Become major, Paul. Live like a hero. That's what the classics teach us. Be a main character. Otherwise what is life for?

J.M. Coetzee
About This Quote

As a child, I struggled with being a major, Paul. I was serious and hard-working, but somehow didn't want to play the hero. I wanted to be a main character in life. I wanted to have an important part in history.

In other words, I wanted to be a “main character” in the story of my life. Once we understand that we are all major characters in the story of our lives—every day we must choose to live like a hero and do what we must become major in this world.

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