Success

The two confusing aspects of money and success... for artists especially, but really for everyone else as well.

1. Pursuit of money and success can corrupt your real and actual believed values until you become a soulless, dishonest shell of a person. (can show many tangible examples of this).
So, is the success you think you've achieved actually worth anything? Does it actually mean anything that you have proved you're more skilled than others in one particular domain of life?

HOWEVER,

2. Trying to "get out of the game" or even just not putting out enough effort in the smartest strategic directions (like having a weak portfolio when you need a strong, targeted art portfolio to get work), or another example, just trying to smoke weed and relax because you believe in peace and love and relaxation more than in "running the rat race". The paradox to this is that there is a real risk of enduring incredible amounts of pain and suffering if you try to reject the values of society in this way. (lots of tangible examples of wrecked and wasted lives here, as well).
So, is the misery you endure productive or justifiable in any way?

This is the paradox between trying to live a life according to your beliefs and living a life according to the pursuit of success. 


Note: for people to whom the pursuit of success aligns perfectly with their personal beliefs, there is literally no conflict to experience here... I'm just not certain I believe that that is absolutely true for anyone. 
I think most of us are compromising in some way, then lying to ourselves that we are being pure and not letting ourselves down in any way. Probably both poles are just impossible for any human to fulfill and still stay true to ourselves and others.