Succession and Reflection

"Success doesn't cause us to reflect upon ourselves."

I believe that was the conclusion we came to at the end of today's discussion.

Well, I have an interesting anecdote to combat that statement.

I took Creative Writing my sophomore year (if anyone was in my class, please correct me if I'm wrong), mainly because I had a story idea and believed this class to be the perfect outlet. I soon learned, however, that Miss Beach wouldn't be the only person reviewing my writing. Apparently the entire class would critique it and give feedback. I felt genuinely afraid, not sure how the class would take to my story. I could write a short post describing some of the plot if people seem interested enough, but I'd rather not, not right now at least. Basically, it's a fictional fantasy story that takes place in the future. The "fantasy" part had me worried, since I didn't know how the rest of the class would like it. After much anxiety, however, I decided to throw my worries to the curb.

It finally came, the day of my critique, and I was prepared for the worst. I sat down, ready for whatever the class had in store for me. The first comment from a fellow sophomore had me rather dumbfounded: "So...when is this getting published?" I know it was partially a joke, but I still felt pretty shocked by the question. The reactions continued though, as the class commented on the likable characters and their interactions with one another. Oh, sure, there were a couple of criticisms about how to improve my actual writing style, but no one belittled the story or had done anything that I originally feared. This encouraged me to continue with the story, writing on the next section for each of my future critiques. The class gave me the same positive feedback each time, while their edits allowed the writing itself to improve immensely.

Well, after my experience with Creative Writing, I made a choice; I will become a novelist. The story that had formed from a simple idea soon grew into an entire storyline. If it wasn't for the my "success" in Creative Writing, then I probably wouldn't have come to the same conclusion. I'm grateful for the supportive classmates I had, because I now know what I want to do with my life. I don't consider myself anywhere close to writing a full-length novel yet, but I will. I have the passion and drive to make my tiny idea blossom into an expansive book series that will captivate its readers with intense action, heartfelt character development, and a plot with plenty of twists and turns.

So, do I believe that we cannot reflect upon our life through success? Absolutely not. I now have a dream to work toward, and I think it's important for everyone to have their own ambition.

What's your dream/ambition?