The Long Road to Awesome, Part 2

Have you read Part 1 yet? If not, stop reading. Stop right now. Go here, and come back when you’re done.

 

For the rest of you, let’s continue. Now where was I? Ah yes, December.

I Get Interviewed

It’s December 2010. After approaching so many women in such a short period of time, I am no longer afraid of social interactions.

I apply for the CMPA sponsored internship, and thanks to a friend’s help, get an interview. I apply principles of attraction to my interview. I show up dressed to the nines. I lean backwards, and speak slowly and clearly. I look my interviewers in the eyes, and give them the body language they earn. I am confident, calm, and enjoy the process.

I get the job.

The universe helps me on my chosen path. An old friend’s blog pops into my field of vision, and I get back in touch with her. She’s moving to Montreal in January, and also wants to be a TV writer. Our show, Young Gods, is born through a Skype chat.

I Take Stock of my Life

It’s Christmas, and I’m relaxing in Bahrain with family, basking in my newfound success. I do a quick recap of what I’ve accomplished each month, and discover the following:

• September: won a Tekken tournament, and became national champ.
• October: learned to attract women from a master.
• November: met lots of pretty girls.
• December: landed a job.

Hmmm, I guess I’m not such a failure after all. In fact, I’d say I’m doing pretty good at this point. I decide to set some crazy goals for myself in the New Year, and attempt to accomplish all of them.

I Work Like an Adult

It’s January 2010, and life is hard. I work from 9 to 5:30pm every day, and it’s tricky. I start changing my body’s rhythms, and adapt to the new schedule. Luckily, one of my commitments in the new year is to put on 15lbs of muscle, so I schedule gym sessions with my trainer Jon right after work, 3 days a week. This pumps me up after a long day at the office, and keeps me motivated to work on my projects.

Emilie and I write every Tuesday evening, without fail. She’s brilliant, and helps me structure my ideas for our TV show, while offering some great ideas of her own. We bond, and write, and laugh, and enjoy each other’s company. I even take her out one night to help her meet girls. She’s a superstar, and doesn’t need me at all.

My job is interesting, and semi-satisfying. The work itself is enjoyable, mostly webdesign, and I end up creating some pretty cool projects. It’s definitely more than average amounts of fun, and despite myself, I enjoy it, thanks in part to the groovy coworkers I have. We talk all the time, and laugh, and work becomes this great place where I just hang out with friends.

For the first time in my life, I am thrilled to go to work in the morning.

Who knew a job could be this satisfying?

I Start Accomplishing Things

It’s March 2011, and I hit my first goal. I weigh in at a whopping 160lbs, a full 16lbs more than I weighed in January. I look fan-fucking-tastic, and am so proud of my body! My heart is exploding with joy at this success, and I’m more motivated than ever. I decide to put on a little more muscle mass, to which my mom laughs, and says “who do you think you are, Grendizer?”

It’s April 2011, and our show is coming along well. Emilie and I are still writing, and we get so close to the proper outline for an episode we can taste it. I even get lucky, and have the CMPA pay for a screenwriting course to help us write the perfect pilot

It’s still April 2011, and I hit my second goal. I finally launch GutsyGeek.com! Some of you might recognize this website as a brilliant source of inspiration for the geek masses.

I Make My Move

It’s May 2011. The pressure is on. My contract is close to its end, and I have tons of web design prospects appearing on the horizon. I think about taking them and making some sweet cash, but that’s not who I am.

I ask one of my bosses for advice on how to be a writer. He recommends a couple of resources, and gives me a brief lesson on who to call, who to befriend, and how to work them. After all, who you know is the biggest asset in this industry.

I decide he’s right, and want to put his advice to good use, before I lose steam and get stuck working a tech job for money.

It’s now or never. This is my chance. Enough waiting for my dreams to walk through my door, it’s time to reach forward and catch them.

One day after work, I walk into my other boss’s office.

I look at her, and tell her I want her to put me in the writer’s room for her latest production. She and I both realize I have no experience, but that doesn’t stop me. I offer to work for her for free, for up to 4 months, if she lets me in that room. She is stunned by the offer, but bless her generous soul, she puts me in touch with the head writer.

I get interviewed by him over Skype. He listens to me talk about my dream, and is impressed by my drive, determination, and attitude. Within a week, he gives me some tasks related to the show’s production.

I Succeed

It’s Monday, June 6th, 2011. I get a call from the head writer, who tells me to buy a ticket to Toronto. I’m hired. I’ll be working in the writer’s room, as a low-level something or other.

I smile.

He can’t see my grin through the phone receiver, but I’m sure he feels it.

I want very much to hug him, the universe, my boss, myself, everyone. I jump up and down, yell my joy at the world.

There are no words to express my gratitude.

My dream is in my heart, falls into my hands, lands at my feet.

I’m going to become a TV writer.

Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t the end. Not by a long shot. But I’m close, I’m happy, I’m working hard, and I can see the goal on the horizon. It’s no longer a question of “if”, but rather a question of “when”. So if there’s one piece of advice I can give you guys, it’s to follow your dreams. I just broke into one of the craziest industries in the world, and I’m just an average guy. You can definitely do it too.

Have any of you guys defied all odds to make it doing something you love? Leave a comment and tell me about it, I’d love to hear your story.