Story

I'm having the issues any college kid has. What on earth am I doing with my life and am I cut out for it? I know what I love. But I'm not crazy about research. Or grad school. So with the advice of a wise priest, I'm allowing my passions to be refined. Oh, my passions have a core to them, but they're always changing as I change.

I don't want to become this fantastic researcher who writes scholarly articles and has 1,345 years of schooling and training under my belt. I don't want that. And I'm learning that that's okay.

New refinement? I want to become an African safari guide.

This thought came to me in class after weeks and weeks of thinking thoughts of, OOF what am I going to do with myself?!? And immediately what came to me was peace. I want this. And I want the path that will take me there. Phew.

So I started researching. Well what do you need to do to get there? How do I get myself this ambition that I want?

It's not easy.

Intense knowledge (involving research and reading on your own time - they don't really teach you) of African animals, their behavior, and ecosystems.

The utmost first aid training.

Pass the safari guide certification exam.

Hopefully get hired in Africa, despite the fact that they most commonly hire natives. [Which makes sense - can I ethically take a job from a native?? Maybe I'll just let them decide.]

Among other things - I won't rattle off the whole list.

But after sighing a big ol' discouraged sigh, I had to stop and think to myself. Do I want it to be easy? What was I expecting? This is a crazy awesome ambition. It takes work. It takes sweat. It might take my blood. So I've been trying ever since to believe in myself. I want this to be more than a pipe dream.

It brought me back to the most inspiring talk I've ever heard. I've probably mentioned it before, but I'll refresh in case you haven't. It's titled "Story" by Donald Miller. He talks about making good stories of our lives. Living good stories through wanting the right things and having hard ambitions that you pursue with all that you are. When you come across something that stands in your way, kick it down, master it, and keep moving on toward your goal. Want much, and go get 'em.

If you're ambitious (which would definitely prove worth it), you can download it here.

One of my favorite parts is the benediction Don offers at the end from Robert McKee, a screenwriter and speaker on writing great stories. It is as follows.

Write everyday.

Line by line.

Page by page.

Hour by hour.

Do this despite fear, for above all else, beyond imagination and skill,

what the world asks of you is courage.

Courage to risk rejection, ridicule, and failure.

As you follow the quest of stories told with meaning and beauty,

Study thoughtfully,

But write boldly.

Then like the hero of the fable, your dance will dazzle the world.