You have the power
The late, great, John D. MacDonald, in an introduction to one of Stephen King’s books, told the story of how irritating it was to have folks come up to him at parties and say something inane like, “You know, I always wanted to be a writer”.
Now, every writer gets some of this, but to put it in perspective, MacDonald was a professional writer; that is, he earned his living writing (most do not). During the Depression, he made in excess of $5,000 a year (solidly upper middle class) by his writing, often having as many as 30 manuscripts in the mail, crisscrossing between editors. So, it would have to be especially grating to him, someone who had worked so hard on his craft, to hear this. His standard reply: “I know what you mean, I always wanted to be a brain surgeon”.
The way you become a writer is to write. Thinking about writing won’t make you a writer. Getting an MFA won’t make you a writer. Hanging out in smoke-filled coffee shops, wearing a black beret and listening to some tattooed, tongue-pierced 18 year old rant about her “Angry Lesbian Breasts” won’t make you a writer. If you want to be a writer, you have to write.
I work for myself. I know that most do not, and many wish they did. I did not plan it, I did not set a goal, I did not make an affirmation which I would stand in front of a mirror and read aloud that “By the year 1994, I will be self employed“. I just did it.
A formula I was taught by Dan Kennedy that radically changed my life goes like this:
You will never be ___________ as long as you depend on others to make you _______.
Insert whatever word you want in the blank: Rich, happy, thin, successful, a good parent, contented. As long as you depend on someone else to do it, it will never happen. No one has to give you permission, no one has to give their approval, no one even has to like the idea. The way you take charge of your life is you take charge of your life.
[tags] Dan Kennedy, Writing, John D. MacDonald, success, self employed[/tags]
Category: Personal Freedom, small business 8 comments »
May 21st, 2007 at 6:42 pm
But I love angry lesbian breasts!!
Seriously, this is a great post – telling it like it is
May 22nd, 2007 at 7:10 am
Personal Growth Carnival #41
Each week I pick three articles that catch my eye. In this 41st edition of the Personal Growth Carnival, here are the three I’ve picked:
Phil is a brave man. He’s questioning the great Dale Carnegie by saying, Arguments can be Good . …
May 23rd, 2007 at 3:20 am
A very empowering post! I feel so motivated to do what I really want to do with my life after reading this. Thank you for sharing!
May 28th, 2007 at 4:01 am
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May 30th, 2007 at 5:21 am
[...] Hollowell presents You have the power posted at A Politically Incorrect [...]
June 13th, 2007 at 9:10 am
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August 31st, 2007 at 5:24 pm
[...] out Hugh Hollowell’s concise poston taking charge of your life. I especially like this part: I work for myself. I know that most do [...]
September 30th, 2007 at 7:26 pm
[...] out Hugh Hollowell’s concise post on taking charge of your life. I especially like this part: I work for myself. I know that most do [...]