We all want success… but sometimes, we forget that it comes at a price.

Take Harper Lee, for example. She published the classic American novel To Kill a Mockingbird in 1960 when she was just 34 years old. Considering that many successful authors don’t get started until their 40s, she was practically a baby by most standards of literary success.

But the success of To Kill a Mockingbird overwhelmed her and Harper Lee never wrote another novel again. Fame had come too quickly, and it was too much for her to handle.

She once said, “When you’re at the top, there’s only one way to go.” Harper Lee spent the rest of her life making sure she would never risk putting out another work that would sully her reputation or cause her even more emotional distress.

That doesn’t mean you or I would respond that way to fame, fortune, and success. Harper Lee had her own demons and no one but her will ever know exactly what was going on inside her head.

However, her life is a stark warning to all of us who dream of having that #1 bestseller, being on all the talk shows, or getting all the attention we ever wanted.

Be careful what you wish for. Because as Harper Lee has shown us, success can be both a blessing AND a curse.

Today’s Challenge: Does the thought of great writing success scare you? Why or why not?