Blogocentric Formulations

Perseverance & Transformative Fiction

PROMPT: Perseverance is the difference between good and great... Do you believe this to be true, or do you think there are other mitigating factors to take into consideration when it comes to success? Is all that hard work really worth it.

For me, the three parts of this question all have different answers.

Do you believe that perseverance is the difference between good and great? Absolutely. I think that greatness comes from talent developed over time, so the difference between a good writer and a great writer is the time they put into to foster their talent. The difference between a good athlete and a great athlete is the tenacity with which they push themselves to greater heights. The difference between a good musician and a great musician is the amount of time spent practicing.

Do you think there are other mitigating factors to take into consideration when it comes to success? This is the other part, where I say that I do think there has to be a natural talent for something in there somewhere. Some people just aren't particularly apt at certain things, so I think it's incorrect to say that perseverance is the only factor that determines greatness. I'm okay at math, but I'll never be great because no matter how much I may study and practice and read about the subject, numbers just don't come naturally to me the way that words do. Similarly, some people don't have the coordination required to be an athlete, or the language skills to be an effective public speaker. There's nothing wrong with that, but I don't think you can be great at something you don't have a knack for. You can eventually become competent or even good at it, but greatness - for me - is reserved for those who have the natural talent and properly develop it in order to achieve amazing results that most of us can only dream of.

I also think that luck has something to do with success. Maybe it's just because I work in a field where I see so many success (and failure) stories among people I would consider equally hardworking and comparably talented, but there's got to be some kind of intangible involved to explain why some people make it and some people don't... or why some people have astronomical success while others are only mildly successful. One of my favorite quotes is Seneca's, "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity" because it takes some of the mysticism out of luck. It's not necessarily this completely random force of nature that you either stumble upon or you don't; there is a way to make yourself "luckier" and better exploit those opportunities when they arise.

Is all that hard work really worth it? I suppose this part of the prompt really comes down to the issue of whether you enjoy the hard work. Obviously isn't not going to be all sunshine and rainbows because there's work involved, so it's more a question of whether the activity or discipline you're pursuing brings you joy. Do you like playing a musical instrument? Is exercising and training fun for you? Does writing stories bring you satisfaction? If it does, then I think the hard work will ultimately be worth it because you're getting some enjoyment out of the process. If you hate every minute of what you're practicing, it might not be worth it because you're not feeling personally fulfilled by that hard work.

Perseverance is a key ingredient to success (and by extension, greatness). It's certainly not the only ingredient, as one also needs some form of talent and a bit of luck, but the road to greatness is a long one and the destination can be ephemeral... perseverance is what allows you to stays the course once you've started the journey.

PROMPT: Can some fiction, TV shows, and movies make us question the reality and life, by expanding our thinking?

I have to believe this is true, or it would be hard to take my writing efforts seriously. As I've grown older, I've become more and more convinced that we all need to do some good in the world. It's not enough to just focus on yourself and getting yourself through life; you also have to commit something of yourself to the service of others. And there are times when I look at my writing (and my day job) and think, "I should be a doctor, or an attorney in the public defender's office, or running a nonprofit company instead of working a desk job for a private entertainment company and writing stories in my spare time.

But I've also seen firsthand the transformative power of a good story. Some people read a story or watch a movie/show and learn something about themselves or others through the characters and situations. Others might gain some insight into a situation they weren't otherwise familiar with through the lens of carefully crafted fiction. And still others might have their lives improved by the simple escapism provided during a time when they need a break from their own reality.

I don't think every piece of fiction, television, or cinema is meant to make us ask ourselves deep philosophical questions or change the way we think about something, but it's absolutely a possibility depending on the subject matter and the audience's willingness to accept that change.

My answer to this prompt isn't entirely theoretical, though. Fight Club caused me to seriously question the issues of affluence, purpose, and masculinity in modern society. Inception took me down a rabbit hole that questioned whether the pursuit of truth is more important than the pursuit of happiness. Star Wars and E.T. opened my eyes to the possibility of life on other planets, and It's A Wonderful Life showed me that there are other possible directions a life can go, and to appreciate the one you've got while you've got it. 13 Reasons Why helped me understand how a compilation of little things can lead to depression and suicide, and The Fault In Our Stars taught me to be happy with my own little infinity, regardless of how big or small it is in comparison to the infinities of others.

These are just a handful of the books and movies that I've learned something from or that have caused me to think about larger issues than just the story and the characters in the movie. I think most of us, if pressed, could name a handful or more of books and motion pictures that did the same for them. And with so many people so affected by different stories and characters, I think it's impossible not to think that fiction has the power to transform our worldview.