Created at: 2024-01-29 17:02:31
We should all aim to become artists. While many people nowadays fixate on money, history tends to remember great individuals for their deeds, not their wealth.
But, do we all have to be great? Well, no. But must we all strive for greatness? Not necessarily. Yet, if you, like me, aspire to leave a mark on the world, then indeed, you should pursue greatness. First off, what's not great? That is mundane.
Being mundane is either normal or pathetic. Being mundane is not standing out. Being mundane is not contributing to a better world. Being mundane is being a boring person. Being mundane means no flavor, no color, nothing whatsoever. Being mundane is dying.
The whole purpose of life is to pursue a calling. A calling that you're willing to sacrifice the "easy" life --- working 9 to 6, enjoying hobbies, enjoying whiskey, and so on.
I tend to think of these callings in terms of what I'd like to be remembered for at my funeral. Pursuing a calling is about writing the most interesting story there has ever been. No other story should excite you. If so, you're probably working on the wrong thing.
Stories may turn out to be similar. This is quite common. After all, knowledge is a collective asset built by "people". Similar ideas, therefore, often emerge at the same time.
However, that's okay. Your work primarily needs to resonate with you. Ideas may start out from the same seed. But working on it, that is what will differentiate you from others. It's your execution, your story, and your life.
If everyone embraced the artist within, the world would be full of rich stories, far more exciting than those of people who merely show off their bodies or wealth online. The world would be much more peaceful. The world would be much more beautiful. The world would be much more thoughtful.
The world needs to be artistic.