Posts
"We should be taught not to wait for inspiration to start a thing. Action always generates inspiration. Inspiration seldom generates action." ~Frank Tibolt
“If Not Now, When?”~ Hillel, 1st century Jewish sage
A member of my RWA Online Forum posted a message awhile back where she puzzled over the resistance experienced every time she sat down to write. I can pull up page after page in my own journal where I shook my own mental fist at the universe and asked the same thing.
A friend phoned several months ago, puzzling over her own resistance, this in relation to working out at the gym. She thrives on exercising, so why does she procrastinate and avoid an activity she loves? She hoped I would provide some magic answer and all I could tell her was this. Don’t think about it. Just do it.
It sounds too simple. Too flippant. Yet, another friend summed it up with an illuminating insight: “What made me slip into considering the activity rather than doing it?”
“A warrior lives by acting, not by thinking about acting, nor by thinking about what he will think when he has finished acting.” –Carlos Castaneda
What I realized as I began this essay is this. For all the tasks we face, whether they be pleasurable or onerous, there’s always one distinction. Do we have a choice? When we don’t, we can’t allow ourselves the luxury to think about it. We know we have to just do it. Now, this doesn’t stop the cycle of resistance! If it were that easy, there would be no missed deadlines. No scrambling to catch up on tasks long ignored.
It does, however, provide a clue about the process of procrastination. Since we can choose, we often stop and ponder our choices. People who perform heroic acts would probably all agree, had they stopped to think about it, they probably wouldn’t have had the courage, or the strength, or the extra push needed to succeed.
Just Do It.
“You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do.” –Henry Ford
Years ago, a good friend of mine told me why he loved to ski. “When you’re up on that snowy mountain, you can’t stop and think about everything. You just do it.”
Huh.
There it is again.
The post I referenced at the beginning of this essay prompted much thought on my part. A contemplation about both resistance and the choice to resist. In all areas of my life. Even in the mental phrasing of what I’m doing.
Do I say to myself, “Today I HAVE to write. Today I HAVE to edit this many pages.”
Or do I just say, “Today I write. Today I edit this many pages.”
Hmm… Food for thought.
“It is always your next move.” --Napoleon Hill
Just Do It.
How can it still be winter? Despite the calendar, we're still seeing rain, chilly nights and even an occasional smattering of snowflakes drifting down. Yet I know that spring is peeking through the clouds. Buds are beginning to burst into radiant color. The Chinese Maple tree on my back deck is revealing delicate leaves and here we are, once again, at the crux of change. It is up to us to choose which direction to take each day. Should we consider whether or not to write or should we simply write? What is our choice?
Consider this…
Whatever we want to accomplish, we can. Whatever we choose to accomplish, we will. Whatever we want to be, we are.
Hmm... Well then, We Are Writers. And what do writers do? We Write!
So… Let's Just Do It! *wink*
Here's to embracing our gift of choice. What choices will you be making this week?
--Chiron O'Keefe
Also featured at Pop Culture Divas
Showing posts with label Napoleon Hill. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Napoleon Hill. Show all posts
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Action Generates Inspiration
The clock strikes a significant hour. On cue, the stomach growls for sustenance while visions of steaming dishes dance in the head. Where do we find the inspiration for yet another meal?
Some leap up to snag a cookbook and flip through recipes. Others yank open the fridge door and ponder the available ingredients. There's also internet searches and food magazines with glossy covers depicting delectable treats. Few can resist an article that promises to detail how we too can whip up a gourmet meal in thirty minutes or less.
"Inspiration does exist, but it must find you working." –Pablo Picasso
The common denominator here is action. Whether staring into a refrigerator or skimming through Joy of Cooking, the significance lies in action. We hope that some kernel of inspiration will pop up faster than a Pop Tart.
"We should be taught not to wait for inspiration to start a thing. Action always generates inspiration. Inspiration seldom generates action." ~Frank Tibolt
Whether our goal is to compose the perfect sentence or cobble together a tasty meal, we need a constant source of inspiration. Yet, what exactly is inspiration? Is it simply a new idea?
Thinking about the symbol of a radiant light-bulb beaming overhead, two thoughts occur.
First is the metaphor of The Idea being electric and illuminating, banishing the darkness with clarity and clear perception. The feeling evoked by the word 'Inspiration' convinces us that unless we experience a brilliant burst of illumination, we simply are not inspired. This can lead to waiting around, tapping our fingers, shuffling our feet, waiting for that bold lightning strike from the heavens above which will inscribe dazzling words into the air and provide us with a burst of energy so magnificent we'll zip through each chapter with rare speed and bubbling enthusiasm.
