Frank Ocean’s Accidental Message of How Anything is Possible

Frank Ocean

I was surfing the web the other night and came across the Tumblr page for Frank Ocean. He’s an up and coming songwriter in the music business (he wrote “I Miss You” on Beyonce’s new album). While scrolling through the site this post caught my eye. A fan asked him to write a letter to himself five years ago, explaining what his life is like now. His answer to the question, “Explain your current situation to your five-years-ago self,” intrigued me…

hey chris,

your name is frank now..it’s a long story. your girlfriend is about to break up with you because of the long distance. it’s ok. & that job you’re working..well, you’re gonna have to work there for another year and some months.. & then you’re gonna get fired. you’re gonna work a couple more jobs after that too. nothing glamorous. kinkos and at&t if you really want the specifics. but you’re never gonna be homeless or starving. don’t worry you won’t fail and have to move back to new orleans either. you are gonna get your heartbroken though. twice. if it helps, the first one is gonna be worse than the second. contrary to how it feels, it won’t kill you. in fact it’s gonna help you write an album. yea, you finally finished an album. people like it man. you’re actually gonna write and record hundreds of songs. they won’t all be good and most ppl won’t think you’re talented at first, but you’re going to master your gifts. you’re going to become a lot stronger and wiser..even a little taller. be patient. i mean, you kind of have no choice. and be good to people. i don’t wanna spoil too much for you, but.. you’re on a plane right now to the east coast to work with kanye west & jay-z. it’s all working out kid. you made it.”

Aside from the fact that the back story is all kinds of interesting, it’s crazy to me that in just five years his life changed so dramatically. Like, REALLY changed. He went from working at Kinkos to writing songs for some of the biggest names in the music business. Oh, and he’s 23, by the way. That just goes to show you that anything is possible. That burning passion you have inside for whatever it is you love to do? Follow it. You never know where it may take you.

Until then, don’t let your dreams become memories. Start living them today.