As a big fan of the TV series 24, I identify quite strongly with the central character. The anti-hero. Jack Bauer.
Jack is an odd character to achieve such popularity. He approach to things is not often clean. People he is involved with usually end up dead. However, he is a very watch-able character; although constrained by the world around him - he wins through.
Simply, Jack is a man of strong principles and equally strong talents. As each series progresses, he is put in impossible situations that test his principles. Things that most people would admit defeat over. But not Jack. He is a survivor.
The strength in Jack’s character is also his major flaw. By sacrificing everything for his principles, for the success of the missions … he has done exactly that. Sacrificed everything.
He is currently imprisoned by the Chinese, with a dead wife and an estranged daughter. Not exactly the paragon of success.
Over the last few months, I’ve felt remarkably like I’ve been in the plot of a 24 series. The project I’m involved in provides a constant stream of impossible challenges, with not much pause. I too am driven by the end goal and have managed to find solutions to numerous road blocks. This, however, has required substantial personal sacrifice.
Today I realized I am not in the 23rd hour, as originally thought, but merely watching the clock tick over the 59th minute of a very long day.
Progress for sure. But at what cost?