IVAN I.B. HEYWARD Perspective on THE GREATEST GIFT OF ALL

For me, 

Success as an artist boils down to impact---the difference I make in the lives of my listening audience and, by extension, soiety as a whole. 

It's not just about creating music that is marketable but about making people's lives better or different through my artistry. Have I shifted their perspective in a positive direction? Are they better off for having come across my work?

Ultimately, it's about legacy: what i leave behind with my core audience. Will they remember my music, not just how it sounded but how it make them feel or think? Theodore Roosevelt said, "Nobody cares about how much you know until they know how much you care." I'd extend that to music: nobody cares about how well you sing, riff, or wail until they feel the depth of your care for the message you deliver and the impact it's meant to have. So to answer the questions: success is impact. It's measured by the hearts i touch, the minds I inspire, and the lives I change through my art.

Being a man of faith, I know I am never alone! " Because thou art with me, thine staff and thy rod comforts me" -23rd Psalms

I think way too much to get lonely. Alone time for me is solitude. My thoughts keep me company. Do i crave human connection and interaction? About as much as any other living breathing thing. I am cool creating and impacting lives.