“I embraced death until I became arrogant.” Although I had spouted the words in effort to comfort a friend, I only recently came to realize the honest nature of my spontaneous quote.

One of the reasons that I find joy and motivation in being alive is because I am ambitious. As an aspiring storyteller, one of my goals is to, of course, publish a story that is a product of my own experiences and imagination. Like anybody else, I have bad days, and sometimes there are passing thoughts about giving up on my dreams, my future, and passions. However, what pulls me back to a motivated state is the simple question: If I don’t write my stories, who will?

The answer to that is no one. No one can tell the stories that I can, and I believe this wholeheartedly. You might notice, in fact, that the declaration sounds pretty darn arrogant. I personally think that everyone needs some arrogance in moderation to find the will to make it through the uncertainty of life.

Some people might call it self-esteem, but I disagree. Self-esteem is security in one’s self as they are and the confidence that comes with it. It’s an internal mechanism of security that allows a person to stand tall and firm behind their choices. Arrogance, however, is a mindset that speaks of a relation between the individual and the world around them.

I believe that the world would be a worse place without me. If I were to die or disappear or give up on my dreams, the world loses the potential for stories that can touch hearts, loses a mind that can understand cultural differences, and a person who genuinely cares about the happiness of (some) other people. I am arrogant because I can say with full confidence and a little bit of theatricality that the world may not need me, but it would be a worse one  if it loses me.

Honestly, I don’t think that’s a bad philosophy for people to take.