Hey Collective Crew, Shaun here. What does it truly mean to breathe something into life? On this week’s The Gold Mine, Chance and I sat down with former CANSOFCOM member Pat Miller to explore the powerful, and often misunderstood, concept of “Aspiration.” Starting with the word’s origin “to breathe in” we journeyed through a deep discussion on how a fleeting idea transforms into a life-altering pursuit. The conversation navigated the critical difference between a simple want and a true aspiration, the discipline required to grow a spark into a raging fire without burning yourself out, and the mindset needed to chase something so big it feels almost impossible.
This Week’s Aspirant:
– Pat Miller: Former Canadian Special Operations, film armourer, and professional photographer, sharing insights on the journey from elite service to creative pursuit.
Key Insights from Our “Aspiration” Discussion:
1. Aspiration as an Act of Creation – Breathing Life into an Idea
Pat kicked off the conversation by highlighting the Latin root of “aspire,” meaning to breathe. This became our central theme: aspiration isn’t just dreaming; it’s the active, oxygen-fueled process of “breathing something into life.” As I noted, the things worth aspiring to typically require a lot of oxygen, a lot of velocity and momentum. It takes no breath to dream on a couch, but it takes significant effort to breathe a massive goal into reality.
2. From a Spark to a Bonfire – The Fire Metaphor
An aspiration begins as a tiny spark or an ember. To grow it, you must gently blow on it, nurturing it until it can sustain itself. If you neglect it, it fizzles out. This metaphor extended throughout our talk, contrasting the simple pleasure of a small, manageable fire with the all-consuming effort required to maintain a massive bonfire, which demands a constant hunt for fuel.
3. Don’t Start with the Bellows – The Danger of Uncontrolled Velocity
While it’s tempting to throw everything you have at a new aspiration, I cautioned against using the “bellows on a spark.” Applying maximum force too early, like sprinting without warming up or attempting an expert move as a novice, often blows the ember out or sends it where you don’t want it, leading to injury or burnout. Growth must be controlled and strategic, starting at a one out of ten before you can handle a ten out of ten.
4. The Collective Fire – Aspiration in Service of a Mission
Using an analogy from The Lord of the Rings, I made the distinction between a solo bonfire and a network of signal fires on mountaintops. Building a fire for yourself is one thing, but being part of a larger, collective mission, where your fire signals to others, infuses the effort with a deeper purpose. When you’re part of something bigger than yourself, the aspirational journey feels easier to sustain, and you’ll try harder for the group.
5. The Scale of Aspiration Should Be “Ridonkulous”
We drew a hard line between small daily improvements and true aspiration. Making your bed is a discipline, not an aspiration. A true aspiration should feel so big, so far out of reach, that you feel an internal sense of embarrassment or imposter syndrome just thinking it. It’s in the tension between believing you can do it and feeling the sheer impossibility of the goal that the “mystical beauty” of the journey resides.
6. The Transition from Amateur to Professional
Pat made the crucial point that “amateur” literally means “for the love of it.” While aspirations must begin there, a true pursuit requires a mental shift. I added that on day one of any new endeavor, you can decide to no longer think like an amateur but to think and act like a professional. This change in mindset fundamentally alters your approach and accelerates your progress toward the goal.
7. The Necessity of Obsession and the Danger of Dabbling
To truly chase a significant aspiration, a degree of obsession is required. You have to immerse yourself, research, and live the thing you are pursuing. However, this focus must be balanced. While on your main “aspirational pipeline,” other sparks will appear. It’s okay to glance at them, but getting sidetracked by “dabbling” can derail you from your primary mission.
8. Breadcrumbs – Left by Ourselves, or Others
We explored the small tricks we use to pull ourselves back toward our goals. Pat shared how he left money at the Campbell River skydiving drop zone, forcing him to return. I spoke of how receiving a Carl Zeiss lens from Pat was a “breadcrumb”, a thing that makes me want to honor the gift by learning to use it well. These physical objects, cash on the bar, or even a well-timed, challenging word from a friend can help carry us further down the path.
Final Thought: Aspiration is the Deliberate Process of Becoming
Aspiration is not a distant dream or a static goal on a vision board; it is a deliberate, oxygen-fueled process of breathing a greater version of yourself into existence. It demands the patience to nurture a spark, the wisdom to control the fire, and the courage to chase a goal so massive it forces you to evolve. The journey itself is the prize, forged in the tension between who you are and who you are relentlessly striving to become.
What ember are you breathing life into this week?
Listen to the full “Aspiration” discussion here: Aspiration
Keep that fire burning,
Shaun & The Collective Crew
