What makes us successful in life and how do we achieve the dreams we wish to acquire? Here are some thoughts I had:
1. Visualize what you want and then make a plan of action on how to achieve it.
Often we have this vison of what we want for our careers, but I think it’s important to sit down and really determine how to make those dreams into a reality. Create steps toward achieving that goal and build a system to make that happen.
2. Face your fears and meet them head on
One of my friends gave me a plaque that says, “If you couldn’t fail, what would you do?” I have that sitting on my mirror and I look at it every morning before I go to work. To go into a project or start something new without that fear of failure hanging over my shoulder is a freeing feeling.
You’re going to face obstacles along the way in your career. People who fail you, things that don’t come out as well as you hoped, or life falls apart around your career. Staying focused and readjusting your needs are key. But more than anything, remember the people around you: your family and friends. Those are the people who will be with you whether you’re a success or failure.
3. Be PROACTIVE not REACTIVE
A successful person doesn’t wait for things to come to them, they make them happen.
4. Do What You Love
As a writer, I think this is so true. When we write what we love, our heart and soul pour into the pages. My agent and I were talking about what I should write next and he reminded me once again, that it’s important to know the market, but I needed to write the project that I was passionate about.
5. Work Hard
There is no easy path to writing a great novel. It takes sitting down and spending hours and hours with your butt in the chair. Beautiful writing and great storytelling take time and mutliple revisions. It requires looking at a story from mutlipe points of view and spending time with the characters in your world.
Being successful is hard work, it takes determination and the will to overcome impossible tasks. Are you ready to be successful?
Inspiring Quotes:
“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” Thomas Edison
“Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” Winston Churchill
“Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.” Albert Einstein
“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing. ” Walt Disney
“In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure. ” Bill Crosby
Links of Interest:
All true^, Christy. Go get ’em, girl!
True dat, Christy. After my first two books were published, I languished for years in dead-end corporate and call center drone jobs. Although I’d had some success, I didn’t really have a workable plan for my career as a writer and had trouble believing it was anything more than luck. Fast forward to three months ago–I got laid off from a job I hated but desperately needed. After brooding and collecting unemployment for two months, making some abortive stabs at new novels, I finally snapped out of it and said “Dog-gone it, I’m a WRITER!” and hung out my shingle as a ghostwriter. In four weeks I’ve written a non-fiction children’s book, two poems, six website articles, 200 jokes, and have contracts for two novels and eleven more poems, along with some proofreading and editing work. I’m facing twelve-hour days for the next six weeks, six days per week, and I’m having a ball! I finally convinced myself I can make it as a full-time writer and I have no desire to return to the corporate world with its hour-long commutes and narrow-minded bosses. This is the life!
Bryan- that is awesome! I love your attitude. You are so right, having a plan of action is so important. It’s great that you can put all of your focus into your writing now and follow through with what you want to do.
Great post! I love the Edison quote.
Thanks for the five tips, Christina, and for the quote by Einstein about imagination. I went over your new and beautiful blog. Your section of “Teachers” is very useful for auhtors, and hopefully more of them will check it out. Waiting for your book in 2014.
Love those first two quotes. Thanks for the inspiring post, Christina!
Great tips and quotes and Bryan! Wow! I’m so happy you are a working writer!!! It’s already begetting more writing.
Ha! With vision and hard work I was finally successful in figuring out how to leave a comment! 🙂
Bish! You crack me up. But it’s great to ‘see’ you here. Hugs!