Although success is a relative term, there is something about this city that just makes you want to be every inch alive as the very essence of the domain in which you live. I can't say for sure what it is, but the wealth of opportunity here is nothing short of empowering. On every corner, you meet someone with some kind of a dream, some kind of will to make their lives extraordinary. It takes some skill and a whole lotta luck, but New York is every bit as conquerable as you had imagined. So what if there are millions of other people with your dream. To you, it doesn't matter... or rather, it shouldn't matter, because your art is your own, your path is your own and when the time comes, you will be dealt a winning hand. You are always in the game and folding really isn't an option.

Man is prone to acting out of self-interest, and this city is one that both understands and respects that notion. That's not to say that it's devoid of compassion, in fact, it's quite the opposite. When self-interest thrives, passion is unavoidable. The price you do pay, however, is that you must expect to survive on your own, with dependence on nothing but your own blind faith in what you need to do to reach difficult, but 100% achievable goals. You will be vastly underrated, and occasionally overestimated. There will be many people who help along the way and you will help others along the way too, but you are your own reliability.

But the key to all this?

Always, always, always keep that heart open when kicking butt. Sometimes proportionately, sometimes not so much.

Even if your hands are shaking, and your faith is broken,
Even as the eyes are closing, do it with a heart wide open...

always, always, always...

go after what you want.