How My Crazy Friend Dealt With Insane Adversity (Plus My TEDx Video).

This is a continuation from my recent post “How a 10 minute mistake cost me a TEDx speech, a trip to India, and my Sanity”. Make sure to read that post before you read this one.

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“Mr. Arkin, what you are asking is not possible.”

“Please, please, PLEASE! Just try.”

“Okay. But I am telling you now – It’s impossible.”

The optimist versus the pessimist… Not a good situation when the pessimist has all the power.

What Do I Do?

About 2 months ago I was invited to give a TEDx speech in Bangalore, India.

I discovered 2 things: 1) I need a Visa to get to India. 2) It takes 8 days to get a Visa to India.

Not a problem… Unless you have no visa and leave to India in 4 days.

In an attempt to keep it PG let’s use the word “darn”.  (Read the whole story here).

What do you do when the greatest professional opportunity of your life is slipping through your fingers? 

I Need To Give a Speech. But I Can’t Be Present.

Here’s a question that will boggle the mind:

How do I give a speech in a country that I cannot legally enter?

…

…

I was never very good at puzzles.

Plan B

“Do you have to be in India to give the speech?”

What was my dad talking about? If I didn’t go to India I couldn’t give the speech.

“What do you mean?”

“What about that Video dude you’re friends with? You could make a video and send it to the TED team in India?

BINGO!

Crazy Dude, Does Crazy Things

“So those are the details man. What do you think? You think you can film the speech, edit it, and upload it, by Friday.”

“Yeah man. We can do it.”

“Alright. I’ll be at your place tomorrow.”

“Cool.”

I check my email 5 minutes later.

“Let’s test our ability to respond to circumstance!”   – Kenji [Click to tweet]

Gosh! That’s inspiring!

Wednesday 6pm – The Meeting

I arrive at Kenji’s place at 6pm.

We sat down at the table.

“How are we going to do this?”

We ran through a few ideas. Nothing seemed to click.

Kenji was quiet.

…

He looked at me and smiled.

“You worry about the speech. I’ll get the video. Just do what I tell you to do.”

Follow directions… I can do that.

He made a few quick calls hung up and smiled -

“Grab your bag. We’re heading to my work. We’ll film there.”

… Just follow directions.

Wednesday 8pm The Filming

“Alright, you’re gonna give the speech over and over again. Imagine your giving it to the audience. Act like I’m not here”

A 17 minute speech takes 2 1/2 hours when you give it 8 times.

We were done. I said that wrong. I was done…

“You sure y0u got this? Is there anything I can do to help?”

“You did your part. You gave the speech. Now I’ll do my thing.”

It was out of my hands. The Ball was in Kenji’s court.

I walked to the train station and headed home.

Wednesday 11pm

It’s 11pm Wednesday night and Kenji is leaving town at 5am Friday morning.

Subtracting his full time job (Thursday from 8 am to 5 pm) this gives him 18 hours to get it done… Assuming he doesn’t sleep and can magically teleport to work and back.

As I sat on the train staring out the window I pulled out my phone for some sign of reassurance.

I looked over his email.

“Let’s test our ability to respond to circumstance!”

I hope this is a test we could pass…

Editing Begins

The next day and half are a blur.

It’s a race against time.

Kenji’s dream is to make videos for a living. Here’s his chance.

You can’t half a$$ your dream… If you want it to be real. [Click to tweet]

The remainder of Wednesday night is spent uploading and cutting the film.

2 1/2 hours of video… into 17 minutes. Days blur into one when you don’t go to sleep.

Though he’s physically at work his mind is on the video

“I can cut that.”

“I’ll add this.”

“That’s no good. How can I pull in their emotions?”

The workday ends, the brainstorming is over.

It’s time to edit.

Thursday 530pm

He drops by the convenience store on the way home.

Grabs a coffee and dinner.

“Won’t have time to get this later.”

Gets home. Sits down.

The next 8 hours would “test his ability to respond to circumstance”.

Thursday 7pm – The Test

“How to Multi Cam.”

He typed it in the search engine.

…

…

Kenji used 2 cameras to film the speech.

Problem: He didn’t know how to edit video that used 2 cameras.

How do you keep the flow of things perfectly in sync? How do you align the audio? How often should the angle change?

