Day 2: Chasing Buses

Day 2

Inspired by this Bold Italic article : "Why the Chinese Chase the Bus" by Christy Chan. It appeared in my facebook feed today; if you think about it, Facebook is scary in its targeted advertising. The writer muses over how Chinese people tend to strive for goals that seem impossible. She explores how that tendency helped her become an artist: "And since you’ve never been told you have natural talent, looks, or gifts, you just have to honestly, unflinchingly believe in yourself. Faith is reason enough to chase the bus you choose."  I love the article and I highly suggest reading it for inspiration. The epilogue is funny too; it has happened to my friends.

This poster is also my personal metaphor for goal-setting. When I first started going to the gym 7 years ago, it was with a small, silly, and sincere goal: to be able to run after the bus.  Acheiving that small goal propelled me into 10ks, half-marathons, running down mountains, and snow-boarding over the years. I was the inactive bookish kid who couldn't run a mile in grade school and hated being outdoors. I never thought of myself as an active person who loves the outdoors until I took up running. It exposed me to nature, helped me meet people, and boosts my mood. None of these things would have happened if I had not made the silly goal one day to chase after a bus. Now, I'm making another silly goal of pursing design. I hope that this turns out as well as running.

What bus are you currently chasing? Has a stranger ever demanded a ride from you.