The Hardest Thing You Can Do

Ayn Rand is my hero. She writes brilliantly, has an ideology that's beyond reproach and wraps it all up in the most fantastic books in the world. There have been hundreds of quotes from her books that have caught my attention but yesterday one stuck out in particular .

"But a desire to choose the hardest might be a confession of weakness in itself."

"Of course, Mr. Roark. But it's the lease offensive form of confession."

"If the weakness is there to be confessed at all."

There's always a weakness to confess, we're human it's inescapable but what if the weakness you're confessing is that of other people? What if its not your own weakness you're defining by taking the road less traveled? Is it possible to be throwing it back in everyone else's face that they are the weak ones for accepting mediocrity and not appreciating the opportunities they've been given? Lately I've been looking for post graduation jobs. I've gotten two. They both pay very well. I don't want either of them. I know I can get a job doing things that I'm "supposed" to do with my degree after college. So many communication majors are pigeon-holed into Sales jobs after school. I can't do it, I won't do it, I absolutely refuse. I'll work in a bar the rest of my life before I embarrass myself by becoming the "Sales Associate" that I've been told I ought to be. I don't care if I'm good at it, and I don't care if it's really easy money. I am not mediocre, I have not spent four years working myself crazy to graduate on time with a respectable GPA to hold a job that someone who has a GED also does.

My desire to choose the hardest path I can will lead to me being the happiest person in the world once I get it. Does that possibly admit my weakness of an insecurity about being weak? Possibly. Does it possibly admit their weakness of a lack of drive and accomplishment? Potentially.

"And it is said but for the spirit of a dozen men...none of this would have been possible."

People who seemingly admitted their weakness, a fear of possibly being weak, overcame it and built some of the greatest ideas, concepts, tangible edifices declaring their fear of being weak. I think it can be assumed that having a weakness and challenging it gives you a purpose in life. Lacking purpose is disappointing.

Either way you look at it, anytime we accept a challenge the entire reason it is the hardest thing to do is because we are provoking our weakness to try and beat us. And every time you do it you either win, and move on to another weakness or you lose and have to try again. But damn, does it feel good when you win.

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In Other News, go read the Fountainhead, it's good for you :) Also, after weeks of detestable weather the sun is out and it's 80 degrees. Thank God! I read my book in the sun on the back porch and now have a sun burn that feels good. I love feeling like I don't suck at life :)