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The Audacity of Independence (/Zayn Life Lessons)

What is it about people wanting to move from their herd to become independent these days? Has it always been there? Am I noticing it late or is this a new thing (in which case I am still keeping up, thank god!)? Either ways, I feel fascinated at people trying to move away from a comfortable setting to which they are used to, to find an identity for themselves. And obviously am talking about people like Zayn Malik.



Nobody asked the chap to leave 1D, nobody pushed him to pursue a different identity than the one he was tied with, nobody assured him of the security blanket that encapsulated him at his time in 1D to continue protecting him. Despite all the odds stacked against this decision, he broke the protective barrier around him to find himself, the Zayn Malik, independent of his band. 



When I was his age, I decided to study more just so I could buy more time before opting for a career carved out of an interest rather than of voicelessness. Even with a life so lavish & comfortable, his uneasiness to settle as a pop star forced him to break the protective barriers, just so he could explore himself better. 

This kid, who couldn't even complete his education was taken away (literally) by fame. You'd think he wouldn't know anything outside of his comfort zone. But look at him, rocking that solo career like its No Big Deal. His concerts, the people in his band, the people associated with the band outside of the singers, the audiences he interacted with, the arenas with sold out tickets, the videos they shot - I guess these and a few other things were all he had at his disposal as sources to learn more about the business, sources to learn more about his life and the world. And boy, did he take an amazing lecture out of all of this and actually used them to propel himself to a boorishly independent career. This rabbit hole did help him come out unfazed but as a different, transformed, righteous individual. He did it with so much suaveness and authoritative demeanor, it made the world think he had it easy. 



Now one might argue, that he had the perfect set up to take up the task of finding his voice outside of 1D. But even so, how many of us have ever had the courage to get out of a system that has provided us with all kinds of things covered under the first three steps of Maslow's hierarchy? How many of us have stuck to jobs we dislike only because it's helping make money, which is rotting in our bank accounts camouflaged as "money for world travel" or as "money for my marriage (to an invisible person we haven't even met)"?

This is exactly why I think audacity is an important factor when it comes to pursuing an independence, to be charmed by a fiery passion to understand our own desires, to actually go after them and become hugely successful in accepting this identity. I admire Zayn greatly because not only did he get out of 1D but the man found his music and unabashedly announced it to the world in terms of his intense songs. 







Lesson learnt. Its always important to believe in the impetus that fuels your passion, to kick the odds that aren't in your favor and emerge victorious (insert John Bender Victory fist pump image! Wait I can actually do that). 


       


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