Chapter 4: The Quest Begins

I always wanted to feel like I was undertaking some kind of quest. Perhaps this was something I adopted from the video games I spent my childhood playing. In the virtual world, a good quest made things more adventurous and exciting, and gave me purpose. Why couldn’t real life be like that? Was there, perhaps, a grand Quest that we were here to undertake? Something we were always born to do? 

I thought so. 

I had found my Quest, somewhere in the Mountains of Queenstown, in late 2017. It took much journalling, contemplation, and meditation to reveal it - dredging through layers of myself, like panning for gold in a muddy river - but I had found it. I was heading down the career path of Hospitality Management at the time. But with my new gleaming insight, continuing the road of Hospitality Management would be blatantly wasting my time. I had a Quest to fulfil, and investing my time into anything that wasn’t the pursuit of that Quest seemed foolish. 

Time was running out.

— — — 

Dunedin, March 2018

The Dunedin Chinese Gardens was where I began sketching out my plan for 2018. Having just settled into Dunedin, I felt blessed to be living only 5 minutes away from the Chinese Gardens - a sanctuary nestled in the heart of Dunedin. How wonderful it was to have a small slice of China on my doorstep, with its majestic architecture, striking rock formations and still ponds. I took my seat at one of the marble tables in the checkered plaza, and unfolded my planning journal. As soon as the tea arrived, hot in its glass pot, I was ready. I couldn’t do this without tea…

Okay, so I was ‘undertaking my great Quest’. It sounds fancy and adventurous, but what does it really mean? In essence, I was launching my own brand: ’Joshua St Clair’. I was leaving behind my day job to focus entirely on building my platform as an Artist, and mastering my crafts as a Musician and a Writer. In knowing that it was these fields where I was to fulfil my Quest, I needed the time and energy to cultivate them, and to strengthen my creative capabilities. Back in Queenstown, when I was working full time in a restaurant, I would come home too tired to solidly improve in my music or make any progress on my writing. At that pace, it would take me two lifetimes to grow my platform big enough to fulfil my Quest, and actually have the impact I wanted to have with my work. I needed to go all in. The goal was to make practicing Music and practicing Writing my full time job.

The sun above me crawled out from its cloud-thick abode, and the page of my journal suddenly dazzled my eyes. Luckily I had my sunglasses. I slipped them over my eyes, took a sip from the tiny glass teacup, and leaned back into my journal. The day was favourable.

I recalled the phone call I had with my mother - she had voiced the concern that she and Dad shared regarding my decision to not get a job in Dunedin, and to focus wholeheartedly on my own work as an Artist instead. It just didn’t make sense to them. I had such a good lead on the Hospitality Management gig - a solid career path that could have taken me as far as General Manager or perhaps Owner of a prestigious hotel or restaurant somewhere in the world, earning a comfortable salary. But that’s just not who I am. Nor is that where my Quest lies. But I understood their concern when I told them that it was the Arts that I wanted to pursue. Surviving as an Artist in our modern world is notoriously difficult. While they still supported me for doing what I loved and doing what made me happy, they were right to be concerned for my financial well being. But I would rather die a poor man having succeeded in my historic mission, than a rich man ignorant of his True Purpose. 

Poetic sentiments aside, I needed money to survive. It’s a simple fact of our world. But I had a plan for that, too… That was what I came here to dig into. But first, I needed a refill on my tea. I rose and strolled across the checkered tiles like a Bishop in a Chess game, entering the quaint tea house holding my teapot. The lady was more than happy to give me a refill, going to fill the jug as I went back to my marble table. 

In the earliest days of 2018, I began busking in Queenstown. It was remarkably lucrative, whereby I was pulling in profits of over $100 a session, simply playing my own piano compositions by the waterfront. It seemed almost inconceivable to me at the time, but busking was indeed a viable source of income. While living in Dunedin, I could commute to Queenstown every 5 days or so to earn enough money to cover my expenses. It was only a 3 and a half hour drive to Queenstown - it was absolutely possible. So long as I earned enough for rent in Dunedin, gas for the commute, and food for the week, I could get by. I didn’t need to save money. I only needed to earn enough to pay for my lifestyle. It was time I would get paid in - time to practice my music and writing, and build my platform during my days in Dunedin. The goal was Financial Independance, and busking in the tourist-flocked Queenstown made this entirely possible. 

Excitement began welling up in my belly and chest. The prospect of driving across Central Otago to earn my income as a busker tasted incredibly adventurous. Designing my life like this was thrilling. It felt only right - to be the one who dictates how my life should go. Not the corporate world, a taxing full-time job, or an over-bearing boss. The vision of Freedom, the sense of Quest-hood, was within arms reach. I adjusted my sunglasses, and dove back into the page. 

How was I going to build my platform as an Artist? I had two things in mind: Grow a Youtube channel, and grow a blog. The beauty of the South Island is unmistakable - epic landscapes are just a drive away from Dunedin, and it was about time I let my camera breathe the fresh air of New Zealand, and capture its essence and magic in film. With visually stunning videos to accompany my music, I could start growing my Youtube channel and reach more people with my musical expression. As for my writing, the plan was to grow my blog by telling stories and discussing themes relating to The Heroes Journey - surely I could garner some interest by writing about the deeper topics that I was interested in. If I was productive enough, I could grow my online presence enough - through music, writing, and videos - to perhaps earn some income by selling my work online. It was all possible. Difficult, perhaps. But possible. 

I guess I was starting a business, of a sort. I had tried launching ‘Joshua St Clair’ one year prior, but failed because I had college responsibilities. But now… there was nothing holding me back. Nothing claiming my time or energy. I was free to really go ahead and do this thing. I drew a line under all that I had written, and wrote my 3 goals in big, bold letters:

• MAKE PRACTICING MUSIC AND WRITING MY FULL TIME JOB
• ACHIEVE FINANCIAL INDEPENDANCE
• GROW MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL AND BLOG BY PRODUCING REGULAR VIDEOS AND STORIES

I slapped my journal closed, and sipped the last few drops of tea. The sun was retreating; it was best I do the same. I had work to do, after all. With pen and journal tucked into my bag, I marched out of the checkered courtyard - more like a knight in the chess game, this time - and caught my breath at the sight of the Chinese buildings, as if I completely forgot I was in the Chinese Gardens. There couldn’t have been a better place to plan my year; to plan my Quest. A sanctuary - truly, if I ever derailed from my path, I could return to these gardens, and be reminded on what I needed to do.

A gentle wind invited me out the wide doors of the Sanctuary. I crossed the bridge, over the pond, and back into the streets of Dunedin. My mind was alive with inspiration. But one thought stood above all others, and it sent ripples of adventure through my soul.

‘The Quest Begins!’