Conor Anthony McGregor is an Irish professional mixed martial artist.
This is a quote by McGregor that resonated with me a few months ago when I first discovered it. I must confess that I don’t know much about Mr. McGregor’s sport, but I can relate to how he feels about his success, and how he has managed to accomplish it through hard work and obsession.
In a world that is drowning in trillions of photographs and videos, this is one of the few places that I go to to re-center myself and to redefine my goals. Absolute Motivation is a great YouTube channel that features motivating videos targeted toward people of all walks of life. Whether you’re a student who is struggling with self-doubt or a single parent with financial difficulties, dedicating a few minutes to this site you are bound to find a video that will inspire you and remind you that greatness within you.
Lately I’ve visited this sight for various reasons. This past semester has been a bit of a doozy. Along with graduating from AAU with a BFA in photography (less than two months away), I have also worked in a new career as a cinematographer. Half of me is comfortable with the skills that I’ve acquired over the past four years while the other half feels like a toddler that is trying to speak. I can feel myself being pulled in two different directions, and with that a good deal of fear and self doubt has resurfaced. Deep down I know that I want become a cinematographer, director, writer, and producer, but these are all ambitious fields of work that require lots of hustle and years of experience to accomplish. I’m not afraid of the journey or the hard work, fifteen years as a dancer has given me the strength of character to welcome such challenges with a smile. What I do fear is “what if I don’t succeed?” This past semester has made me feel like the new kid on the play ground. I’m surrounded by lots of new faces and confronted with a slightly overwhelming amount of new information and equipment that I need to learn to navigate. I constantly jump between a deep mix of excitement and certainty to the absolute fear of the unknown.
After watching today’s video, the people at Absolute Motivation helped remind me that not only is what I am feeling normal, but that I shouldn’t let it control me. I must work through the hard times, stay persistent, and stay the course regardless of what negative feelings arise. There is only one way to succeed in this world and that is through blood, sweat, and tears, and of course a smile.
Alicia M. Blair