You ever watch a TV show and the sound doesn’t align with the actors lips… It sucks.

If the sound is a quarter of a second off – it will suck. We don’t want the video to suck.

There is literally no room for error.

The Problem Is The Critical Area

Let me repeat this: The entire video is based on a concept that Kenji doesn’t know how to do.

He has less than 8 hours to learn a new skill, use the skill, and finish the video.

As I write this I see his words one more time:

“Let’s test our ability to respond to circumstance!”

Words mean nothing with no action. They mean everything when backed by action. [Click to tweet]

The Response

The remainder of the evening would be spent with 2 computer screens opened up.

His laptop was open to a YouTube Tutorial of “How to Multi Cam.”

As he learned it, he implemented it on his desktop.

8 hours…

Learn and do. Learn and do. Learn and do.

The Phone Call- Friday 3 am.

I’m woken up by the phone on my pillow.

“What’s up?”

“Yo man, it’s done.”

“Wait! Really?”

“Yup! Yup! Let me know what you think about it when it’s uploaded.”

“Thanks man.”

“Glad to help. I got to get going… I’m gonna get some laundry done before I head out.”

It’s 3 am… And dude is gonna do some laundry.

I guess you gotta be a little crazy, if you’re gonna do crazy things…

The Video

Below is the video of the TEDx speech that Kenji and I put together.

I wasn’t able to make it to India, so they showed this instead.

Thank you Kenji. Words can do no justice for my appreciation.

Below are some pictures from the event.

TEDxChristUniversity

Ownership: TEDx Christ University

TEDxChristUniversity

Ownership: TEDx Christ University

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  • Jamie Alexander

    Absolutely brilliant. I’ve not watched it yet, but going by your other videos there will be plenty more talks to come.

    • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

      Thanks for saying that man.

      If you get a chance to see it – I’d love to hear your thoughts (and I’m sure Kenji would too).

      • Jamie Alexander

        Yeah, I will.

  • http://www.facebook.com/pgk2408 Pragati Kavilkar

    To the Team !

    THIS IS THE BEST SPEECH I HAVE SEEN IN MY LIFE.

    today’s post is a reassurance to me that I have definitely chose a right person as an ideal – YOU IZZY !!
    There’s so much to learn from both of you guys
    Mainly – Passion, persistence, optimism, hard work, and what not…

    Wow I seriously cannot explain in words how much this has moved me, and my emotions
    Kenji is very brilliant and very talented video maker

    Today, I have learnt from Izzy and Kenji that – “the only way to solve a problem is ACT – and ACT on it now ! ”
    I’m telling you Izzy your message is gonna move the world !!

    Peace

    • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

      Pragati you’re words have truly warmed my heart. Thank you so much for saying that.

      I feel very honored and humbled that you would say all of this.

      I am so glad you pulled out the deeper message of “Act”. I believe with all of my heart that nothing is more powerful than this. If we take action, we can learn. Learn and do. Learn and do. :) .

      Thank you for taking the time to write this comment. It means a lot to me – and I know it means a lot to Kenji as well.

    • usolee

      Pragati, feedback like that only fuels my ambitions and dreams. Thanks a lot, I really appreciate it!
      Also, if that’s what you learned today, imagine what you’ll learn tomorrow… and the day after, and so on and so on.

  • Lisa Stevens

    Izzy, if you think about it, there was never a problem with you sending your message to India by video. You reach all of us that exact way every week. Believe me, your message is powerful and inspiring even though most of us have never heard you in person. I am glad you and Kenji were able to rally and make this video. BTW, I get hungry, too. After watching your video I took a quick photo of my keyboard with lots of crumbles from sneaking my toast at my workstation. :) Love ya man.

    • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

      Dang Lisa, you don’t play! You make it rain on your keyboard :) !

      Thank you for putting this out there. It’s one of those situations that I wouldn’t change. Yeah, it was dissappointing to miss out on a trip to India – but it also gave me (and Kenji) an opportunity to face adversity head on. It’s empowering to know I can deal with this. Also,

      I’m thrilled to be able to use it as an example of “never quitting no matter what” for all the readers.

      I really enjoyed your perspective on this Lisa.

      Thank you so much for taking the time to write this :) .

