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The Illusion of Greatness
Do more. Be more. Have more. Or, maybe, just maybe, redefine it.
As children, we have these grand notions of greatness — we want to be astronauts, scientists, world-renowned doctors, or ballerinas. When I was a kid, I was a dreamer. I could spend hours lost in worlds of my own creation. I wanted to be a writer. A real one, with books on shelves and readers who would be captivated by my words. Or, perhaps a spy for the CIA. Hah! I started writing my first book, “Helping Angels” around the age of nine. I kept a journal and short stories on a floppy disk with hopes of turning them into best-selling novels one day. But kids are impressionable. My love for writing never died, but it certainly took the back burner when my sparkling intellect and love for lively debate, particularly on the topics of politics and religion, captivated the attention of well-meaning relatives.
Quickly, my aspirations turned to becoming a lawyer or foreign diplomat. The allure of power, of shaping the world, was intoxicating. So, naturally, I entered college pre-law. You know the great thing about college? It opens us up to the vastness of the world, opportunities, experiences, and ideas. You know the ugly part of college? It helps you realize that you actually have no idea what you want to do with your life. All you know is you want to be great. And you won’t stop until you achieve it. Failure is not…
