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Authors: Mat Hoffman, Mark Lewman
Tags: Biography
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instead, I put the past behind me and decided to tell the class all about my occupation.
The day I returned to school it felt weird. I hadn’t been in the building for ten years and the look and smell brought back a few memories of my days inside the institution. Using autopilot, I found the class I was supposed to be in and stepped to the front of the room.
I started by telling the students that they could choose a traditional career like a doctor or a lawyer, and if that was what they were into, then great. More than likely, they would have a lot of support. But I also noted the great thing about life is the freedom—that it’s possible to build a career around just about anything you’re passionate about, no matter how abstract it may seem. The trade-off is the less mainstream your path, the fewer acceptances you may receive along the way. The important thing is to let your heart lead you, because every field has hard times, and even going “the traditional route” isn’t worth it unless it’s what you truly want to do.
I told them my career was a good example of a line of work that didn’t receive a lot of support. My choice of riding bikes took me out of school for tours and competitions so much that even though I made up my work, I was asked to “pursue other means of education.” Even though my career had caused the absences that led to me being kicked out, I didn’t lose my thirst for learning and growing. I’d followed my passion, and that provided me all the purpose I needed, regardless of whether it was an accepted occupation by society’s standards. “By breaking convention, I was able to make a career worthy enough to be invited to speak in front of you here today on Career Day.” I concluded with a sly smile.
The teacher who invited me had no idea I’d been kicked out, and her wide-eyed expression and the awkward pause that followed said it all.
“Why don’t we watch a video?” I suggested and popped the tape of my career highlights I’d brought with me into the classroom VCR. As the action unreeled on the TV monitor, the students got stoked, and I was glad I’d made it back to class to deliver a dose of subversion. Mission accomplished.
Airing over Chris Miller at the Gold Coast in Australia. I tore my rotator cuff on a one footed 540 days before. Circa 1990.
05
NINJAS, ROGUES, ROCK STARS, AND REJECTS
I was booted from school, but Mom and Dad took it in stride. Since my dad had been kicked out of his high school and he’d turned out okay, I joked with him that I was following in his footsteps (he didn’t find this quip nearly as comical as I did]. My mom, an educator, helped me create a self-learning curriculum so that I could maintain my riding career and learn what I needed to know.
My first act of self-education was to get a Ph. D. in Nintendo. For about two months solid, I stayed in my room playing Mario Brothers until my thumbs cramped up and my eyes twitched from watching a TV screen all day. Rumors of my recently completed Secret Ninja Ramp reached Dennis McCoy, prompting him to come down for a session. He glanced at my bike, covered in cobwebs, and asked what tricks I’d been working on. “I can get the hidden mushrooms and power up to beat the last boss!” I told him happily. Dennis looked at me like I was insane. I probably was. He brought me to my senses by doing what he’s so good at: merciless ridicule. He pointed out the obvious facts—I had an incredible new indoor ramp,some upcoming contests, all the free time I wanted, and an obligation to myself to use my gifts. Dennis was right, of course. I said good-bye to Mario and Yoshi, stowed the Nintendo console under my bed, and proceeded to get back the proverbial eye of the tiger. If it was my job to ride my bike, then I was going to be Employee of the Month, every month.
I drew a modest paycheck from Skyway, but it was still more than I could spend. I hadn’t ever considered the politics of being paid to
The day I returned to school it felt weird. I hadn’t been in the building for ten years and the look and smell brought back a few memories of my days inside the institution. Using autopilot, I found the class I was supposed to be in and stepped to the front of the room.
I started by telling the students that they could choose a traditional career like a doctor or a lawyer, and if that was what they were into, then great. More than likely, they would have a lot of support. But I also noted the great thing about life is the freedom—that it’s possible to build a career around just about anything you’re passionate about, no matter how abstract it may seem. The trade-off is the less mainstream your path, the fewer acceptances you may receive along the way. The important thing is to let your heart lead you, because every field has hard times, and even going “the traditional route” isn’t worth it unless it’s what you truly want to do.
I told them my career was a good example of a line of work that didn’t receive a lot of support. My choice of riding bikes took me out of school for tours and competitions so much that even though I made up my work, I was asked to “pursue other means of education.” Even though my career had caused the absences that led to me being kicked out, I didn’t lose my thirst for learning and growing. I’d followed my passion, and that provided me all the purpose I needed, regardless of whether it was an accepted occupation by society’s standards. “By breaking convention, I was able to make a career worthy enough to be invited to speak in front of you here today on Career Day.” I concluded with a sly smile.
The teacher who invited me had no idea I’d been kicked out, and her wide-eyed expression and the awkward pause that followed said it all.
“Why don’t we watch a video?” I suggested and popped the tape of my career highlights I’d brought with me into the classroom VCR. As the action unreeled on the TV monitor, the students got stoked, and I was glad I’d made it back to class to deliver a dose of subversion. Mission accomplished.
Airing over Chris Miller at the Gold Coast in Australia. I tore my rotator cuff on a one footed 540 days before. Circa 1990.
05
NINJAS, ROGUES, ROCK STARS, AND REJECTS
I was booted from school, but Mom and Dad took it in stride. Since my dad had been kicked out of his high school and he’d turned out okay, I joked with him that I was following in his footsteps (he didn’t find this quip nearly as comical as I did]. My mom, an educator, helped me create a self-learning curriculum so that I could maintain my riding career and learn what I needed to know.
My first act of self-education was to get a Ph. D. in Nintendo. For about two months solid, I stayed in my room playing Mario Brothers until my thumbs cramped up and my eyes twitched from watching a TV screen all day. Rumors of my recently completed Secret Ninja Ramp reached Dennis McCoy, prompting him to come down for a session. He glanced at my bike, covered in cobwebs, and asked what tricks I’d been working on. “I can get the hidden mushrooms and power up to beat the last boss!” I told him happily. Dennis looked at me like I was insane. I probably was. He brought me to my senses by doing what he’s so good at: merciless ridicule. He pointed out the obvious facts—I had an incredible new indoor ramp,some upcoming contests, all the free time I wanted, and an obligation to myself to use my gifts. Dennis was right, of course. I said good-bye to Mario and Yoshi, stowed the Nintendo console under my bed, and proceeded to get back the proverbial eye of the tiger. If it was my job to ride my bike, then I was going to be Employee of the Month, every month.
I drew a modest paycheck from Skyway, but it was still more than I could spend. I hadn’t ever considered the politics of being paid to
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