Fong Shui.

The other day I started reading a book titled, "The Accidental Millionaire" and was very curious after reading the back cover, "Want to succeed in life? Stop trying." It's a memoir by a famous wedding photographer, Gary Fong, who actually grew up in LA very close to Compton. He was a first generation Asian-American and an only child. His family struggled financially throughout his childhood and he had an unrelenting fear of becoming homeless. His mother was set on him going to medical school and becoming a doctor. He had other plans, but at the same time was scared to disappoint his mother...and father because he knew how much they had sacrificed for his education. When he finally shared with his mom his plans of becoming a wedding photographer she practically disowned him, but he pressed on and followed his passion. He dealt with depression and the stifling pressure his mother put on him to be something she wanted him to be. It wasn't until he spotted a bumper sticker that read, "Since I gave up hope, I feel much better," that Gary "stopped trying" and began "succeeding in life".

I finished it in 2 days. He talks a lot throughout his book about focusing on the process rather than rigidly sticking to and focusing solely on one goal. Fong talks about always being prepared and always being open to new opportunities and possibilities that just may surprisingly present themselves when you least expect it. This makes so much sense to me. This way of thinking allows for so much more freedom and gives way to so many more opportunities to learn, to grow, and make changes where needed. "When you're passionately preparing for one thing, the universe [aka God] may be preparing you for something else. As long as you're actively and creatively preparing for something , you're usually on the right track (Fong, 260)." He also mentions that "the process of getting ready for what's around the corner is what makes life so much fun" and I'd have to agree. It's about training ourselves "to daydream with discipline."