From “Spectator” to “Actor”
I’ve been reading Medium for like two years now and in this period I absorbed an incredible amount of knowledge in such fields as programming, personal development, leadership and entrepreneurship.
I’ve also found here very fascinating people who gave me a lot of advice and tips. A great thanks to them (especially to Aytekin Tank, Ana Guerra, Tigran Hakobyan and Steve Campbell).
But today is a special day. I’ve been a “spectator” for too long. Now I’m starting a new chapter where I become an “actor” of the world, giving my contribute to the community. I’m going to start writing on Medium.
Hi, I’m Gonçalo, currently a Computer Science student in the last year of my bachelors degree and I’m going to write about my experiences and what I learned with them.
Why am I doing this?
Two years ago, when I was a freshman in college, my uncle Pedro gave me a book and in the first page it was written by hand a simple yet powerful quote:
“Dear Gonçalo,
Life is punctuated with milestones that anchor destiny. You have just planted one of these milestones with the beginning of your university studies.
Soon you will be an actor and no longer a spectator in the construction of the world.
I hope this book will be a source of inspiration for your future endeavors.
All the best,
Pedro Vagos
16 January 2017”
In the moment I understood the meaning of it, I realized the power that I possess in my hands to change the world. And this is why I pretend to become an “actor”.
So what is a “spectator” or an “actor”?
We form our knowledge and thinking through reading books and articles, hearing teachers, parents or any other person talking and seeing even posts on social media. We do it passively. This is being “spectator”, being passive about what surrounds us. And this is a usual behavior for everyone, it’s inevitable and also a good thing. In fact, being a good “spectator” will allow us to be a good “actor”.
An “actor” is like the extension of a “spectator”. He also observes the world passively sometimes. But he also is the kind of person who wants to participate in the community and wants to be interventive as well. He criticizes not only for the pleasure of criticizing everything and everyone. He tries to help others and when he sees anything wrong, he points that out, trying at the same time to provide solutions.
I already decided what I want to be. And you? Do you want to be just a “spectator” or want to change the world by being an “actor”? Tell me in the comments ☺
Did you like to read this text? If so, hit the clap button. Also if you want to see more of my content, you can check my other texts here on Medium at medium.com/@gpcosta111 or you can also see everything I’m posting here and in other places in my Twitter @gpcosta111.
