Hey X-Factor, where's MY standing ovation?

I don’t get things like the X factor when people start saying “This is all I’ve wanted my whole life” Clearly it’s not. You’re now in your 40s and you’ve never sung in public! If you really want something - you need to TRY for it. I’m not saying it’s easy. It’s not meant to be easy. Life is the journey not the destination - you need to work for things and learn along the way. Hoping for a quick sudden fix isn’t just unfair - it’s actually not going to make you happy. Getting something you haven’t worked for is no-where near as good as getting something you have worked hard for.

The X factor is just about sob stories and instant fame that won’t really be that meaningful for long. You might be a great singer, you might be "special", but you haven’t tried hard. You haven’t cried for it (and I mean alone at home, not on stage for sympathy), you haven’t failed and bounced back. You haven’t started from the bottom and worked up. Where’s the pride in what you’re doing? Where’s the learning process. I think to myself “I’d love to be a singer” but it’s clearly not true or I’d be doing it. I like singing, but I don’t think I’m good enough and I’m not willing to take the risk. So it’s not for me. It’s not enough to like it. I like animals but I’d hate to work in a zoo. I like food but I couldn’t be a chef. It’s all about knowing yourself and what you could really do day-in day-out and ENJOY. Life should be full of happiness. If you can be happy at work that’s great. You spend most of your waking time there. Deciding a whole career on a whim without really looking into what it involves is unlikely to make you happy for long.

Thinking you’ve got “it” isn’t the same as being willing to work hard. Talent isn’t enough on it’s own. Not in any career. Being a singer should just be another career. Not that I’m only talking about singing shows - now whatever you do - chef, vet, builder you have a TV show where you can compete and show you’re the best. Only, it doesn’t, it shows you like being on TV. Out there are a million other people quietly getting on with the same jobs and possibly doing them better.

Here is my message to everyone - 

You’re doing a good job, as long as you’re trying. 

You don’t need to show off on TV, you don’t need to big yourself up or hide behind the difficult story of your life. Just do what you do and do it well. I’m sorry people don’t get enough recognition for that. Myself included! Yes - I am bitter - I’ll say it before you do. Just because I don’t want to be famous or have the confidence to tell everyone how great I am it doesn’t mean I don’t want recognition for the work I do. When I see someone “make it big” on reality TV I must remember - it is fixed. It is fake. It will not bring long-term happiness. Now where did I put that Singstar disk?