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.
“If you don’t risk, you risk it all.” That is what my mom taught me. She is the biggest risk taker I know and the happiest as well.
Great point Chase! Couldn’t agree more. We didn’t get here by being complacent. Birth is a radical process and that’s how it all begins. The real question is at what point does it change. At what point are we indoctrinated into a way of being that makes everyone around us feel safe? Why do the parents of children suppress that which is given at birth (our will and our desire to live life fully)?
I am glad you mentioned this Chase. I have been taking a huge chance with my photography project. People have criticized me, people have thanked me, people think I am crazy to branch off and do something different with my life. I went from a successful mortgage broker to a hard working photographer literally overnight. I completely changed my life and I am heading down a different path and it’s amazing the accomplishments and places I have been as a result of being a huge risk taker. Thanks for the inspiration!
Mikey
lightenupandshoot
Thanks so much for this post Chase. In about a month (or – once my D7000 arrives) I’m about to leave on a truly indefinite backpacking journey of the Asia-Pacific region.
I don’t know when I’ll be coming back.
I don’t know anyone where I’m going.
But I am chasing my dreams, and, like Sir Ken Robinson tells us in his TED Talks and books, somehow, we have to trust that in the fullest pursuit of our dreams, success and fulfillment awaits.
Let me know if you’re gonna be in Borneo anytime soon.
Funny you should post this when you did. I live in Florida and my husband started his 3 day road trip to California yesterday. He’s pursuing his acting career. Even though we have a 15 month old son, I completely support him and believe in him and encouraged him to get out to L.A. and pursue his dream. Some people don’t agree with him going without us but right now we can’t afford for all of us to make the trip. So you make sacrifices and do what you can. We say that it’s better to go after what you want than to regret 10 years later that you never tried.