Which came first, the desire to enjoy yourself or to be successful?

Living in the OC, there is a widely known single story that people here are just out to earn money so they can live extravagant lifestyles. While I acknowledge that some of my single stories such as white girls liking Starbucks and wearing Ugg boats are true, that does not mean they all are. Much like the chicken and the egg, I believe that wanting success and enjoying yourself are dependent on the other. Those who come to the OC selling their happiness to make it big are missing half the equation.

This summer I ran my own summer craft camp for little girls. I did this not because I wanted to put it on college apps, make big money, or pull a career out of it in the future, but simply because I love crafts and little kids and had some spare time on my hands. It ended up being extremely successful and popular, earning me lots of babysitting jobs and a promise of returning next year.  This, to me is the perfect example of success and joy being an "and" not an "or" situation.

No one can say for sure which came first, the chicken or the egg, but it is safe to say that one would not exist without the other. The same applies to doing something you enjoy, and being successful in that. That is not to say that if you are doing something you love, you will be incredibly successful, but more that if you really love it and are getting something out of it, isn't that really what success should be measured in?

~Sahale