I have a question for you.
What makes you tick? And I don't mean what makes you produce the sound 'tick' with your tongue.
I mean, what is your inspiration? What is it that pokes, prods and nudges you and forces you to try to make something of yourself? What's that little switch that makes you want to go the extra mile in whatever you are doing? Even if you're the laid-back, I'll-settle-for-anything sort, I'm sure that deep down there's a different you who wants to fly through life instead of just riding the slow train of mediocrity.
Now that I've got you thinking, let me tell you some of the things that inspire people to reach for those glittery things in the sky.
Moolah Money
Some say this makes the world go round, while others say being too fond of it is the root of all evil. And while these two groups of people are busy jabbering out their arguments, I'll go spend some on a nice lunch for my best friend and I. Obviously, I'm talking about money -- something that keeps a lot of the students I know slogging through their courses.
Yes, it's a nice thing to have around... and many people know that, particularly in Asia, how much you earn can depend a lot on how well you do academically. There has to be some proof to your potential employer that there is something between your ears. And even after getting a job, it's a common thing to see people rushing around bending over backwards to do more than they have to -- not for personal satisfaction or to help a colleague out, but most probably because they'll earn time-and-a-half for working after hours.
Fame
You might remember that cheesy song from the 80's, with the accompanying TV series that went: "Fame! I want to live forever - light up the sky like a flame!" If you don't, I'd appreciate it if you dropped me an email telling me how you forgot. It's one ditty I wouldn't mind erasing from these memory banks.
But the song does speak of something many of us secretly yearn for, and most never get. To be known to a larger group of people than one's own family and friends. To become such a familiar face that people can identify you almost as fast as they can the smell of rotting durian (a strong-smelling, spiky
fruits native to Southeast Asia that few people from
anywhere else want anything to do with). Ah, don't we all want that? And some people actually do something to achieve it -- that's their inspiration.
Parents
There are those who want to do well to make their parents happy. OK, I know this one's not a very popular source of inspiration. Most of the parents I know around here (including my own) place a whole big load of importance on their kids' academic performance. I'm one of the lucky ones -- my parents have never pushed me, but those grins on their faces when I started doing well sure aren't the synthetic type.
Pardon me for getting a little personal, but this in fact has been my major source of inspiration ever since I was inspired at all. There came a point, in the midst of my academic mediocrity, when it dawned on me why my mom was so disappointed when I didn't do well. It wasn't because she thought I was wasting her money, or that her only daughter was a moron with an IQ of -64. Instead it was that, never having received an opportunity for formal education after Form 5 (Grade 10), she'd worked inhumanly hard for the rest of her life to make sure that I would. When I realised that, I started to take joy in pushing myself to the limits so that at the end of the day I'd be able to see that sweet smile on her face when she could believe that she hadn't hoped in vain.
And you know what? Now that my mom's passed away, I don't just miss her every single moment I'm awake. I feel a little aimless too, like an arrow that's been shot with such strength that it's bound to fly high -- only it doesn't know which way to fly so it's just a matter of time before it hits ground.
I don't think Mummy would've wanted to see me like that though (I'm not very light, and I'd probably cause an earthquake on landing), and besides once you get used to the view it's hard to give up flying. There's some encouragement for you!
I know this article doesn't really cover all the things that make different people tick, but I hope it's got you thinking anyway about what gives your life meaning and inspiration. And no, it wasn't meant for those impossible people who don't seem to react or care about anything. To tell you the truth, I wrote it for myself and for all the "me's" I see out there -- the ones who don't see a reason to improve. Believe me, somewhere around you, there is a reason.
Find it now -- you'll never want to ride that slow train again.
Sharon Toh lives in Malaysia but is soon headed to Australia to pursue her dream of studying dance. She wrote this piece in 2000 in her second year of college.
Copyright iamnext.com 2002. May not be reprinted without permission.
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