Beginning in the early 1990’s is when I started to take my writing seriously, in pursuit of greatness. I was inspired by all of the so-called great writers who had written the classics typically added to high school reading lists. It was in the late 90’s that I first began to receive feedback after putting some of my writing on the Internet. It seems so very long ago, and yet I often look back to the early days wondering how far I have progressed with my craft and the realization that if I had never found love, I might very well have devoted my life to writing.
I spent the majority of my childhood reading, and writing, and later on I became a strong believer in Malcolm Gladwell‘s 10,000 hour rule, which dictates that in order to become really great at anything, someone needs to pursue at least 10,000 hours of diligent and focused practice. I quickly became a habitual note taker; not only did I take notes in the academic sense, but moreover I took notes on my life experiences. And so I spent every free moment writing about my daily activities, taking notes about what I had observed, thought about, or problems I had solved, and wrote down things that I might use later on to help fuel or inspire future writing pursuits. I have always been curious about the world, and the continual pursuit and documentation of knowledge.
The feedback I received, although generally helpful, and on occasion even encouraging still did not make any difference in the way I felt about my writing. If I was to become a great, prolific, and perhaps even slightly famous writer, I had to work even harder than ever to hone my craft in pursuit of greatness and self-worth.
I have long been flat-out obsessed with writing and creating meaningful documentation that was ever-representative of the human condition. Before his passing, my father provided me with professional-grade camera equipment and ensured that for the remainder of my lifetime, I would have access to a professional grade Internet server. It was the culmination of these gifts and the years of hard work that has resulted in where I stand today as a writer and photographer.
Yet, after all that I have accomplished, and how much I have improved, I feel that in pursuit of greatness, I am still nowhere near the level of greatness, where I wish to one day be.
