What do they have in common? They both do "crazy" shit nobody else will do!
In the 3 years of testing and crashing experiments, if the Wright Brothers quit before they succeeded some people would think it was a foolish endeavor. Nay-sayers would've had a hay day! (That is, in a fantasy world where the other people experimenting around the globe failed as well)
I would bring up Joseph Swan, Ford, Da Vinci and other inventors blowing things up in their labs, warehouses, and basements to no success to illustrate my point, but most of us being familiar with their former merits would have to exercise our creativity with a little more effort. What I mean is you all get the point.
What makes a ballsy move different from what YouTube has dubbed a "-fail" in those countless videos of people doing stunts. Daredevils are heroes at any degree from skateboarders to trapeze performers to people like Evil Knievel. Knievel busted himself up but kept coming back! What?!?! That's crazy! But the dude is celebrated and he for sure inspired everyone watching in one form or another.
Is that what it is? Not giving up? The test of the human spirit that makes the difference between a fool or a hero?
Now, I use these extreme examples because everyone for the most part knows them. So pull back the scope. Bring it back to our own plans, hopes and dreams. There is something that we want that involves risk. Some people prepare all their lives and never make the jump. Some people have a fairly reliable path they can follow that ensures they can obtain their goal. Some people are too scared to even begin to prepare.
Personally I'm trying to find a balance between leaping in faith and preparing myself intellectually. Also, I'm managing my train of thought and perspective so I don't "self sabotage". For instance, as long as I continue towards my goal, sacrifices of commodities that most people my age enjoy are investments rather than liabilities.
Why am I writing about this? Because recently I took a risk that may kick me back to square one (I can lose my apartment and the humble financial comfort that I've been slowly building in the past 6 years) or it may propel me further into my career. I guess you all get front row seats to this show that is my life.
I realize I must have a solid job as I build my music career on the side until its strong enough to strike out on my own. That being said plenty of people around me have gone out on their own to open their businesses and projects before they fully felt comfortable. They took leaps of faith. I had a solid job and was climbing the ladder financially. I finally hit some goals of mine. 1, I saved up 4 months worth of cost-of-living should I find myself without a job somehow. 2, I had 1,000 set aside for car repairs. 3, another 1,000 for emergencies. 4, I paid off my credit card debt. My following financial plans were to finish paying off school loans, begin to invest money, and finally have money to live a "normal" life. I was kicking ass and I'm still proud of that!
As it turned out I went to work and long story short they laid off my boss that I was assisting. She was an amazing person, and the programs we worked on were fulfilling. I loved it there. It was a mess in the office. People were scrambling. Honestly though I felt a lot of excitement because I felt like this was the push I needed to have a other full-on pursuit of my career in music! To my surprise a couple of the directors and managers came to speak to me asking me to stay and work in different departments. Even the president of the company spoke to me! I was honored but for some reason I felt like I was at a great spot to make a other go at my personal goals. I took the week to think it through while I continued to work there under a new department. Believe me I considered all the risks and it was overwhelming. This would be the hero/fool moment where I make that initial decision to make that jump, start that engine, ignite that spark, or strap myself into the cockpit.
I left on good terms. Out of it I made some great contacts. One of which was a SVP to a Universal Music department. What happened in the next month was incredible. Fruition! I was booked composing and arranging for 6 songs, 1 live action short, creating charts for 1 project, and 2 graphic design gigs. Another proud moment. This is my Kitty Hawk moment only 12 seconds in! A glimpse of what is possible! I won't deny myself that success, but I'm still pursuit of that consistency. That longer more controlled flight. In YouTube terms I'm still the dude on a skateboard on a rail. It's all in the dismount. Am I gonna rack myself or pull off that awesome stunt?!
In the meantime I kept taking advantage of this momentum. As publicity begets publicity, I sent out this business to get more business. With those projects completed I am still in this process. I've always been. So, the end of this YouTube video is yet to be seen. I may rack myself into homelessness, or make an amazing landing only to make another engine that's bigger, more sustainable and efficient.
What it comes down to maybe is if I know how to fail. The nature of all things I'm sure it's a constant flux, different seasons, cycling phases. To navigate through these is key. Maybe this is my 9,999th light bulb to Edison's final 10,000th! Maybe this is my 2nd crash of the Kitty Hawk. It's no question that we are all going to fail. It's if we fail successfully. Meaning a lot of things. One meaning is to learn and come back with that new approach willing and inspired! Is it that we don't give up? Is it that test of the human spirit?
Or maybe, just maybe, this could be the time I can truly make a go of this!
A fool or a hero? Keep watching to find out. Either way, be entertained.
