How do I know if I'm doing something for love or just chasing status?

Nasreddin Hodja understood this trap well. He'd ask: when you're alone, unpaid, unobserved—do you still do it? The amateur does. Not because they're naive about recognition; they've simply noticed that the doing itself is the thing. The pleasure isn't in the credential. It's in the paradox: you become better at what you love *because* you're not performing it for others. Start by noticing what you return to without announcement. What small practice pulls at you when no one's watching? That's not always your answer, but it's your first clue. The examined life means asking yourself honestly: am I building a resume or building a life? Both are valid paths. But you can't fool yourself into joy. If you're chasing status, own it for a season—then decide if that's really where your attention wants to go. Love, on the other hand, doesn't need permission or justification. It just needs you to show up.