My 30th birthday brought on a serious meditative analysis of my life and self identity. I have some great accomplishments but have paid dearly for the rewards.
As a child of age 5 or 6 I remember having two dreams; to be a world renowned scholar and Olympic champion. I have sacrificed time, sleep and anything else it took to pursue these goals often finding that my reach had exceeded my grasp.
Did You Know… A Swahili word, taraje may be translated; ‘to expect’
12 years ago I made my first Olympic team. I was 19, with a self enhancement bias that forced my independence. I found myself in challenging scenarios often; discussions, arguments, physical negotiations and power struggles. I later realized that not only do I search for challenging people and environments, but I attract them as well.
Did You Know… taraje was home schooled and started college at the age of 15
Great revolutions occur when a system is poised in a critical state.
-Mark Buchanan
I have been diagnosed as bipolar/manic depressive, having an anxiety disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and been prescribed a range of medication to combat the symptoms. I have tried Western tools like Lithium and Depakote to Eastern practices such as meditation, acupuncture and yoga.
As I interacted with several mental health professionals I found the answers were often unsatisfying and their understanding theoretical at best. I accepted the prescriptions and tried the medication as my doctors and family urged, all the while knowing marijuana lowered my aggression, aided in managing my irritability, lowered my anxiety and helped me to focus on my studies. I had difficulty trusting the process for selecting a suitable prescribed medication as I was advised my choice was a question of my tolerance of the side effects; the most prominent being a notable decrease in cognitive ability, one which I could not accept.
Did You Know… In 2004, Taraje defeated Gal Yekutiel of Israel in the round of 16 to become the youngest U.S. male judoka to win a match at the Olympic Games
I began to research the history of mental illness, treatments, perceptions and survivors. I found myself studying some of the same people I learned about when researching the behavior of high achievers while preparing for the ’08 Beijing Olympic Games.
No great genius was without a tincture of insanity.
-Aristotle
Among this group of high achievers we may notice themes such as struggles with fame, drug addiction and suicide. None here lack ambition.
Plato, Michaelangelo, Vincent Van Gogh, Leonardo Da Vinci, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Abraham Lincoln, John Nash, Frederich Nietszche, Napoleon Bonaparte, William Blake, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Isaac Newton, Ernest Hemmingway, Edgar Allen Poe, Ted Turner, Nina Simone, Frank Sinatra, Axl Rose, Catherine Zeta Jones, Russell Brand, DMX, Mel Gibson, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Brittney Spears, Chris Brown, Demi Lovato, Jimi Hendrix, Richard Dreyfus, Robin Williams, Marilyn Monroe, Amy Winehouse…
