Stop trying to be SpongeBob

SApologies for the delay my friend.

It’s been a crazy 3 months. Suddenly I went from trying to land 1 ghostwriting client to having 3.

Balancing it all with writing online and working 4 days a week was straight up overwhelming.

I almost burnt out.

But I’m still alive. And I’m figuring it out.

Without further ado, here’s the next issue.

This month, I turn 24.

A lot has happened the past 2 years:

• Dropped out of engineering

• Dumped on Valentine's Day

• Traveled to 7 countries

• Grew an audience to 2200 followers & 300 newsletter subs

• Built up a $1k/mo ghostwriting business

As I think back to my childhood, I couldn't help but remember SpongeBob.

It was my favorite show growing up.

There was this one episode where Squidward tried to teach SpongeBob how to sculpt.

This isn't the first we see of Squidward's struggles. You see, everybody knows he also plays the clarinet. It's usually met with a lot of...mixed reception.

As a kid, I laughed it off. Here's this guy (or squid...?) who was super passionate about art, music, and all these things, but he just sucks at all of them. Plus, he always seemed like a jerk anyway.

Then there's Spongebob. Our titular protagonist.

With little instruction from Squidward, he became Michelangelo reincarnate.

But that's not even the craziest thing he's pulled off.

You see, in another episode, Squilliam (Squidward's arch nemesis) forces Squidward to play a gig with his band that was on in a few days.

Only problem is, Squidward doesn't have a band. And Squilliam, knowing that, set it up as a big ploy to humiliate Squidward.

(They got seasons of beef at this point)

But Squidward was too prideful to allow it.

So he recruited the finest players in Bikini Bottom, like Mr. Patrick Star over here:

And our prodigal son, Mr. Squarepants:

And, for a while, it seemed like things weren't going too bad.

But then, Squidward lumped a saxaphone in the brass section.

Nobody knew how to play their instrument.

His flag twirlers flew up and crashed into a blimp. (May they rest in peace.)

It all came to a head the night before:

• A huge fight broke out

• Instruments were destroyed

• Patrick got turned into a trombone

And so...Squidward gave up. He walked away in tears, his final words being "I'll just tell them you died in a marching accident."

But here comes Spongebob...our hero. Our savior, the Chosen one, stepping up to the task.

In just one night, he went from a drumstick blower to turning a rag tag team of volunteer musicians with 0 experience into one of the greatest rock bands in the world.

And he was the lead singer.

So...Aaron why the hell are you telling me this story?

My whole life, I wanted to be like SpongeBob. Who wouldn't? Society worships the SpongeBob’s of the world. And honestly, I had the evidence:

• 4.3 GPA in high school without trying

• Top 3 high school bass clarinetist in California at 17

• Went to a top 10 engineering school in the USA

I call it the Cult of the Prodigy:

• The 3 year olds playing piano concertos

• High school students explaining the 4th dimension

• 14 year olds literally dreaming in code

I had this whole identity built up of being this brilliant kid. Everything came easy to me because that's what smart people do.

I was going to do big things one day!

But you know that shitty fan theory about Harry Potter, where he dreamed up the entire series in his head as a coping mechanism for the abuse he suffered from the Dursleys? (I destes this theory btw)

Same thing with me. I was so depressed and hated my time in school so much, I cooked up this fantasy of being this chosen one whose time will come one day.

And I fell for it it.

Unfortunately, I see this happen a lot with multi-talented people. You grow up getting gassed up about how smart you are. And there’s truth to it.

You kind of are hot shit.

You have both interest and the capability to learn & master different things.

But in the past 2 years since I dropped out of college, I realized something.

You and I, we're more like Squidward.

Sure, I'm decent at some things, naturally talented at others, but I also suck at a lot of things. Even the things I enjoy.

And you know what, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Imagine a life where everything came easy to you.

You never had to put in any effort.

Simply by eating, farting, and picking your nose, the:

• Money

• 6 pack abs

• Girls (or guys, whichever way you swing)

...Effortlessly flow to you.

Where's the fun in that?

Society paints this weird picture of mastery where everything is supposed to come easy.

And it's not just SpongeBob. Look at every shounen anime protagonist. Most of them are:

• Prodigies

• Learn in weeks, not years

• “Once in a thousand years” talents

I'm looking at you, Itadori Yuji.

But that couldn't be further from reality.

Mastery of any kind is ugly.

It takes years of making countless mistakes that are:

• Dumb

• Expensive

• Exhausting

• Humiliating

As a Multipassionate, I hate to break it to you, but life is going to be harder on you than most people.

The path to true mastery begins when you accept your inner Squidward.

Catch you in the next one,

Aaron