  • http://www.facebook.com/lori.j.baldwin Lori Jean Baldwin

    Well done Izzy! A TED speech!!! Thanks for your inspiration and taking the time to share. Your passion screams through.

    • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

      Well I’m glad it comes out loud and clear Lori :) . I believe in the message with all my heart. I really want others to realize it is possible to follow their dreams… Of course, it isn’t easy :) – but nothing worth doing ever is.

      Thanks for taking the time to comment.

  • Rosie George

    I think you are an extraordinary person – with a gift to make something amazing seem possible.
    Your speech was inspiring and yet delivered with such humility.
    Thank you – it must have gone down a storm in Inida.

    • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

      Rosie thank you so much for your kind words. I’m so happy that you connected with the message.

      I believe with all my heart that we can all follow our dreams. Of course, it is hard work. That’s natures test as far as I’m concerned. She has to make sure we truly want it :) .

      Thanks for taking the time to comment Rosie :) .

  • Charlie Barginda

    Izzy, what an amazing and powerful speech! I think you and Kenji did an amazing job filming it in such a way that it’s moving, intersting, and communicates emotion perfectly. Your willpower and perseverance is an incredible inspiration :)

    • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

      Charlie thank you so much for saying that :) . It means a lot.

      Thanks for taking the time to comment.

    • usolee

      without willpower and perseverance i can’t imagine anyone successfully realising their dreams. good thing we’re surrounded by good examples here

  • Erik

    Thanks for sharing this speech, Izzy! It’s the inspiration I needed today. I’m always looking forward to your posts and videos.

    • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

      Awesome Erik :) . I’m thrilled that it gave you an extra “oomph” in your day. I hope you go out and make some crazy things happen!

      • usolee

        like you said in one of your earlier vids, ‘when I wake up I don’t get up, I bounce up’ that’s the kind of material you give to the world, Iz

  • http://twitter.com/GwynMinerva Minerva Gwyn

    What a great video edit! Congratulations Kenji! I wish you all the luck with working with what you love! :D

    Izzy, I loved the video! Did you see that the TEDx organizers posted a pic of the stage during the presentation of your video: http://www.flickr.com/photos/90269686@N06/8199578197/ ? I found it when I was trying to find whether they had already posted your presentation on their site (they haven’t yet). I was curious to see the crowd’s reaction to it. Really cool pic BTW! :)

    I’m very happy for you and your video is very useful to keep us on the right track. All the best!

    • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

      Minerva thank you so much for sharing this! I had gone through the pictures a while ago but I did not see this.

      Thanks to you I went ahead and added some of those pictures to the end of the post.

      I’m curious about the crowd’s reaction as well :) . I heard from the organizers of the event and they said it went over very well. But it would be cool to see it via video.

      I’m really glad you enjoyed the video. Thank you so much for taking the time to watch it and comment.

      • http://twitter.com/GwynMinerva Minerva Gwyn

        You’re both welcome! I’m glad I could help. :)

    • usolee

      nice find Minerva! of course Izzy deserves all the spotlight for his story, but after seeing this picture in a way I feel like I was there on that stage as well…

  • http://twitter.com/MsStJames Stephanie St. James

    Ok. This is fantastic! First Congrats on the Tedx speech YES it is also one of my dreams to be a Ted speaker. Second what a great friend in Kenji. I need some great friends like him in my life! I love that you took what looked like a bad situation and a possible great loss and turned it into a WIN for EVERYONE! Amazeballs again.

    • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

      Hi Stephanie :) .

      It’s always a good thing to be included in a paragraph with the word “amazeballs”. :) .

      I think that is an awesome component to your dream!

      Yeah, Kenji is a pretty amazing dude. I feel real blessed to have met him.

      Wow- Stephanie, the following line forced me to take a seat back. It really touched me:
      “I love that you took what looked like a bad situation and a possible great loss and turned it into a WIN for EVERYONE!”

      Thank you for mentioning that. I hope your day is incredible!

    • usolee

      Stephanie, let’s meet on that TED stage! (Let’s remember to get our Visa paperwork done early though) Giving a TED speech is just one of my many goals. It’s actually a 3 year goal for me right now but hey, the sooner the better. Aloha!

