A Million Miles In A Thousand Years: What I Learned While Editing My Life

Believing that he lacked a clear ambition in life because of fear, Miller argues that while fear makes people feel safe, it is also a “manipulative emotion” that leads them to live a boring life.

Miller liked a girl who was part of his group of friends. The girl had not paid attention to him. However, when a friend invited him on a hiking trip to Machu Picchu, the girl was also interested. While Miller was not in good shape for such a hike, he decided to do it. He researched the Inca Trail, learning how hard the hike would be. Miller notes that, without realizing it, he had created an inciting incident. The hike would force him to get into shape and lose weight. He was motivated to go to the gym the next day.

Miller started exercising, and his trainer taught him that progress is important even when slow. Miller felt his life had more meaning now that he had a reason to get up every morning—making sure he could manage the hike in Machu Picchu.

Miller references the film Star Wars and notes that it was good because all the characters had clear ambitions. Miller wonders if the reason people’s lives are often “muddled” is that they do not know what they want.

Still scared, Miller started searching for his father, recalling him as an athletic man, in contrast to himself, and he felt nervous about meeting him. He notes that while watching a story is fun, living it is harder. By pursuing his father, Miller learned that there is a “force” that stops people from living good stories. While God wants people to create good stories, dark forces lead people to live meaningless ones. Dark forces try to prevent people from confronting their fears. He suggests that bad things happen in the world when people move away from God’s guidance. He connects this idea to the storytelling process and the resistance creative people like writers often when trying to create. 

Through a friend who worked in the District Attorney’s office, Miller learned that his father lived in Texas, not far from him, and had died five years before. Quoting McKee, Miller notes that a story consists of positive and negative turns. A character must understand that without a negative turn, the story is not interesting. Miller felt relieved that his father was dead as he was able to form his own ideas about him. He also forgave him and felt, for the first time, that he missed him. He felt proud of himself for daring to look for him.

Miller was convinced that his ambitions were not the “stuff” of good stories and notes that the same is true for many Americans. Miller uses the example of advertising to emphasize that “The ambitions we have will become the stories we live” (124). He notes that advertising manipulates several elements of storytelling to convince people that they are miserable and will be happy after buying a product. This process works as an inciting incident that forces people to buy something to achieve happiness. Miller suggests that stories are “based on what people think is important” (125).

To get ready for the Machu Picchu hike, Miller rode his bike daily but still felt unprepared. Despite that, he went on the trip. When he arrived in Peru with the group, he was worried that he would not make it through the hike and embarrass himself in front of the girl he liked, but he was also amazed by the beauty of Cusco, a small town where they were staying.

Miller describes the hike in detail and notes that the group took the hardest trail to Machu Picchu. The guide said that historically, pilgrims followed that road because they would appreciate the city more once they arrived having endured the difficulty. Miller proved a better hiker than he anticipated. On the second day, the group continued to the summit without stopping for breaks, which gave Miller a feeling of accomplishment. Despite their fatigue, they continued to Sun Gate on the third day. Miller notes that the pain made the experience more beautiful, and the “practice story” made him a different character. Miller learned about the hardships the Incas endured to build the city and understood the significance of people’s sacrifices. The trip changed him because he realized he was capable of “physical challenges.”

Miller notes that people have trouble writing their own stories because they have limited control over their destinies. A writer can control the scenarios around the characters’ lives, but real people can only control certain actions as life has negative and positive turns.

After Miller returned from Peru, his mother called to say she had discovered that his father was alive and living in Indiana. She had talked to him on the phone and he wanted to meet his son. Miller was astounded since he thought that his father was dead. 

Miller avoided calling his father for months but deeply desired an inciting incident in his own story. His friends encouraged him to talk to his father. Finally, Miller called his father’s voicemail mail and said he would travel to Indiana to meet him. His father responded that he would wait for him.

Miller was nervous, feeling that his father was a stranger. When he met him, he noticed he looked like his sister. His father welcomed him and talked to him about the past. While Miller was reticent, they recalled memories, and his father explained he did not want to divorce Miller’s mother. However, after the marriage fell apart, he remarried and remained happy. Finally, he asked Miller to forgive him. Miller notes he forgave him and has never felt resentment against him since. His father also said Miller writes great stories. Even though Miller did not seek his father’s validation, his words influenced him.

Miller changed after meeting his father, feeling that he was living a good story and a life with intention. He was also in better physical condition and was dating a woman he liked. Miller wanted even better stories. He argues that once people create their lives like the structure of a story, they want more. They can no longer accept meaningless scenes. Miller now wanted an epic story.

During another writing session, Steve suggested their story was good but not epic. For a story to go to the next level, the character’s ambition must be very difficult and sacrificial. The character must risk his life for someone else. Miller realized what his stories lacked and desired more.

Miller joined a group of friends on a kayak trip in British Columbia and marveled at the beauty of the mountains as he had in Peru. During the trip, Miller pondered what story he wanted to tell with his life. He argues that people primarily learn about stories through interacting with each other.

During the kayak trip, Miller met Bob, a person who helped him redirect his “moral compass” and reject an ordinary and common life. The guide described Bob as a lawyer that had built a large house close to the water. Bob welcomed the group, and his wife offered them food. When Miller asked Bob about his decision to build the house, Bob explained that the idea was to invite world leaders and talk about peace. The idea was his children’s.

Bob was once appointed the American consul in Uganda but felt nervous about interacting with diplomats. His kids told him they would invite leaders for a sleepover. Bob thought the idea was brilliant, and the family sent letters inviting leaders to their home to ask them about their hopes. Finally, 29 leaders agreed to an interview. His family traveled throughout the world and built relationships. Bob understood that world leaders were just people who wanted the best for their families and friends. After that, Bob built the lodge and hosted a few leaders. Before leaving, the dignitaries wrote a peace treaty about how they would “live sacrificially” and try to make the world better. When Miller asked Bob the key to living such a great story, Bob suggested that people should “embrace whimsy” and take risks. To say goodbye to the group, Bob and his family jumped into the water.