To many people you’ll always have a role, a title, and an attached expectation. Amy the Accountant, Sam the Salesman, Mike the Mailman, etc. I have my own: Wes the IT/Tech guy. You probably have one that people have associated with you.
The thing is, people have dreams. Not only do people have dreams, each one of them was born to do something, whether they have realized it or not. Some people discover what they were born to do later on in life than others, but even at that stage the dreams are still vivid and full of life.
People expect you to do what you’ve always done, and they expect you to be what you’ve always been. At least as they’ve known you. The problem is, people are ever changing and this expectation is not only unrealistic, it becomes ridiculous when you consider the potential that each one of us has.
I’ve wanted to write for over ten years now, and in the beginning a great number of people were supportive because I was young and my career path wasn’t set in stone yet. Writing for me wasn’t realistic at the time because there wasn’t much money to be had and conventional wisdom says that you should always choose safety over risk. However, that dream to write never went away and for years that vision only lay dormant, waiting for an opportunity to rise.
I’ve done computer work for nearly twelve years now. In the meantime, I started an SEC Football podcast just for fun with two great friends/family members and honestly it has been a blast to do the show with them. Even so, expectations of people who already knew me were a factor and some questioned it. Some still look at me funny when I say I do an SEC Football podcast. The funny (in an awesome way) thing is, many people who I’ve never met have become regular listeners of the show, so that’s pretty cool.
A couple of years ago the vision of writing presented itself clearly once again when I finally sat down at my laptop and began writing what has become known as “The Heart of the Machine”, an action/adventure story set in a not-so-distant dystopian future. I poured by heart and soul into this book and I absolutely love the message it conveys. It is slated to be released late this summer!
But before we get to that, now we come to my first officially published work, “The Land of Mountaindom”. I had written a playful poem many years ago in an effort to create a fun story that was silly in nature, yet captivating. I was pleased with the words I had written, but all good children’s stories need a good illustrator. Enter Victoria Hawkins. She is one of the most gifted artists I have met and her skill at translating the imagery of my story into actual sketches was truly amazing. Everything came together and my first work was officially published. I was (and still am) incredibly excited about it and am looking forward to it continuing to bring enjoyment to others. And yet, people look at me funny when I say I’m an author. They look at me and say things like “Oh that’s cool”, but most of them don’t seem to take it seriously. You can tell they think it’s just one of those things that’s kinda cool but will subside after some time. Like That’s nice, but you’re not REALLY a writer. I wonder if the acquaintances, friends, and family of Tolkien, Lewis, Verne, and so many others had the same attitude towards them?
The real honest truth is I’ve never been so certain of anything else related to what I want to do with my life. No, I’m not throwing caution to the wind and quitting my day job to seek a life of wandering while writing the next novel. But when I write, I feel like I am doing exactly what I was made to do. To use words to positively impact people. To convey powerful emotions to people in the form of words on a page. To literally change lives. That’s what I want to do. That’s what I was meant to do. Honestly it doesn’t matter what people say about whether it’s a “good idea” to do it or not. It’s never been about what people think (although people being supportive is always a nice thing). At the end of the day, if I’m doing what I know I’m called to do and what the right thing is for me to do, then I feel good about the trajectory my path is on.
Each one of you also has something that you were born to do. Maybe you haven’t found it out yet, maybe you know but you haven’t done anything about it. What are you waiting for? Most of the people who have projected expectations about you…you won’t care what they think in a few years (if you even care now). Don’t let the fear of others keep you tied to a ship that is sailing in the wrong direction. Find your passion and begin moving in that direction, no matter how small the steps are. “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing” – Walt Disney
Get started!