Whether you like it or not, there is a class structure. For many, the conscious pursuit of increasing their social ranking is a full time hobby. Successful people may appear to be natural, working only for the love of their craft or to achieve an objective…but once you’ve ascended the totem pole and wield influence…once you’ve seen the social matrix bend to your will–the joy of a trollish existence of unfulfilling labor and depressed relationships loses its sheen.

To pretend you aren’t human and deny yourself the experience of being with all of our desires and faults is akin to running through a zombie infested tunnel with horse blinders on. You are dooming yourself to misery and the brutal infection of boredom and despair.

This article isn’t about purpose, but when you discover your purpose and work diligently to achieve your goal, influence and status will follow. It’s best to be conscious of the phenomenon so you can use it to your advantage.

Status is soooo not Zen. But inevitable.

You don’t need to achieve fame, but wouldn’t it be cool? Cmon…Membership has benefits. Don’t pretend you don’t want a little respect. Yes it’s ego, but it’s harnessed and controlled.

I have a friend that played in a semi famous punk band. I asked him what his favourite memories were from his years in the group.

He said, “I met Kurt Cobain. Dave Grohl slept on my couch. I stayed with Jello Biafra and the Dead Kennedys. I met actors, musicians, authors…and they were MY fans. How cool is that?”

Another friend of mine is a travelling slam poet. He tours with famous rock bands performing at giant music festivals and has been on national television numerous times. I asked him how he dealt with women. He said…

“Oh I drink.”

“You drink? Why? To gain confidence?”

“No man…I drink so I can reject them.”

Yeah, it’s a slightly different perspective from the top.

The pursuit of status isn’t a negative. We are social creatures and are wired for communication. The greatest communicators are artists. They will rise to the apex and find access to the full human experience.

Dear lowly, average-to-above mediocre type:

Nobody is coughing up the keys to the golden kingdom because you decided to show up for work. If you’re a regular Joe you that wants more from life, you’ll need to step up and play the game.

Not play the video game–we don’t do that anymore–unless it’s a social behavior like group Mario Kart, or Rock Band. From now on you spend all your wasteful hours being productively wasteful. To achieve status you need to be influential and staring into a void of pixels is in no way influential (except on your own exposed and vulnerable unconscious).

In Sociology, there are two major forms of status: Ascribed and Achieved.

“Ascribed status” is status you are born into, or granted by authority, without any effort on your behalf. You didn’t earn your status, you just showed up. Prince Charles and Prince Harry are examples of ascribed status. Paris Hilton is ascribed status. They didn’t do much for all that fame and influence except come from their Royal Daddy’s seed.

On the other hand you have, “achieved status.” Let’s say you wrote an epic rock album, penned a best seller, made a million dollars off your online marijuana supply store, etc. You did something that elicited an emotional response on a vast scale. You achieved something.

Usually, achieved status is the result of mastery. It’s a reflection of your skills, abilities and efforts. Mastery takes focus and dedication (which is difficult when your focus is being pulled by eight thousand forms of resistance like Internet, social media, video games, television, etc.).

Status isn’t necessary for leading a high quality, enjoyable life, but it grants greater access to influential people, new experiences and useful resources (like money). Since you’re probably not Jay Z’s kid brother you’re going to need to do something awesome to achieve status.

This will require some labor. Not physical labor, like bussing tables for two years, or intellectual labour like filing people’s tax returns, or even emotional labour like teaching monkeys how to use sign…I’m talking about, “Creative Labour.” The real labour of your soul. The stuff you used to do for fun, before Twitter and Nintendo and Google and streaming Russian porn sites destroyed your ability to create.

But you’re not an artist?

Would a hockey, or basketball player be considered an artist? They’re athletes right? Wrong. They are artists. They figure out creative solutions to dynamic and shifting puzzles. A UFC fighter must push their pain threshold by training to their breaking point, and even if they’re in better shape, they may still lose to an opponent with advanced creativity and problem solving skills. The victor is usually able to think outside the box (and avoid nasty uppercuts.)

“A rooster crows only when it sees the light. Put him in the dark and he’ll never crow. I have seen the light and I’m crowing.” Muhammed Ali.

Even if you consider yourself talentless with no options other than working at your dull slave job until you drop dead and release your barren and exhausted soul into the ether…realize…you have the potential, starting today, to change your life. You can change your position within society and create a new reality, but you need to take action.

If you take action in a certain area, maybe it’s pottery, or organizing your closet, or lifting weights, or approaching women, or mixing a dj set, or boxing, or yoga, or writing or photography or website development, or ANYTHING AT ALL: You will eventually, with enough time and practice achieve mastery.

If you achieve mastery and share that talent with the world, you will be rewarded with status.

People love mastery. We love the story of the super talented nobody that rose like a phoenix from the ashes to share their beautiful skill and knowledge with the world. We adore this tale so much we promote them to higher positions, give them authority, money, sex, power and opportunity.

Popularity = Influence

If all you want is to get your dick sucked, by all means…go out and approach women. But if you want the WORLD to suck your dick…shoot for fame.

If you have something to say, something to share…it’s time to go. Right now is a good time to begin. You’re only a few years away from mastery.

We’re all intrinsically motivated by different factors. Sex, money, fame, peace, happiness, oneness, success, loneliness, lust, hunger, fear, excitement, joy….

A friend of mine is a career writer. He saw me wasting my life. He said, “Tony, you know what your problem is? You aren’t angry enough. You aren’t pissed off. You are too comfortable being comfortable.”

And he was right. For me at least, comfort isn’t enough. I want the fear, the pain, the excitement and joy that come with great accomplishments. I feel sorrow for all those that will never realize they have an ability to mold this short life into something more than a spoonfed Mcfacebook poo.

We need to wake up and learn to be more than we were given. Today, instead of surfing the Internet or wasting your time on insignificant projects, why not attempt something that will help you grow your mind, your influence, your body, or your wallet. Start with one hour a day and go from there.

You could be the next ___________ (Insert hero here)

I’m working on a significant project so my blog posts will drop for a few weeks or months. Time to step up my game! Sign up for the email list to be notified of new posts. Peeeeace.