Self Validation: It Takes a Trophy

By: Alex

Art by Alex

I have an obsession with watching people win trophies. The Oscars, the Golden Globes, and the Grammys, help make the coldest, darkest months of winter my favorite time of year. When a trophy falls into the hands of the worthy recipient you can see their sincerity--- their dreams have come true. Sure, this idea sounds shallow, but it’s not the materialistic elements that matter; it’s more about what the trophy stands for and what it took to get there. When I watch these awards shows, I’m inspired because earning a trophy means recognition.

As a dreamer myself, I see nothing more rewarding than one day standing on stage and accepting an award for a screenplay that formed from a mere idea to a story that affected so many. Of course, I would thank the actors, directors, and producers I worked with. But most importantly, I would thank everyone who believed in me. Those people, the believers, are the ones who gave me a chance; without them, I would be nowhere.

Of course, this is all hypothetical. I am currently nowhere near this goal. There are a fair share of people who do believe in me, but most of the people I admire don’t even know who I am. However, though this is just a dream to me at this point, I understand that proving yourself is the best way to make you feel like you’re worth it.

It’s very hard to attempt to follow your dreams while also achieving success. And when I say ‘success,’ I mean validation. When you have a dream, you get judged. People don’t believe in you. Sometimes, it’s not enough just to be proud of something you do. You need someone to confirm what you think to be true; you need something to show that you’ve proven yourself.

I think that’s why I like these awards shows so much-- because there’s validation in receiving something as concrete as a token of the hard work and passion you’ve put into your dream. Not only are all these people proud of what they do, but they have proof that there are so many others who feel the same, and they know all this just by receiving a trophy.

Yes, a dream like this seems so far away, and I don’t know if I’ll ever make it. But one thing I do know is that the inspiration, drive and admiration I have for these great people as I intently listen to their acceptance speeches, reaches me in a way that nothing else can. 

I can only imagine how satisfying it must be to stand on that stage and hold my award with pride and thank all the people who mean everything and silently give an “I-told-you-so” to everyone who judged what it means to really have a dream. I’ve seen so many recipients explain that there were lots of people who put them down and didn’t believe in them, but they persevered, and now they’ve achieved. I want to see if they’re right.