  • http://www.vishnusvirtues.com/ Vishnu

    Heard the story before but nothing is as impactful as this video. You might get an Oscar for this one bro. You’re like Diniro, Pachino and rocky balboa all in one character. Intense! Are you sure you weren’t doing some method acting in LA while you were down there. Love the presentation and video skills by that Kenji guy.

    Am I going to see this presentation live in a California coffee shop? Or is there more chances of me getting to see this in Japan somewhere? Are you taking the show on the road?

    You’re a crazy guy Izzy – keep up the crazy great work!

    • usolee

      I think his crazyness rubbed off on me… I find myself working and working and working harder and harder these days. It’s all for my dream through, so I never second guess it.

    • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

      What’s up V!

      First and foremost – YES! I am going to see you in LA. I’ll email you about it.

      “Intense” seems to be a word that I am hearing a lot these days. I can’t fight it… Maybe it’s true :) .

      I really feel it deep in my core – and I’m glad that the video was able to express that.

      I welcome “being crazy” any day of the week V :) .

  • Trevor Dimoff

    Great storytelling, Izzy!

    Gut instinct on this one, but I get the feeling that this video carries a greater impact than you might have been able to pull off live…perhaps its the editing or it might be that you appear calm yet intense throughout, sort of ninja-ish :)

    Always look for the third option…black and white are shades of gray!

    • Guest

      I think Izzy was actually there at TEDx Bangalor, India, but he got so hungry he ninja sprinted back to Japan and missed his start time

      • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

        Hahaha! Maybe this is true… But please don’t tell anyone as that would be a much less compelling story: “The time I missed my TEDx speech because I was hungry”… Not sure how well that will go over :) .

    • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

      What’s up Trevor :) .

      You might be correct on this one… Or maybe not. I hope in the future to find out.

      Kenji did a fantastic job with the editing. He definitely did quite a few things to arise emotions. Really at the core of it all, I want people to realize they can pursue their dreams no matter how absurd or crazy they seem. As long as they are willing to put int he work to make it happen.

      I think we all can get in danger of thinking there is only an “A” or “B” option. I always try and ask myself “How?”. I assume there is always a way – I just have to figure it out :) .

      Thanks for taking the time to comment Trevor. I love that your giving me credit as being “Ninja-ish”. I’ll take it!

      • Trevor Dimoff

        Where credit is due.

        I like “how?” It is an excellent way to avoid the trap of yes/no, right/wrong.

        I don’t always notice the box I’ve put myself into, but figuring helps…taking time to think, feel and then act.

        The trick is to take action and then noticing when the answer presents itself.

        • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

          Super valid point. The key is to take action with humility. If my focus is on growth and process then I’m always trying to look for ways to improve.

          It’s just like you point out: “The trick is to take action and then noticing when the answer presents itself.”

  • Fabiana

    Izzy!
    I feel priviledged to have, shall we say, shared/ been around and reading your blog since that part of your journey where you were inn Japan but not quite following your dream.
    You definitely have a gift to move people :) and of course do it by setting the example.
    Kenji definitely worked his a@@! And then he did laundry?? That must be a state of anxiety/ excitement those hours. And you, giving your speech 8 times after you prepared for it for about a month = pure determination.
    I really liked the video, it was very sincere and makes you ask yourself important questions. It was also interesting to see it all visually, like painting the picture of driving, breathing deeply… The angles seemed to flow nicely. The message may be similar, reflecting your fundamental ideas, but felt quite new.
    We really have to keep our eyes open for that “C” choice that at first may not be apparent!
    I also think it was great that you included the peanut butter story! Gosh I remember reading that and laughing out loud and the same thing happened watching the video haha. I can also relate. I eat breakfast, then around 10 I’m hungry even though I eat lunch at 12! It was hilarous how the other teacher said you had to do it in secret. I didn’t remember that part of the story.
    The cartoons were also a way to make the video reflect you and your work :) so good idea to include that :) especially the first one with the ninja.
    You have changed the way I see my dream. Reminded me that it’s *my dream* (to be a doctor), remembering my purpose, and not staying stuck with an attitude of “things aren’t right”, “I’m tired of studying”, even if there are things I would change in how I receive my education, I can control how much work I put in, seek extra opportunities, and my future (pretty motivated about rocking residency later, somewhere else).

