Chasing The Dragon

One of my favorite things to do growing up was playing video games. High fantasy Role Playing Games or RPGs. Games like World of Warcraft.

For the Alliance!

Before you go out and buy one of these games, commercials flash across the screen. Depicting gameplay footage and cinematics. What do these advertisements always show?

People fighting dragons. And they wield epic-looking swords and intricate pieces of armor. Fighting off beasts, battling evil, going toe to toe with fire-breathing magical creatures, and soaking up all of the glory that comes with it.

The pinnacle of the fantasy genre battle. You see other people doing this and say to yourself, “I want to fight a dragon. That looks epic.”

So you buy the game. Get ready for your adventure. Ready to fight!! Let’s go.

But wait… How does the game start?

Do you get dropped off in front of the dragon’s lair and run in to take your glory? No. Not even close.

The game starts in the middle of a forest. And for the most part, you are naked. No weapons, no armor, no spells, just you. Starting at level 1. No glory for you yet young traveler.

So you begin your exploration through the forest. And you come across a boar. Using your hands, arms, legs, whatever you are equipped with, you wrestle the boar to the ground and defeat him. To the victor goes the spoils. You take the boar’s tusks. Now you are armed with a weapon.

You continue traveling through the forest and come across a bear. Equipped with your boar tusks in hand, you attack the bear and defeat him. Drape the bear’s pelt across your back.

Next, you stumble upon an enemy guarded shack. A sentry is posted up outside. You sneak up behind him and victory is yours, once again. You acquire his sword.

Armed with a sword, you take on more skillful adversaries. Victory rewards you armor, better weapons, tools, trinkets, potions, spells.

The forest gives way to mountains. Deserts, oceans, cities, towns all pass beneath your feet.

All the while, gaining skills, building yourself up, making yourself stronger.

Until you come face to face with the dragon.

This whole time, all you wanted to do was fight this mythical beast. But the cost of entry was an adventure through the world. A quest to level up yourself.

Even though these events take place in a video game, I think life acts the same way.

We look around and see other people fighting dragons. And we want a piece of the action. We want fame and riches, and glory, and purpose, and fulfillment, and legacy. So we strap on our boots and set out on our own quest. Level 1 awaits.

While our intentions are mighty, our execution is faulty. Where do we stray off course? Where do we go wrong?

Maybe you immediately start wandering around looking for a dragon. Talk to the local townsfolk. Poke your head in a few caves. Chase rumor after rumor, story after story, from one town to the next.

There are a few problems with this strategy. There is a good chance that you never find anything. You become a lost wanderer. Doubt starts to creep in that dragons even exist. Momentum wanes. The battle is lost before it even starts. You abandon the quest altogether.

The next problem arises in the small chance that you actually stumble upon a dragon. Ok, you found one. What next? Do you have any idea how to fight? Do you know anything about dragons? You quickly realize the answer is no. And the dragon consumes you.

You were not prepared. The opportunity slips through your fingers. Will there be another? I don’t know… How often do you see a dragon?

Another route to take is at the opposite end of the spectrum. I am going to learn how to fight dragons. So you devote all of your time to studying them. Looking for weaknesses. Their scales are tough as iron. Teeth are sharp as knives. When smoke billows from their nostrils, prepare for the breath of fire. Wings, claws, horns, tails, the list goes on.

And herein lies the problem. In your studies, you realize that there are a lot of different types of dragons. This one has two heads. This one has spikes on the end of its tail. This one has a venomous bite. With every additional attribute, your studying increases. There is always more to learn.

And just as the wanderer becomes lost, so does the scholar. Because the scholar tells himself that he is not ready until he learns more. Forever stuck in the library. Seeking the dragon becomes an afterthought. There is no discovery unless you take action on what you seek.

The last path may be the most difficult for us to break. Watching other people fight. We are engrossed in others’ battles. We watch youtube videos, follow social platforms. Cheer them on like gladiators fighting in the arena. Try to leech off of their victories, hoping to convince ourselves we are in the battle as well.

But in the end, you know deep down you are just a casual observer. Just a person sitting in front of the television, watching the commercials flash across the screen. “Look how cool it is to fight a dragon. One day, I’ll be a knight.”

What do we do? What is the better strategy?

That is a great question. One that I had to ask myself. Because I will fight a dragon. And victory will be mine.

So what am I doing? Where can you find me?

I’ll be in the forest. Wrestling boars. Attacking bears. Forging weapons out of anything I can get my hands on. Adding pieces of armor along the way. I’ll be fighting. Gaining skills. Experience. Leveling up.

I’ll be chasing the dragon.

When you commit to leveling up. When you commit to becoming the best version of yourself. When you become master of the forest and beyond, the master of yourself.

Eventually, when the time is right. The entrance to the dragon’s lair will materialize in front of you. Because you have been deemed worthy for battle.

Where is your forest, fellow dragonslayer?

Glory awaits.