Creating Masterpieces
TLDR: Hi Anon, go create masterpieces.
Q) What is a masterpieces ? I believe as of now the definition of masterpiece is to create a piece of work that inspires generations to come.
Examples of a few masterpieces:
- Cursor (Enabled an entire generation to go build)
- Dead poets Society (Gave me clarity on what I want to do with my life)
- Naruto (Inspired an entire generation to never give up)
A piece of work where post finishing it you repeatedly look back at it and are in a state of awe wondering what the hell did I just make. A piece of work you want to share with rest of the world because you want to show them what you made.
When I was 21-22 a question that would haunt me for quite sometime was “What is the purpose of life ? Why are we here ?” Whenever this question would come up I would try to distract myself from it and push it away but funnly enough a movie (Dead Poets Society) I watched on a random tuesday night gave me the answer to my eternal question.
The answer: The purpose of my life is to create masterpieces or so I thought initially but very soon I realised that when I helped people, people that were/are close to me to go kill it in life I was immensely more happy. It was/is fun to watch people succeed from the side lines and be not only be there for each other during the losses but also celebrate together each others wins.These experiences lead to make an update to my answer. The purpose of my life is to create masterpieces but also help others in creating masterpieces.
When I watched the movie it hit hard, it hit home. Given that I am an Asian and hail from India more often then not I was always told to focus on science, math focus on STEM or so I thought. (I understand why people say that. I can only empathise for them) However after a bunch of encounters with a few amazing human beings and conversations I had with them that I now cherish started to make sense after the movie. Somehow the meaning I made out early on in life was that to focus on STEM, to focus on science you should not be playing sports, you should not be painting, you should be not be singing. Arts & Humanities ? isn’t that for people who are not smart enough to make it in science ?
Boy oh Boy was I wrong about my assumptions ! Honestly if I could I would love to go back to my younger self and tell him the beauty of art (Well, I am atleast happy I realised it now. Better late then never I guess).
Art & Humanities is what keep us going. Art gives one hope, gives one inspiraion, gives one dreams to chase. Everything in this world is art. Art can be in an insane company someone builds. Art can be a block of code someone wrote that is changing the world (Example: Linux kernel ). Art is present everywhere around us. We just need to be open enough to understand it and see it.
This definition of purpose I came up with keeps me going, helps me fight my battles and gives me an excitement to look forward to (aka a reason to get up to everyday). I was starting to operate with this philosophy since the past few years and was meaning to pen my thoughts out since a while (atleast 1-2 years) but somehow I think somewhere I was afraid, I was not sure if this is some hippy answer I came up with. I was afraid what others would comment on my purpose.Very recently I have started to think more about this. I have started to say it out first to people close to me and then now slowly to even strangers (Hi Anon if you made it this far let me know what you create : )
Have been following this philosophy for a couple of years now and I can confidently say I see no downside in putting this out now. I have feel like I landed on a good answer to the question and it seems to be working out (atleast as of now :P ).
So all that rambling to say.
Want to build a company ? Go build it, build the next SpaceX or build the first something. Inspire the next generations of entrepreneurs to go build their companies.
Want to make a movie ? Go make it, make the next Inception or the first something. Inspire the next generation of movie makers to go create an amazing movie.
Want to write ? Go write, write the next Merchant of Venice, the next Road not Taken or the first something. Inspire the next generation of writers to go pen out some fire pieces.
Its going to be hard to create a masterpiece. You are going to fail, but to create something great it takes time right ? it takes effort ? it takes passion ?.
So keep getting up when you fall. Dust yourself up and continue to build : P Its going to be difficult but isn’t that what makes it fun ? isn’t that why you are choosing to live ?
True Failure is when you chose to give up nothing before that means you are failing. If you are not giving up it just means you are learning, you are correcting your course and that’s totally fine.
I leave you with two things. First a Quote that inspires me and then some links of what a few others think about what a masterpiece is so you can start thinking about what it means for you.
“People spend their whole lives chasing something, some chase power, others chase love and a few just chase a place to belong. But no matter how far we run life always finds a way to remind us that nothing lasts forever, the people we love, the moments we cherish, even the pain we try so hard to escape they all pass with time and thats what makes them precious. True strength isnt about how hard you can hit, it is about how gently you can keep living even when life keeps breaking you. It’s easy to lose hope when the world feels cold but if you can still smile even a little you’ve already won something no one can take away. So keep walking, keep dreaming, keep loving even when it hurts because thats what it means to be alive. Leave behind a story that reminds someone else that even in a world this cruel there is still beauty left to find.” — Jiraiya
Some Interesting links on what I found when I search for creating a masterpiece in no specific order.
Q) Why did I pen this out ?
Answer: This article helps me achieve the second part of my purpose i.e. to help others create masterpieces.