I’ve heard so much about being “of service” to people as an entrepreneur in order to be succesful.
Somehow, I had never really liked or even understood that concept. Of course people like to be served by you,
who wouldn’t ? But I don’t feel like serving !  I’m no Mother Theresa !

Then I heard an interview with Dita Von Teese, not exactly a Mother Theresa herself.
She talked about how she was obsessed with ballet as a teenager, but would only ever be an average ballerina at best. This “failure” led her to get deeply into the burlesque scene instead. She put her own classy spin on this old version of striptease and became one of the best acts around.
By staying close to her authentic style and to what she really loved, she singlehandedly revived the forgotten art of burlesque. Her financial net worth today is somewhere around 16 million dollars. Not bad for a failed ballerina…

Dita talked about “putting her best self out into the world” by engaging fully into what’s she’s best at.
And all of a sudden, I got it !
It’s about giving to the world, contributing, leaving something behind that could potentially make this place
a litte better. And “serving” yourself and hopefully others by being the best you can be.
It doesn’t have to be big or spectacular, but it has to be authentic and personal.

Right now (and possibly for the rest of my life), it feels like painting (and writing about it) is my service.
It’s such a beautiful way to connect with people on a deeper level. To give a bit of me, vulnerable and real.

For me, that’s a pretty strong definition of success, no matter what happens next