The main reason Santa is so jolly is because he knows where all the bad girls live.
~George Carlin (1937-2008)

I just watched a PBS Special commemorating the great comedian George Carlin and there was something that struck me about this evangelical hippie. It's not about George's ability to conjure show-stopping ideological ironies that he manages craft into utterly rhythmic and poetic monologues, neither it is about his sharp wit that turns seemingly ordinary thoughts into extraordinary brain droppings as he'd call it.

The part that caught me was about his discipline on his passion. At one part, Jon Stewart (host of the Daily Show on Comedy Central) talked about his opportunity to meet the man before hosting '40 years of comedy with George Carlin'. He flew out to California to meet George and didn't know what to expect.

So when he met George, he was expecting to watch the master at work - getting inspiration from being up in Aspen Colorado while relaxing and having some drinks. But what he saw when he entered Carlin's office was just a desk and a computer. Jon was amazed at how this anti-establishment mind - whom judging by his reputation had probably already gained his fortune in comedy - punched-in everyday and sat in front of his desk and worked. What most thought was a life of fame and fortune sat this blue-collared guy behind his desk who was dead serious about his passion. And when they headed to the Wheeler Opera House in Aspen, he saw George pacing back and forth rehearsing his routine about advertising one after another. 40 years in comedy and he was still choreographing, presenting, drafting and perfecting it.

Ask ourselves, how many of us would have done that? (Particularly those who're working from home and who are still stuck at dreaming about our fortune)

One thing for sure that we can all learn from the great George Carlin is his discipline that he put to his passion. It doesn't matter what he did, and who you are, if you want to be truly successful (and more importantly stay there) - there's no break from your passion. You gotta 'do your time' like any other person and there ain't two ways about it.

(Of course the difference if you were in George's shoes would be that you'd be worried about different things - like censorship! lol)

I'll end this with a very apt monologue from Mr. Carlin entitled 'The Modern Man'.