I’ve got a new set of decals on my Macbook Air and they feature Ryu and Sagat from the Street Fighter franchise! Ryu has always been my most favorite character and his rival with Sagat has always enamored me – I love the idea of two guys who love what they do, are passionate about their art and craft, and just want to beat the living snot out of each other to prove it.
Yes, I am very much a geek.
But as I was putting these stickers on the other day my 5 year old daughter was watching me and asked me plainly who those two guys were – I told her that they were “Ryu” and “Sagat” from Street Fighter (which she’s played on my iPhone 4) and that I liked Ryu the best.
She paused, and then asked:
Why do you like him? He’s small!
I laughed because she was right – he was definitely much smaller than Sagat! But it made me think about how I’ve always enjoyed being the so-called underdog, the guy that the masses would bet against and then come out on top in a stroke of genius (or call it luck). The thing is that I believe this applies to all of us, even those who are seemingly at the top of their game.
I'm powered by 8-BIT video games.
You see, there is always someone further down the line, more experienced, more successful than you. This will always be the case. The moment you lift your head from your work and look around you you’ll find people who are doing it better and with greater effectiveness and success.
But that’s not why you started doing what you do – that’s not why I started doing what I love to do and that’s certainly not why I started blogging!
We need to remember two simple truths:
- We do what we do because we love it. We were made to do it. It’s part of who we are and who we’re supposed to be.
- There is always someone ahead of us, someone further down the line.
And this is ok. It doesn’t mean you have less to offer or contribute. It just means that someone started before you, that’s all. Hopefully it’ll stoke some competitive spirit within you as well as keep you humble.
Rejoice in your “small-guy-ness;” it’s a good thing.
Great post, sir!
I can tell you for a fact that when I pick my head up and look around at others is when I personally get discouraged. I see others seemingly doing what I do, but they’re more successful, have more clients, make more money, whatever. Then I get frustrated and upset. It’s when I keep my nose to the grind stone that I’m most content… most productive.
Thanks for the reminder.
~Ivan
heads-down…!
We should all thank God that we live in America.
It always amazes me when people complain about their job or their salary. They have all forgotten that first day when they walked in the door and said in their mind, please give me this job and yes, I will work for that small salary. When I hear people at work complain, I think to myself, there is the door, no one is stopping you from leaving. There are some countries in the world that you can not change what you do for a living and you may get paid with chickens or alcohol.
When I do have my own company, I think I will put a sign above the door inside that reads:
“If you feel baaaaaaaahhhhdddd here, this is the gate to find greener pastures. Please do not disturb the other sheep.”
It is a sad state when we get to the place that we believe someone else owes us something.
I know this post sounds off topic a little, but when we start envying what God has given other people, we are showing God that we are not thankful for what He has given us.
Here is my hero:
Kicked out of school for being easily distracted, he received only 3 months of formal schooling. The rest of his education came from his mother’s homeschooling and his reading of classic books. Though he lost nearly all of his hearing at a young age, he did not let this disability hinder him. As a telegrapher, he worked 12 hours a day, 6 days a week. He requested the night shift so that he could read and do his experiments during the slow evening hours. “The Wizard of Menlo Park” was both a genius inventor and a savvy business man; he filed more than 1500 patents during his lifetime and founded 14 companies including General Electric.
Thomas Edison
Edison answered the question to the “American Dream” when he was asked about how he came up with such great inventions:
“Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.”
Have you sweated today? (I think that will be my other sign that I will post in the break room.)
Standard Theme – “Dripping with sweat.”
I noticed Ryu has a small bag. Does it hold his small guy tricks? Is it because he’s a ‘tentblogger’ and can live anywhere, so naturally he’s going to the beach to do some writing? Small is mobile and flexible. I for one, don’t mind living out of small bags.
i think so…!
ahha. i’m sure he has some sweet stuff in there.
Yeah! Thanks for the inspiration.
sure thing mikes!