"What do you want to be when you grow up?"
Most people have probably heard that question at least once in their lives. And any yahoo can tell you that the response you had when you were 5 probably doesn't match the reply you would give today.
You might have had dreams of roping cattle and riding into the sunset, but now you are opting for a job as an accountant. Or, you might be that one person who never let go of the "when I grow up" response. Because, darn it, you wanted to be a space cowboy then, and you still want to be a space cowboy now.
No matter how your career and life goals transformed as you grew up, one thing remains the same: you have to make it happen yourself.
Hip-hop artist and promoter Fabel is a prime example. In this week's centerpiece, writer Tyler Thompson takes us into the world of an artist who is so passionate about becoming successful, he learns the only thing he can rely on to do it is good, old-fashioned hard work. Fabel, an ASU alum, makes his own CDs, publishes his own magazine, organizes his own concerts and fights negative stereotypes of being a "thug"-all to sell his music, his publication and even himself. Fabel doesn't wait for people to discover his talent and message. He goes out and makes people discover him.
We can all learn a lesson from this kind of Fabel: never underestimate the value hard work and inner drive-even if you want to be a space cowboy.
Reach the reporter at spmag@asu.edu.
