It is true: I applied to go to Mars and help establish a colony in 2023 — and so can you! More about the mission.* Below is a copy of my motivation letter. I think it summarizes a lot of my philosophies about living a great life. For me, it is about inspiring humanity.
Dear Mars One,
My motivation is simply: Long ago when everything went wrong and my life seemed to reach the pit of despair, I asked myself a question: “If I only have one life, one chance, if I could do anything, what would I do?” It was the hardest question I ever asked myself.
At that time, my answer was to ride a bicycle around the world and seek the meaning of life and the secret of happiness. After four years, 26,000 miles, 50 countries, 6 continents and 4 moments of enlightenment, I found the answers to all my questions and more.
However, the paradox of life as a human being is always wanting more, always seeking change and always creating new realities. Now I ask myself the same question every day: “If I could do anything, what would I do?”
So when I heard about the mission, I asked myself: “What if I could go to Mars and push the boundaries of what it means to be human?” My answer was a resounding “Yes!”
I believe I would be an important addition to the crew because people find my experience and attitude inspiring. Perhaps more importantly, the survival of our species depends on our ability to adapt, and I can use my stable emotional disposition and vast experience to draw from the diverse cultural backgrounds of the crew members to re-frame our “problems” as opportunities to explore and stepping stones to our goal. I believe this approach would create new solutions to the inevitable new problems we will encounter.
Also, my experience as an ambassador, author and artist would serve to make me an ideal public face for the mission and help document the journey, which is of utmost importance, not only for funding the trip, but also for bringing back home to Earth the lessons we learn, which would become embedded into the human consciousness of what is possible, and help create the foundation for humanity to launch even bigger endeavors.
Thank you for considering me to be a part of the Mars One mission.
Sincerely,
Scott Stoll
Below is my initial video. The last line is the best! Mars One* is scheduled to launch in 2024.
Footnotes
Update Feb 4, 2014: Mars, here I come! I just made the top 0.5% and was selected to go to the second round of the application process. Still hoping to be the first person to bicycle two worlds. PS. Instead of “Mars One” shouldn’t this really be called the “Mars One-Way Ticket”? Mars, here I come! Still hoping to be the first person to bicycle two worlds.
* 2019: The website is no longer working. I’m sad to report that Mars One has been declared bankrupt by a Swiss court. I do belive they had good intentions.
