07 May 2016

Hunter S. Thompson is a hard-core dude with a no-bullshit approach to first-person journalism. He is internationally renowned for his writings on the Hell’s Angels after living and riding with them for a year (and making it out alive).

I came across a letter Thompson penned to his friend Hume Logan when he was just 20-years old and the words struck a chord in a big way. The entire letter is a goldmine of wisdom, but here are a few power paragraphs that are a must read:

“To put our faith in tangible goals would seem to be, at best, unwise. So we do not strive to be firemen, we do not strive to be bankers, nor policemen, nor doctors. WE STRIVE TO BE OURSELVES.

But don’t misunderstand me. I don’t mean that we can’t BE firemen, bankers, or doctors—but that we must make the goal conform to the individual, rather than make the individual conform to the goal. In every man, heredity and environment have combined to produce a creature of certain abilities and desires—including a deeply ingrained need to function in such a way that his life will be MEANINGFUL. A man has to BE something; he has to matter…

In short, he has not dedicated his life to reaching a pre-defined goal, but he has rather chosen a way of life he KNOWS he will enjoy. The goal is absolutely secondary: it is the functioning toward the goal which is important. And it seems almost ridiculous to say that a man MUST function in a pattern of his own choosing; for to let another man define your own goals is to give up one of the most meaningful aspects of life — the definitive act of will which makes a man an individual.”

What happens when you become a lawyer after years of hard work? What happens when you finally reach your goal? Will you be truly content?

Your choice of occupation is just another paint stroke on the canvas. Strive to paint a masterpiece and make every stroke important, from occupation to friend choice to travel. Strive to be defined by the combination of your choices, not just one.

Remember that you have the power of choice and that power will be valid and meaningful until the day you die.

Let the choices you make reflect you.

Let them change to reflect you.

And please, go and read that letter.