Sometimes, the Internet can feel like a middle-school playground populated by brats in ski masks who name-call and taunt with the fake bravery of the anonymous. But sometimes - thank goodness - it's nicer than real life.
Susan OrleanRead
I never thought very many people in the world were very much like John Laroche, but I realized more and more that he was only an extreme, not an aberration - that most people in some way or another do strive for something exceptional, something to pursue, even at their peril, rather than abide an ordinary life.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that most people, like John Laroche, seek extraordinary experiences rather than settling for a mundane existence.
In this quote, Susan Orlean reflects on the character John Laroche, pointing out that while he may appear extreme in his relentless pursuit of something exceptional, he actually represents a common human desire to strive for greatness. This pursuit can often come with risks and challenges, but it is a fundamental aspect of the human spirit to seek extraordinary achievements instead of accepting a life of mediocrity.
Themes
PursuitExceptionalOrdinaryLifeStrive
In practice
Example use cases
During a motivational speech about embracing challenges.
More from Susan Orlean
All quotes →I really believed that anything at all was worth writing about if you cared about it enough, and that the best and only necessary justification for writing any particular story was that I cared about it.
Susan OrleanRead
You have to appreciate the spiritual component of having an opportunity to do something as wondrous as writing. You should be practical and smart and you should have a good agent and you should work really, really hard. But you should also be filled with awe and gratitude about this amazing way to be in the world.
Susan OrleanRead
I suppose I do have one embarrassing passion- I want to know what it feels like to care about something passionately.
Susan OrleanRead
I remember three- and four-week-long snow days, and drifts so deep a small child, namely me, could get lost in them. No such winter exists in the record, but that's how Ohio winters seemed to me when I was little - silent, silver, endless, and dreamy.
Susan OrleanRead
There's a marvelous sense of mastery that comes with writing a sentence that sounds exactly as you want it to. It's like trying to write a song, making tiny tweaks, reading it out loud, shifting things to make it sound a certain way... Sometimes it feels like digging out of a hole, but sometimes it feels like flying. When it's working and the rhythm's there, it does feel like magic to me.
Susan OrleanRead
Similar quotes
Regardless of how you feel inside, always try to look like a winner.
Arthur AsheRead
Work is an antidote for anxiety, and ointment for sorrow, and a doorway to possibility. Whatever our circumstances in life, my dear brethren, let us do the best we can and cultivate a reputation for excellence in all that we do. Let us set our minds and bodies to the glorious opportunity for work that each new day presents.
Dieter F. UchtdorfRead
What's the worst that can happen? If it doesn't do well I can put on my big girl panties, deal with it and move on.
Halle BerryRead
Every time you take a risk or move out of your comfort zone, you have a great opportunity to learn more about yourself and your capacity.
Jack CanfieldRead
You must realize one thing. In every little village in the world there are great potential champions who only need motivation, development and good exercise evaluation.
Arthur LydiardRead
In my mind, I've always been an A-list Hollywood superstar. Y'all just didn't know yet.
Will SmithRead