re: tough to be everything

Yes, it is, and since we don't have to be, that's fine.

re: be nothing

I get what you're saying. You do your best, and people can decide what they want to do without you needing to be something you're not. Which isn't nothing, but it's not what you think they might want for the sake of it.

That's kind of funny in and of itself, really. I've found any time I've tried to be what I thought someone else wanted, it wasn't what they wanted, nor was it what they actually needed. They wanted and needed me. Which was kind of nice. No more need to pretend otherwise. :)