Effort Shock

If you've never visited Cracked.com or read David Wong's blog, than you are missing out. The specific post I'm talking about here is Effort Shock.

I agree with almost everything he said and find myself going through the same type of "shock." Something about our modern culture makes us believe that with a enough effort everything will just fall into our lap. We learn that we could be president one day if we just try hard enough. Innate intelligence and more importantly, luck, rarely enter the lessons we teach our children. We don't tell little Johnny that no matter how hard he tries, no matter how hard he works, he may just end up average. We never tell little Sarah that she has limitations and she should try to stay within them.

Should we tell our children this stuff? No, of course not. But it doesn't make it easier when you find out that no, life has no guarantees. The universe may smile on you one day or it may ignore you forever.

I'm working hard, I really am, and I will continue to do so. But I'm also scared. I have no net. I thought I would go into the world and be a writer and that would be that. I knew I would have to pay my dues, but it never really occurred to me that they wouldn't be paid back.

So I keep going forward, because every once in a while you get really lucky. No one ever became the president by not trying.

Your Friend,

McGonz