The second thought that occurs is the reality of the potent symbol. The Light Bulb. How did that come about again?
"Thomas Edison dreamed of a lamp that could be operated by electricity, began where he stood to put his dream into action, and despite more than ten thousand failures, he stood by that dream until he made it a physical reality. Practical dreamers do not quit." --Napoleon Hill
"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." ----Thomas Edison
Edison was simply a man who did not give up. He didn't sit around contemplating his goals. He took action. Repeated action. Mind-numbing repetition until he got it right. Inspiration was a result of his determination and his action. Which really makes sense. When we think of inspiration as merely the flash of an idea, we truly miss the point and even diminish the concept.
Helen Keller may have experienced a flash of illumination when she first perceived that the movements of her teacher's fingers in her palm were linked to letters that magically spelled out a word. However, her inspiration was renewed each and every day by her determination, her drive and her action. How long do you think her inspiration would have lingered had she stopped striving to surpass each day's success with yet another?
"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved." --Helen Keller
One of my favorite methods for renewing inspiration is to reread the last pages I wrote. Notice I said, 'renewing' because the original inspiration still exists. It doesn't go away. Perhaps the light has dimmed somewhat, which makes the goal to flip that switch and power on to full illumination. Still, perusing the previous day's work may not be enough. My enthusiasm might be pumped but I still may stare helplessly at the blank page wondering what the hell to write next. Here's where I employ my second strategy—Action.
"Apathy can be overcome by enthusiasm, and enthusiasm can only be aroused by two things: first, an ideal, with takes the imagination by storm, and second, a definite intelligible plan for carrying that ideal into practice." –Arnold Toynbee
"Nothing diminishes anxiety faster than action." ~Walter Anderson, The Confidence Course, 1997
The only true way I've found to bust through writer's-block buster is to write. I keep an ongoing Free-Write document for every story. Here I can play with scenes or brainstorm freely without worrying because It's Just My Free-Write File And So It Doesn't Count. Woo-hoo!
Hmmm... So, if Lucy really wants to get into Ricky's show, maybe she and Ethel can pretend to be waiters then when they get close to the stage, Ethel distracts Ricky while Lucy whips off her fake moustache and waiter's apron and jumps into the spotlight! Yeah!
Attitude plays a big part here too. Action must be accompanied by a firm belief in success even if at first you're just pretending. Seriously. Think about it for a moment. The first time a person picks up a musical instrument, there's no assurance there will be success. The budding musician must, in essence, 'pretend' she can play even as her fingers struggle to stay on the proper notes.
"The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are: Hard work, Stick-to-itiveness, and Common sense." –Thomas Edison
It may sound simplistic or even silly but trust me, Edison didn't invent the light bulb by daily assuring himself that he was a failure, that he was wasting his time, that he was too old, or that he didn't know what he was doing.
"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time." –Thomas Edison
So… first let's do an attitude readjustment. I am a brilliant, successful writer.
Second, let's take action. Whether your goal is to write a page, a scene, a chapter or even a blog, start writing!
"You cannot change anything in your life with intention alone, which can become a watered-down, occasional hope that you'll get to tomorrow. Intention without action is useless." —Caroline Myss
Remember, it's what we do that determines who we are and what we will accomplish. We may dream of what we could do or we could… just do it. *grin*
"First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do." -- Epictetus
"Genius begins great works; labor alone finishes them." --Joseph Joubert
Here's to an action-filled week!
--Chiron O'Keefe
Also featured at Pop Culture Divas and Between The Lines.
Some leap up to snag a cookbook and flip through recipes. Others yank open the fridge door and ponder the available ingredients. There's also internet searches and food magazines with glossy covers depicting delectable treats. Few can resist an article that promises to detail how we too can whip up a gourmet meal in thirty minutes or less.
"Inspiration does exist, but it must find you working." –Pablo Picasso
The common denominator here is action. Whether staring into a refrigerator or skimming through Joy of Cooking, the significance lies in action. We hope that some kernel of inspiration will pop up faster than a Pop Tart.
"We should be taught not to wait for inspiration to start a thing. Action always generates inspiration. Inspiration seldom generates action." ~Frank Tibolt
Whether our goal is to compose the perfect sentence or cobble together a tasty meal, we need a constant source of inspiration. Yet, what exactly is inspiration? Is it simply a new idea?
