I Am Not A Number, I Am A Free Man
This is for the Vocal "Identity Challenge"
The Prompt
Explore a moment in your life where you grappled with your concept of identity.
The video is the opening to "The Prisoner" a surreal sixties series that gave me the title to this piece.
My Identity Crisis
Vocal has made me believe that I can write and create, or rather my friends and audience have done that. But what has come with that is a craving for recognition.
I addressed some of it in this piece.
The thing is if my stories are not read or do not get recognised by Vocal I then feel I have failed and am no longer a writer but then identify as a failure.
This happens quite often, though I will dip into my back catalogue and find something that is so good that I can hardly believe that I wrote it, and then I identify as I writer and creator again.
For years I never placed in a Vocal Challenge and finally did and that made me feel valued.
I still write pieces I believe are excellent that are not read by many people and then I start to identify as a failure.
I thought this was an interesting playlist. I think it is excellent, but it has just a single read and it is nine months old. I put effort into it and hoped people would take something from it, but one person did and left a good comment, but the fact he was the only one makes me feel it is a failure and therefore I am. But then I read it myself and realised it is very good, so really I am a success.
Conclusion
I identify as a good successful Vocal Creator but there are times when I feel I am the total opposite (and I don't mean a Medium Creator).
I am definitely a free man and will not let my imposter syndrome confine me.
Thank yu so much for readinf.
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Comments (7)
I have new for you. We all feel like that from time to time. We are human and as such crave recognition, no matter how much we decry it. Sometimes I just go off for days until the pull of the words call me back. Yet we keep going, it is what we do. Happy holidays.
You are an amazing writer, very gifted!
Whenever you feel this, just look at all the positive comments under your pieces! Your writing has made you many friends, what an accomplishment! π€π₯³ If some pieces donβt get many reads, itβll simply be timing, and the fact that you publish so much. Nothing to do with lack of quality. I always feel uplifted by your words, but simply canβt read everything π
Mike here I am feeling so sad for you and then you say stuff like "I identify as a good successful Vocal Creator but there are times when I feel I am the total opposite (and I don't mean a Medium Creator)" and make me laugh π€£π€£π€£π€£π€£ I hope I have magic powers. I would make all your insecurities and impostor syndrome disappear!
You indeed are a writer, Mike. But even better, you are a friend.
I get it Mike, I look forward to challenges in the hope of a win. Not even a place yet. I assume there are a lot of writers on this platform, around the world too. The competition must be fierce, so I don't have high expectations. What I look forward to is this interaction. Just keep swimming mate.
Congratulations on all of your accomplishments Mike! Happy Holidays! π