Redefining Success

Now That I Don’t Need You to Clap for Me

There’s a weird, low-grade panic that sets in when you stop measuring your worth by applause.

That’s the reason I started dancing. Not the art, not the beauty, but the sound of validation that came at the end. To this day, anytime I go to a concert or sporting event and I hear that “Pop” from the crowd- it hits me like the addict who just got his fix. The one that says, If I do this perfectly, I’ll be okay. If they like me, I matter. If I’m needed, I’m the best.

When you stop playing that game, the silence is brutal.