it's just my opinion by Lon Levin

best /best/

of the most excellent, effective, or desirable type or quality.

I'm the best I'm the best I'm the best

Is there a best? When we look to choose the best interviews of 2019 am I being fair? Is my judgement correct? Does it really matter? Well, yes it does and ultimately the interviews we choose to feature had something special and they embodied the mission of The Illustrators Journal. And it's our magazine and we get to choose so there you have it. Let's talk about this notion of being best. In the United States more than most countries being the best in your field of endeavor is the ultimate prize. After which, should come fame, fortune and happiness. There are people in all walks of life who chase the dream of being the best in their chosen field. The best doctor, the best lawyer, the best athlete and of course the best actor or actress. The notoriety that is generated from being crowned is substantial and if one plays their cards right they are financially set for life. But, not every one can be the best or succeed wildly. In fact most people don't. And a lot of those people who do succeed don't know how to manage all the success and ultimately lose it. So wait...

Illustration by Bruno Mallart

why am I depressing you with this line of thought? Look, I've been there both as a rich man's son who saw his father die in debt and as a young man who couldn't manage success and money too well. When you are faced with challenges like losing all your money and/or losing your high paying job you discover what you are really made of and what is really important. So what does this have to do with being best at your choice of profession?

In sports there are measures of being the best, but that doesn't mean that the player with the most home runs in a season is the best player or it's possible that the MVP of the NBA is not necessarily the best player in basketball. What I mean is it is subjective. Want an endless argument? As any fan who the best basketball or baseball player of all time is.

OK so you want to be the best illustrator, what does that mean? Highest paid? Most awards? How do you qualify that? For me it's not about being the best, but about setting goals and meeting them, if anything being the best you, you can be. And who decides that? Your boss, your client, Award shows, your nana.?.. No . You are the one who decides. If you've worked up to your potential and followed a well-designed plan you should be successful. You know if you've been your best, if you gave a project your all. That is all that matters. Everything else, while nice is just hardware.