On a small scrap of paper that lived in my cello case for years was this quote that a violin teacher had written out for me on her last day teaching at a festival I attended:

“Whatever you think success is, I hope that you, at least, remain open to the idea that you got it all wrong.”

I don’t think anyone said anything more insightful to me as a baby high schooler than what she wrote on that paper.

The gift she gave was the opening of a door– an escape plan off of the hedonic treadmill sprint of success that we think will make us happy/content, but it never does. Whatever we think success is must be flexible. As we are flexible. As we cannot, do not, know what we will need/want tomorrow.

I have ideas about what success is, but hope I always remain open to the idea that I got it all wrong.