I just listened to TED Talk by Andrew Stanton about story telling. And things that he said re-opened my mind to why I’m an animator.
Finding Nemo by Pixar is the movie that makes me want to do what ever it is that make those fish feels real to me. My dream goal! To animate characters that makes audience feels that it’s real and connect with their lives.
Long story short, I went to animation school after high school, and lots of things happen in my life, my family, both ups and downs. My life stories got richer and more meaningful, learned more skills to live life peacefully. I landed my first animation job and actually become an animator, or what I thought when I was a little child as making (unreal) things feels real to audience.
Time passed and I feel that I’m stuck with my so-called career as animator. I’ve been pursuing the road that I thought I supposed to be in. To climb up the ladder, to do a lot of things to reach that higher level of that ladder. [And I'm still on this road - not saying to change route or anything. Yet.] But my main dream goal has transformed. It was to make audience feels their lives connected with my animation piece, now it’s more like I want to be famous, I want to be in every cool movies in the world, etc. I thought I can just simply reach that ‘new dream goal of fame’ in couple easy ladders.
Reality is, I’m not there, I’m still on the same ladder. And that, often times, to be quite frank, makes me not thankful and realize that I’m nothing without ….. (fill in the blank)
That TED Talk by Andrew Stanton awakened me, reminded me of how I used to be just want to know people’s story and want to care for them through my animation. It kind of slapped me in the face to why those ladder, and vague dream of fame, could ruined my pure and honest childhood dream.
I’m trying to be content where I am at in life and just slowly caring for people around me more. Learn their stories and connect with them through telling stories and listening to their stories. I failed daily, but I’m also forgiven daily 
“What ever I ended being good at, I would strive to be worthy of the second chance I was given.” – Andrew Stanton
