What’s on the iPod: She’s Mine by Brett Dennen
Got a post up over at About Freelance Writing. Check it out!
If you know me, you know I love Lisa Gates and think she practically invented life coaching. In her latest Craving Balance post, Lisa says this: “If you don’t study the masters, you’ll continue to paint by numbers.” Her point – you define your own self, your own life, your own career. You do it as much by inaction as you do action. See why I adore her?
So instead of copying off someone else’s paper, what can you do to take charge of your career? Try this:
1. Set your own expectations. Who cares if your high school English teacher thinks you were a screw-off? You can live up to those expectations or decide right now that you’re better than those idiots think you are.
2. Emulate your vision. Anne Wayman, the reigning queen of envisioning your book, has always said when she gets stuck career-wise, she envisions where she wants to be. You’d be surprised how that plays in your own mind. Once you espouse that feeling, your actions will lead you.
3. Move on it. That’s right. Get off your ass and get that career in gear. No one will do it for you, and no one should. Decide what it is you need to do in order to go where you’re planning.
4. Ask for help. Different from getting someone else to do it, asking for help is gathering those people with the knowledge and experience to give you answers and point you in the right direction. Just don’t expect them to hand you a primer on how to do everything you need. That kind of advice is readily available for a price on Amazon.
5. Surround yourself with smart people. The masters of your trade – other writers and editors – are showing you every day how they’re doing it. Are you paying attention?
How did you take charge of your career?
When I was in HIgh School, the Drama Teacher told me I didn't have the "right" to be in theatre.
I had a hell of a great career on Broadway, while he died alone and bitter.
Don't let ANYONE limit you.
I had an ex who told me the same thing about writing, Devon.
I wouldn't exactly recommend the way I went about it.
After 30+ years of Corporate America, I was seriously burned out. I always wanted to write and be my own boss and I had done quite a bit of research and planning.
That's the good part. The bad part is I wouldn't act on it until one day while well into my 12th hour at work, I received a call from a Sr VP (and my boss) who was in one of our conference rooms with 2 other Sr VPs and a coworker.
They wanted me to join them for an impromptu meeting. I explained I had to get the final version of an Employee Benefits Guide out that day for a 7,000 employee group in Texas.
They insisted I join them so I slammed the phone down on the lot of them. I turned in my resignation that night.
Fortunately for me, my boss was very cool and they are now a client. My advice-don't wait until you break to take care of yourself.
Conversely, I draw on the one junior-year high school English teacher who really encouraged me. The others? Meh, who cares. And it is a reminder to all of us that everything we say and write, particularly to noobs, may have consequences years down the pike.
To the "smart people" you need surrounding you, I always add masters of the graphic design trade. Absolutely critical to my business!
BTW Lori, thanks for the link to Lisa's site. The one thing that never gets old about the 'net for me are the little rabbit holes that send you somewhere unexpected and mind-expanding.
@Cathy, that's very similar to my experience. I plotted (and saved money for) my escape for months, but the actual moment of resignation was a straw-meets-camel's-back surprise. (My wife's jaw dropped when I came home early toting "The Box.")
Today, the same company is a very good, very loyal client!
I'm stubborn, which is a necessary quality in our business. But I also tend to be way too patient. (As an infant, I was dubbed Patient Paula because I never fussed or cried, I just waited patiently.)
One thing I've had to do is stop being so darn patient – and I've discovered that when I get tough and remind people of the deadline I gave them for changes, information, interviews, etc…it actually spurs them into action. Same thing with sending follow-ups to unanswered e-mails and calls. (I plan to make Follow Up Friday a monthly ritual.)
Lori and all, thanks for the beautiful appreciation! I love jake's comment about finding new rabbit holes (one's WITH carrots are best). When I first started marketing my biz and learning more about writing and copy, I stumbled on copyblogger.com. I devoured everything. Every little thing. I now tell people I got my Ph.D. from Brian Clark. So yes, masters are everywhere you look.
In my theatre MFA, a 65-year-old prof who loved sleeping with his ingenues once said to me, "you won't work until your 50." Something about age needing to catch up to character. He was 100 percent wrong. But it had a galvanizing effect and made me work really hard.
Love this Lori…
I say you should surround yourself with some idiots as well as gurus. It's the idiots, who say things like,"You can't do it!" that push you to prove them wrong. It's a great motivator.
It's those same idiots that have helped me to gain broader shoulders. Now, I can handle the difficult clients much easier than I used to.
@Jake-don't you love it when it comes together? My former employer is one of my best clients as well. Lots of steady work.
Surrounding yourself with smart people is some of the best advice – what has helped me the most. Your blog, along with all the smart comments, have given me some really great ideas for progress.
@Cathy – thanks so much for sharing that story.
Thanks Lori… love it when people I love reference me kindly… the hardest thing for me was and still can be asking for help!
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