Achievement Lessons in Imagine Dragon's Song

Apparently I am on a song kick. The song stuck in my head this week is Imagine Dragons’ “On Top of the World.” I actually love all of the songs the group has released so far. They all seem to speak to a deeper level than just I love this girl or my heart is oh so broken. I’m hoping this doesn’t feel as much of a stretch as the Paramore song.

I've had the highest mountains
I've had the deepest rivers
You can have it all but not til you move it

What I like most about this song is the topic. You can have the highest of mountains, the deepest of rivers. In other words, you can have everything. But you have to move it. I have come to accept that in life. I have to do the work. I have to push what might hold me back. Nobody else will do it for me. Nobody else will care as much. I have to do it all myself…but I can have it all when if I do. The effort is worth it.

I've tried to cut these corners
Try to take the easy way out
I kept on falling short of something

I think there is a lot of this now, especially with self-publishing on the rise. Just because something is self-published doesn’t mean it doesn’t have to go through the same “publishing” steps. It needs to be edited. It needs to be pre-read. The writing needs to be good. Self-publishing is not cutting corners because the alternative is too tough. We can’t cut corners or find a secret card that will skip us to the end. If we try, we will fail…every time.

I coulda gave up then but
Then again I couldn't have 'cause
I've traveled all this way for something

Again, this speaks to me. I could give up any day. I could shut down the websites, social media, etc. I could stop writing, throw everything away. I could live my life “normal” without these dreams and aspirations—probably experience this thing called sleep. Would I be happy? I think I could try really hard to be. But, I also think, deep down I would feel like I was shutting off a part of my identity. That’s what used to keep me going. Now? I’ve come so far. To walk away after all of these years of pushing would be such a waste. It’s like in baseball running all the way, rounding third, and then stopping half way and letting the pitcher tag you out. I’ve come so far. I can’t give up. Something has to come from this. 

This song is a celebration. He fell, he struggled, he pushed his way to the top. And now, he can celebrate being on top of the world. In a world filled with such negativity and despair, it is nice to think that this principle still remains true. So work hard, then enjoy the view from the top.