A few days ago, I heard the actor Morgan Freeman being interviewed on the PBS show “Charlie Rose.” Freeman was on the talk show promoting a new show he’s producing and hosting for the Science Channel called “Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman.” As the name indicates, the show, which premieres June 9th at 10:00 pm EDT, explores some of the more intriguing and complex questions of the universe, from “Is there a Creator?” to “Is Space/Time Travel Possible?”
The mere fact that the 73-year-old Freeman is still interested in exploring complex questions of the universe impresses me. (He was in New York, he told Rose, to attend a big science festival that Stephen Hawking was attending, as well.) Many people, especially folks whose economic comfort is assured, are playing golf and rehashing old war stories by the time they’re in their 70s. Freeman is clearly someone whose thirst for knowledge hasn’t dimmed with age. And discovering that kind of adventurous vitality in a person always renews my own enthusiasm for attacking life with full force, age be damned.
But what caught my attention most in the interview was Freeman’s answer to Rose’s question of what Freeman would tell students who wanted to become actors, but whose parents were advising them to get a degree in something more practical first, so they’d have something to fall back on if the acting didn’t work out. Would he advise getting the back-up degree first?
“I’d tell them to be an actor,” Freeman said, shaking his head. “If they have something to fall back on, that’s the position they’ll be working from. The fallback position. And they’ll never make it.”
It’s easy enough to say. But in those words lies a tough, significant truth: pursuing dreams is unbelievably hard. Talent matters, connections matter, and luck plays a big role in the outcome, as well. But dogged, relentless persistence is the biggest differentiating factor in those who find a way forward and those who don’t. I doubt Morgan Freeman was talking academically or hypothetically, either. It might seem impossible, looking at his immense success now, that Freeman could have had dark moments where, if he’d had an easy back-up plan, he would have taken it. But that’s what he was implying.
So for anyone who’s attempting to make a dream into reality, Freeman’s words should come as some comfort. If you’re feeling exhausted and wishing you had an easier path to the rent money than you do, you’re in noble company. Imagine Morgan Freeman whispering in your ear, “How you feel now is how anyone who’s ever pursued a dream or attempted to chart their own course feels at times. I’ve felt that way at times. The passion road is a hard road. That’s why more people don’t pursue it, or stick with it. But have faith. The universe is full of mysteries, and Einstein believed space itself could be bent to allow travel between two points to occur in an instant. Passion and possibility are worth believing in.”
Worth thinking about.
Ok I think Lane does double duty as an executive coach :). A few more entries like this and I’m going to become convinced to go dream chasing.
Thank you Lane. You’re inspiring. And so is Morgan. I enjoy your columns in Flying. Reminds me of the reference to Cortés who, upon arriving in Veracruz, scuttled his ships to eliminate any ideas of retreat. I’ve had backup plans before and sure enough, you end up using them. No more. The focus on a dream must be singular, like the focus of a good pilot on short final; nothing else matters. Not it makes things easy, but your focus is clear. Tim: You’re right, Lane is a heck of a coach. – And Tim, why wait for more entries? Go for it, my friend.
Paul – thanks for the nudge. The nudge is that singular focus thing. De-clutter and focus. Good stuff.