How far would you go to be famous? If offered a shortcut that would catapult you into stardom, would you take it? Would you change the way you act to fit in to the accepted vision of fame? Would you prioritize your friends and family based on their influence? Would you step on a few toes along the way for the greater goal? How far are you willing to go? Would you distance yourself from your old life to achieve fame and fortune? When the spotlight shines on you will you stand in it alone or share it with those who contributed to the journey?

What would you do for fame?

I am willing to bet that a number of you rejected the self serving, ego-driven behaviors implied by the above questions. You may have even shaken your head as you declared, “No way, not me.” If it’s so distasteful why are you doing it now?

Signs that you may be selling out for fame:

• You only connect with influencers because your time is too valuable
• You turn down a guest post on a small blog in favor of one with more visibility
• You quickly wave everyday but would not recognize the security guard at the front desk of your building
• There is not enough time in the day so you respond to @ replies from important people but ignore the rest
• A client heaps praise on you but you don’t mention the contributions of your team reasoning that any praise includes them too.
• You have not been to a single soccer game or school play in months
• At work you are funny and engaging but so distant from your family they think you moved out of state
• Wanting to appear sophisticated you accept the glass of expensive wine offered to you, even though you do not drink. You will hold it all night occasionally taking a sip, no one will know.

While the above signs are extreme there are other subtle ways which we make tradeoffs. We may reason that it Is the price we have to pay but over time it can erode your soul.

In business and life we all have our own unique version of fame. For some fame is a title, for others it is recognition, and still others it may be the outward signs of financial success. It is our version of fame that motives and drives us as we move toward our goals. Those daydreams of “stardom” fuel our forward motion and inspire us to grow, learn and create. Nothing wrong with dreaming of stardom but there are checkpoints along the way, decisions that allow us to choose who we are now and who we will become in order to achieve our dream.

You can choose to relentlessly pursue fame at any cost, shoving others aside as you grab the spotlight or you can pursue a version of fame that doesn’t sacrifice your values or the people around you. What will you choose? What will you do for fame?