Why is it that our society clearly celebrates the chance takers, yet we rarely encourage one another to take chances–especially those people closest to us?
Almost all your favorite artists quit the traditional to pursue their dreams. Steve Jobs and Bill Gates dropped out of college to pursue their passions. Regardless if you wanna be in art, or film, or accounting, or a pro athlete, the story is the same.
Go tell your husband that you’re quitting your well paying job to pursue a career in video and film. Or go tell your parents you’re dropping out of college to pursue photography full time and see what they say.
I’m not saying quit your day job on the spot. But I do find it strange that our culture by-and-large celebrates those people who have taken non-traditional paths to success, but yet it rarely encourages people to take those same paths when success is only a distant dream.
What is wrong with us?
Take that chance. And encourage others in your life to do the same.
We do know artists and praise them for their risks, however they only represent a tiny percentage of those who have taken a risk and not failed miserably. Because you take a chance on your passion and quite day jobs or schooling does not mean you will become a success. There is a fine line between ballsy and irresponsible.
We don’t generally encourage our loved ones to spend their nest egg on lottery tickets because we heard of someone who won millions.
That being said, it does take guts to pursue what you love, and if you are dedicated, there are some risks that are worth taking. Coming across the right ones is the tricky part. I do love your observation, and agree that we are often too comfortable with the “secure” to chase what we really want.
“Steve Jobs and Bill Gates dropped out of college to pursue their passions.”
Steve Jobs attended college classes after he dropped out, just for his pleasure and just those who were interesting to him. He didn’t drop out to pursue a specific career.. he just couldn’t see the point in taking boring classes. Exploiting Wozniak’s invention was just a matter of being at the right place at the right time.
Gates on the other hand had already been smart enough to write his code for Basic, the operating system he tried to sell to MITS. He dropped out, because he knew the new industry is at a rise and it’s the life time opportunity.
None of this has anything to do with dropping out of collage and taking snaps.. something hundreds of thousands people do everyday. It’s like chock and cheese. You can’t compare it to some (after all, lousy) snapshotting.
I’ve been meaning to take the step..I guess I’m just setting it up.
As soon as I have enough money for a camera I’m jumping the crazy-wagon and riding life the way I want to, not the way my family does.
I guess, it’s just hard having no one to support you at the start.
Thanks Chase.
You truly are an inspiration.
My Hubby and I have been talking about this over and over for the last few months and trying to make plans for “the right time” and just like having kids, there is never a right time! You have to go for it, take chances and be positive. Life is too short for hum drum. The bank own our house anyway so…
Let’s Go!!!!
I agree with you, Chase, we celebrate risk-taking even as we shrink from it ourselves. I probably couldn’t say it better than Marianne Williamson (often mistakenly attributed to Nelson Mandela):
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”