A writer’s greatest work finally recognized

Yesterday we talked about holding unpopular views.
Today we’re going to talk about the fickleness of fame.
Have you ever dreamed of being famous? Of course. We all have.
But fame is fleeting. Real achievement stands the test of time.
Herman Melville’s rise and fall is an example to consider.
As a child, his parents considered him backward and somewhat slow.
With his father’s business collapsing, he went to sea as a cabin boy.
Based in his adventures, his early novels brought him fame.
He wrote of living with cannibals in the South Pacific.
He wrote of taking part in a mutiny, being jailed and escaping.
Despite his fame, the critics panned his greatest work, Moby Dick.
He could not find an American publisher and published in England.
Sales of the book was disappointing, earning him less than $600.
His finished his last novel, Billy Budd, in 1891, months before he died.
He did not live to see it published in 1924, 33 years later.
Nor did he live to see it and Moby Dick hailed as master works.
Here’s my thought for you about fame: Do not pursue it.
Fame is a fickle mistress. Herman Melville is not its only victim.
Keep your feet planted on the ground and do what you do best.
Make your contribution. Earn your living. Forget fame.
If it comes, it will come. But it may not last long.
Tomorrow we will talk about the legacy you want to leave.
For more on your direction and purpose in life, click here.