.
- I am a perfectionist and my projects take a while to get them just right.
- I am too nice and let other people go first.
- I was raised to take turns and believe other people would do so too.
- I was never taught to be greedy.
- I abhor risk and gamble.
- I hate bragging and lying.
- I dislike small talk and public appearances in general.
- I cringe at social media and the commitment to post.
- I am bad at business and calculating my profit.
- I missed the boat 20 years ago because now everybody is famous.
- I am too old to spark the flame of fame.
- I get stage fright.
- My comfort zone gets disturbed easily.
- Who’s got time for this?
I got better things to do. Maybe I don’t even like being famous.