    • usolee

      I get hungry at 10am too, but I can’t say I’ve ever resorted to PB&J in a bathroom stall. I can however, relate to Izzy’s breakdown scene of him in a car on a freeway in LA. I think we all can relate to that moment to some degree, the moment we realise our reality doesn’t match our ideas. Izzy’s story is too great to fit into a video though, but I did what I could :)
      …and then I did my laundry lol

    • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

      Fabiana I cannot put into words how much this comment warmed me.

      It’s kind of crazy, yeah?

      You know when I first started writing I didn’t necessarily know if people would find it useful, interesting, or beneficial. I stil remember when I got your first emails. It was so encouraging to know that someone found my story of benefit.

      You really have been with me since the beginning of this blog – it’s really cool. The way you articulate it in that comment is beautiful. I even found myself feeling a tad bit nostalgic :) .

      I feel so honored to have impacted your perspective on your dream. You got incredible things ahead of you Fabiana. You got that rare combination of drive, purpose, and self-analysis with humility. Your ability to humbly analyze your own wants and desires in life combined with your respect for hard work is inspiring to me!

      I’m so proud to call you my friend. And excited to see what crazy things you do with your life.

  • usolee

    To the Ninja’s in you

    My name is Kenji, I’m that crazy friend of Izzy.

    First of all I want to admit something: this is probably my second time posting a comment on one of Izzy’s posts. I always knew about them, read um, and talked to Izzy about um whenever we hung out. But wow, reading and writing comments here is… powerful.

    Put aside the ‘amazeball’ness of Izzy’s stories and ideas, and this site still has a lot of powerful content – us. I mean when individuals from around the world surround one topic and put pieces of their lives on the table for all to see, discuss, and ponder about… powerful. I’m a 27 year old ninja so I grew up with internet and consider myself to be on the able side of the technology gap. Still, however, within the technologically literate and internet savvy are those of us who sit back and watch it all happen. Those of us who are skilled navigators weaving through this ever-growing ever-changing environment, masters of finding, gathering and saving bite-size pieces of information.

    Then there are also those of us who aren’t satisfied with watching it all happen, they want to make it happen. They want more than to be proficient at navigating through the masses of media blasted in our faces everyday. They act. They create.

    It goes without saying what kind of actions Izzy took. More interestingly though is how much his actions inspired other people to act. On a smaller scale (in comparison to actions towards life goals) these actions are when people comment. Little though they may be, they are nevertheless actions put in motion by Izzy’s. Ideally these small actions from multiple individuals around the world will add up into a massive action generator where everyone can use it to push towards their biggest dreams!!

    Wait a minute… that’s already happening.

    I’m a regular guy with extraordinary dreams. And reading these kinds of comments, exposing myself to these kinds of ideas, and participating has been… powerful.

    Aloha

    • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

      What is up Kenji!

      You live and breathe this line: “They act. They create.”

      You act, and you create. I would add one component to this that gives crazy power. You act, you create, you learn and then go through the cycle again based on what you learned.

      It’s makes me smile because it is such a simple concept. Of course, living it is is a little bit harder :) . But at the core of it is learn and do, learn and do, learn and do.

      Dreams are a beautiful thing… when we take action toward them. They are a tragedy when they are thrown away under the guise of “it’s not possible”.

  • http://www.facebook.com/marcelo.chinellato Marcelo Chinellato

    Izzy,

    I think you have psychic power, because every time I am having a real shit day and don’t know what to do you come up with an inspirational post that makes me want to bounce back and turn my challenges into something positive!!

    Great post, awesome video, I will certainly share it and spread the word. You are doing a great thing and you know that! Cheers!

    PS: I also want to leave an “awesome job” to Kenji!!!

    • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

      Yo Marcelo :) .

      I’m glad this gave you an extra push man. As we all move towards our dreams it is so darn important to find ways to motivate ourselves. I’m thrilled I could play that role with you today.

      I take intentional action each and every day to make sure I keep motivated, energized and excited. Everyday I want to increase my sense of possiblity. I read books, I listen to audio, and then I take action.

      Of course, some days are hard – if it were easy everyone would do it. Keep on pushing man. And remember – I gave you my email to be used if you ever need it. If I can help, just let me know. :)

      Thanks for taking the time to comment.

