I pledge allegiance to insanity

On a rainy Saturday evening, common sense tells me to log on to Twitter and/or Facebook. Another voice tells me to just get in bed and let my thoughts wander about without restraint. But for the next thirty minutes, I’ll ignore both voices and put this piece together.

Why fit in when you were born to stand out? I picked this quote off a friend’s WhatsApp status. I don’t know where she got it, or who first said it. I would love to give them kudos. I have given it some serious thought, and I’m beginning to see something wonderful from it. Beyond that, just discovering another road to the top.

I hear the sceptics asking…. why are you even writing on Medium? What shows anyone is interested in what you have to say? Do you know the amount of work involved in making it as a writer? You have to be connected, have a cult following, etc. What shows you will ever make any money writing? I can hear darts of doubt being fired by way from all angles. And common sense tells me I’m taking a road never-travelled. But I can see some old tire marks on here. I’ll follow the trail and see where it takes me.

I want to be the Purple Cow roaming the bushes. I’m nailing my colours to the mast, declaring that against all logic, reason and common sense, I’ll start. No, I’m not against logical reasoning. I’m not beyond taking advice. I’m only a tad more selective about whose advice I take.

I have the first-hand experience of being the odd kid in class. I believe I have heard ‘I told you so’ on more occasions than I care to remember, and none was a death sentence. If anything, it has thickened my skin. A little. So I’m going to develop a bias for action. And hard work.

The upshot of all the rumbling is that I desperately want to leave my mark on earth. I want someone to pose for a picture in front of my statue one day. And looking at people who have scaled those heights, they were different. People saw them as abnormal, insane, crazy, even delusional. I’m reminded of a line in ‘Whatever it takes’ by Imagine Dragons. “…….Just take me to the top I’m ready for whatever it takes”. Yes, I’m ready for whatever it takes to get to the top.

It might not be easy. It might not be exciting. It might not be fun, sexy or cool. But those adjectives are too kind. They don’t seem other-worldly. And they aren’t. But instead of sitting back and wondering what it might or might not be, I’ll give it a try. I’ll give it my best shot. I’m not going to dribble around or pass up the opportunity to take the shot because I might miss.

I’m confident the shot will go in. And when the buzzer goes off, I’ll be elated I made the game-winning shot. I can already see the cheers from the sidelines and the confetti from the rafters.