I think a fundamental part of the human condition is to dream and strive for things that are just beyond the grasp of our abilities. While ambition can have a negative context, like resulting in near-economic collapse caused by a few ambitious wankers -- or maybe they were just greedy, not ambitious -- positive striving is what drives innovation and furthers the human cause. Creative ambition can be a balm to the soul, lifting us out of our daily hamster wheel and giving us a rejuvenating sense of accomplishment.
Like my little football-sized dog who regularly tries to take on German Shepherds, I believe we are genetically predisposed to ignore the size of challenges confronting us, and continue forward in spite of the often overwhelming nature of those challenges. If we didn't ever reach beyond our grasp, how would we know the length of our arms?
I'm regularly surrounded by filmmakers, writers, artists, and musicians, whose intellectual and creative expression pushes the boundaries of form and context. They are always exploring the new, the diverse, the unique. I'm fortunate that I get to witness their process, their struggle with the unknown, and it comforts me in my own quest.
It's not possible to succeed all the time, but the things worth achieving are usually those which stretch our abilities and demand our best efforts. The fact that people regularly engage in these pursuits not only supports my ideas, it has another unintended creation.
It inspires hope.