      • http://www.facebook.com/marcelo.chinellato Marcelo Chinellato

        Well Thank YOU for taking the time to comment ;) Oh and for that e-mail address as well!

        I will finally make use of that e-mail and send you an update of that mission! It is funny, since I wrote that comment 2 days ago my life has turned upside down but I took it in the best way possible and I think you were an important part in that!

        Good things to come!

        Cheers,

        Marcelo

  • Sean

    Great video. I’d say “speech”, but as soon as you two decided to challenge the circumstance and do a video worthy of TEDx & Izzy’s awesome story, it became a lot more than just a speech. You guys clearly worked an insane schedule getting this out on time. The results are amazing and inspirational (both the video and the story behind it). Congrats.

    Kenji, I liked the camera work showing Izzy’s breakdown scene in the car. It shows the intense stress and anxiety. The kind of stress that we can all relate to on some level. The kind of stress that tells us that something isn’t right.

    And it’s scary how relatable that level of stress and anxiety is for me.

    Seriously guys… what’s with the 10am eating? That happens to me too! Never had to take my breakfast to the bathroom though. The “eating in secret” part does make a hilarious story.

    • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

      Hi Sean :) .

      I’m thrilled you enjoyed the speech. Yeah, it was a pretty wild experience. It’s kind of a blur looking back on it :) .

      That stress that your feeling can be a good thing if you use it as fuel to commit to changing your life. You know what i’m sayin’?

  • Tania Belkin

    Izzy,

    Your video is great.

    Very genuine and empowering! I hope you will be able to do a live TED presentation sometime soon:)

    • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

      Thank you so much for saying that Tania!

      That makes two of us. I hope I will be able to as well :) .

  • http://www.blog-growth.com/ Mauro D’Andrea

    Thank you Izzy. That speech was so inspiring that left me without words.

    • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

      Hahaha! So Awesome :) . Thanks man.

  • http://twitter.com/ZivanaMindset ZivanaMindset

    Hey Izzy great to “meet” you :) So awesome to see you in action and I think you scored ito the video that you could add some theatrical elements to your talk! So proud of you and as always, without repeating myself, I’m so chuffed to watch your story blossom and touch others.

    • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

      Thank you so much Zivana! It took a lot of work to put it together but it was worth every ounce of effort.

      Thanks for all your support and for taking the time to comment.

  • http://twitter.com/findotitihere Otiti

    And that, boys and girls, is how you give a TEDx talk that rocks out even though it’s streaming on video. I’m so happy you were able to make it happen, man. Ninjas never give up, yo. Kudos to Kenji for the smooth flow, too. :)

    • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

      Haha – so awesome Otiti :) . Thank you for all your support. I appreciate it so much.

  • Tomo

    Thank you Izzy.

    Great speech with tons of passion and as always, a lot of fun.- 07:45″ My supervisor sees this” …..☺ (big smile.)
    and to your friend – Kenji “Let’s test our ability to respond to circumstance!” can´t get it out of my mind.

    Peace n´love

    • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

      Thank you so much for saying that Tomo :) . I really appreciate it.

      Yeah! Kenji’s words are way powerful.

      Peace n’ love right back at ya’

  • http://twitter.com/balexandros Bryann

    Wow, congrats for presenting your speech on TEDx! Being invited to anything TED-related is a big plus in my books. But despite not being able to be there physically, you and Kenji made it happen anyway.

    More people need to see your presentation. You’re story is always a powerful one because I also see a reflection of myself before I decided to strike out on my own. The hard truth is that lots of people are silently undergoing similar internal struggles about what it is they’re trying to get out of life, and yet they have no one to turn to. As they leap to pursue their dreams for the first time, they’ll have almost ZERO allies. But it’s comforting to know that we all have allies and peeps we can relate to, they’re just spread out throughout the world.

    • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

      Bryann you speak a very powerful truth here. This is exactly why I write and share my story. I want people to realize 1) they are not alone in wanting to pursue a dream and 2) it is possible.

      It is critical to find people that support us in the pursuit of our dreams. Even if it is only one person – we need that! There are times when the dream will become too much, when we will doubt ourselves. It is these times when we need to be able to connect with those key people in our lives. I’m working hard to spread the message man. Please share these posts on Facebook – that is what seems to get the most traffic.

      Thanks for taking the time to comment Bryann.

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