Talking with a dear friend the other day, catching up on our lives and goals. He’d written a book but lacked the energy or motivation to market. Like many of us, he wanted to step into a readymade career the way we slip on a comfy, winter coat. He longed to hold regular workshops, speaking engagements and book signings and be compensated according to his wealth of wisdom.
I wanted that for him too, but I know from experience it doesn’t fall into your lap just because you want it to.
Successful people realize that to get ahead, you have to do what everyone else is not willing to do. All the better if you can make it a game or some kind of challenge. Since marketing is not my friend’s thing, he needed to learn to love it, or find someone who did. And so he began to pray.
Since our time together, some people he knew have passed away and a close relative has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. He had an epiphany.
“There’s so much I want to share. I’m no longer in my thirties and the days are flying. If I don’t do it now, when will I? I don’t want to die not having tried or given it my all.”
And his prayer was answered. Someone who believes in him has stepped forward to do marketing and he’s serious about retiring from his current job to live his passion. He’s even writing another book.
What does this mean for you?
It’s easy to become complacent in our lives, to be happy with the status quo and let life be easy. We think we have all the time in the world until the day we realize we don’t. There are sacrifices that have to be made. You will sacrifice complacency and status quo. You sacrifice the relationships that no longer work, the habits that detract from your life, and the time wasters that kept you from your goals.
But, the upside is, when you’re finally living the life of your dreams, the people who will be happy for you will be the ones closest to you.
You don’t need to have a book to pursue your dreams or to be successful, but for some people, it just makes sense. If you’re considering writing a manuscript, snag your free 30-minute consultation and find out the one thing you should budget for to increase your chances of landing a publisher.
Be First to Comment