Message from Kurt - Odds and Percentages

Kurt gave me permission to share this message with you guys. I thought it was awesome.
-CP
__________

Hey Christine,

Just wanted to say how great it was to see you today. Also, I re-read your email from this
morning about odds and percentages, and just wanted to share a few thoughts that occurred to me on the drive home:

Fewer than 15% of all applicants get into USC film school. Far worse odds than you face
now. You beat that.

A miniscule percentage of the people who produce a low-budget documentary get
picked up for theatrical distribution. Immensely worse odds than you face now. You
beat that.

The odds of becoming a successful, working, produced Hollywood screenwriter? Probably
less than 1% of the people who want to do it. Bokenkamp's done it. The odds of becoming a Nicholl Fellow? Less than 1 in 1500. I've done it.

We're a pretty amazing group of people, and we've all been beating far worse odds than
this on a regular basis; you're going to be fine. Jon, Zahir and I were talking about this in
the car on the way home: we just know you're going to be fine. We don't know how we know, it's just a certainty we all feel separately. Just wanted you to know that.

__________

For fun I also thought:
Chances of selling your very FIRST spec script? Alex
Chances of starting your own company in your garage and have it turn into a million- dollar business? Al
Chances of marrying a controversial yet lovable actor named Robert? Susan :)
Chances of becoming a big cheese exec at Disney? Jason
Chances of starting and owning a super awesome and successful website? Dan
Chances of having your pilot picked up? Emily
Chances of being forever known in the Star Trek Encyclopedia as "Dillard"? Mike
Chances of supervising multi-million dollar movie digital effects departments? Eric
Chances of being nominated for an Oscar? Lance, Pia (Ooh, I know I am forgetting a few!)
Chances of being THE guy who gets to yell "You Idiot!" at Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible 2? Tony
Chances of having your play put up at the Public in NYC? Julia
Chances of winning multiple Emmys before the age of 30? Sharyn
Chances of retiring before the age of 30? Mark
Chances of travelling around the world performing lead roles in Broadway shows? John
Chances of having a fight scene with Jennifer Garner on Alias? Vicky
Chances of getting your very FIRST book published? Steve
Chances of your very FIRST book getting on the Best Seller list? Rory
Chances of having the script you wrote attract two A-list stars AND having it produced
AND distributed? Katie AND Jon (and I'm sure there is more... help me with this...)
Chances of doing what you love and pursuing your dream? All of us!

Live passionately,
: ) CP