Dear Murray

Do you think there is an inverse relationship between self-esteem and motivation? Are people who are happy with themselves less driven to improve, and therefore less likely to accomplish great things, or does a healthy mental attitude equip one better for success?
-Fighting off contentment

Comfort is a fucking poison. There’s something to be said for the struggle. I hate to quote Hollywood here, but fuck. You have to hit bottom if you’re ever going to make it to the top. Let me tell you about rock bottom. After Murray moved to LA, he got a job in a Korean sweatshop/prepress lab. After four weeks of mutual hatred for each other (sweatshop owner tells Murray on Friday nights at 6 p.m. that he is supposed to work Saturday at 7 a.m., Murray says “FUCK NO”) they fired me. After seven months of unemployment and the occasional freelance gig, I was staring at rock bottom. Unemployment was running out, I had no car or friends, and to top it all off, I’d given myself a haircut and completely fucked that whole experiment. My mama came to visit, and I was considering going back home with her, but she said the exact wrong fucking words to me. “Murray, come home to Normal. It’s OK if you fail. Everyone fails.” I took a swig off my beer, looked her in the eye and said “the only way I’m coming home is in a body bag.” (Ma starts crying here). That night, I went to the sweatshop and took a big piss in their mail slot. I decided I was gonna do this, and I was gonna do this my way. Now you can see the sexy beast I’ve evolved into before you.

The problem is with parents. They don’t teach their kids to strive to change the fucking world. They just want a couple of grandkids to play dress up with, and have holiday cookouts. It doesn’t matter your socio-economic background. It’s a matter of learned drive, by example. If you ever tell your kid “it’s ok to fail”, FUCK YOU. You don’t deserve to be a parent.

Now leave me the fuck alone.