What’s the line between living large or living small?
So I was thinking again about the movie, “Chasing Mavericks.” Two of the characters in this movie are friends who live life very differently. One lives a very small story and one lives an epic story. The epic story is not just that he is chasing the monster wave, but it is also in how he lives his life in the ordinary day-to-day. The line between these two lives is very subtle, and the small choices make all the difference.
The main character is the boy who, despite tough circumstaces, is living a large story. He is not afraid to dream and he takes steps to pursue that dream. He works hard and knows that nothing comes easily. He has values and some basic principles that seem to guide his life:
- He sees obstacles as opportunities.
- He stays positive, affirms people, forgives people and keeps moving forward.
- He sees life as a great opportunity to seize the moments and live it to the fullest.
His friend in the movie lives a life that is very small. He had similar opportunities but he takes short cuts and settles for an easy road. He blurs the lines between right and wrong. He settles and doesn’t take the risks that are needed to do great things. He is afraid of standing alone and he seems to have stopped dreaming.
People need to be inspired by others who live large stories — by people who are not afraid to make the right decisions, who do things differently than the crowd, who aren’t afraid to stand alone, to work hard, to risk, to have fun yet not compromise.
It is always a battle to live out a larger story. The truth is, it is hard to find people who are living those larger stories. For me, it can be a lot easier to get comfortable and settle in. But I am challenged again to live life differently. I want to live big.
So who is someone that has inspired you by living out a large story? What are some things you have seen in people who live large?