Thinking about the symbol of a radiant light-bulb beaming overhead, two thoughts occur.
First is the metaphor of The Idea being electric and illuminating, banishing the darkness with clarity and clear perception. The feeling evoked by the word 'Inspiration' convinces us that unless we experience a brilliant burst of illumination, we simply are not inspired. This can lead to waiting around, tapping our fingers, shuffling our feet, waiting for that bold lightning strike from the heavens above which will inscribe dazzling words into the air and provide us with a burst of energy so magnificent we'll zip through each chapter with rare speed and bubbling enthusiasm.
The second thought that occurs is the reality of the potent symbol. The Light Bulb. How did that come about again?
"Thomas Edison dreamed of a lamp that could be operated by electricity, began where he stood to put his dream into action, and despite more than ten thousand failures, he stood by that dream until he made it a physical reality. Practical dreamers do not quit." --Napoleon Hill
"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." ----Thomas Edison
Edison was simply a man who did not give up. He didn't sit around contemplating his goals. He took action. Repeated action. Mind-numbing repetition until he got it right. Inspiration was a result of his determination and his action. Which really makes sense. When we think of inspiration as merely the flash of an idea, we truly miss the point and even diminish the concept.
Helen Keller may have experienced a flash of illumination when she first perceived that the movements of her teacher's fingers in her palm were linked to letters that magically spelled out a word. However, her inspiration was renewed each and every day by her determination, her drive and her action. How long do you think her inspiration would have lingered had she stopped striving to surpass each day's success with yet another?
"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved." --Helen Keller
One of my favorite methods for renewing inspiration is to reread the last pages I wrote. Notice I said, 'renewing' because the original inspiration still exists. It doesn't go away. Perhaps the light has dimmed somewhat, which makes the goal to flip that switch and power on to full illumination. Still, perusing the previous day's work may not be enough. My enthusiasm might be pumped but I still may stare helplessly at the blank page wondering what the hell to write next. Here's where I employ my second strategy—Action.
"Apathy can be overcome by enthusiasm, and enthusiasm can only be aroused by two things: first, an ideal, with takes the imagination by storm, and second, a definite intelligible plan for carrying that ideal into practice." –Arnold Toynbee
"Nothing diminishes anxiety faster than action." ~Walter Anderson, The Confidence Course, 1997
The only true way I've found to bust through writer's-block buster is to write. I keep an ongoing Free-Write document for every story. Here I can play with scenes or brainstorm freely without worrying because It's Just My Free-Write File And So It Doesn't Count. Woo-hoo!
Hmmm... So, if Lucy really wants to get into Ricky's show, maybe she and Ethel can pretend to be waiters then when they get close to the stage, Ethel distracts Ricky while Lucy whips off her fake moustache and waiter's apron and jumps into the spotlight! Yeah!
Attitude plays a big part here too. Action must be accompanied by a firm belief in success even if at first you're just pretending. Seriously. Think about it for a moment. The first time a person picks up a musical instrument, there's no assurance there will be success. The budding musician must, in essence, 'pretend' she can play even as her fingers struggle to stay on the proper notes.
"The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are: Hard work, Stick-to-itiveness, and Common sense." –Thomas Edison
It may sound simplistic or even silly but trust me, Edison didn't invent the light bulb by daily assuring himself that he was a failure, that he was wasting his time, that he was too old, or that he didn't know what he was doing.
"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time." –Thomas Edison
So… first let's do an attitude readjustment. I am a brilliant, successful writer.
Second, let's take action. Whether your goal is to write a page, a scene, a chapter or even a blog, start writing!
"You cannot change anything in your life with intention alone, which can become a watered-down, occasional hope that you'll get to tomorrow. Intention without action is useless." —Caroline Myss
Remember, it's what we do that determines who we are and what we will accomplish. We may dream of what we could do or we could… just do it. *grin*
"First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do." -- Epictetus
"Genius begins great works; labor alone finishes them." --Joseph Joubert
Here's to an action-filled week!
--Chiron O'Keefe
Also featured at Pop Culture Divas and Between The Lines.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Just Do It
"We should be taught not to wait for inspiration to start a thing. Action always generates inspiration. Inspiration seldom generates action." ~Frank Tibolt
Author, Linda Ford posted a message awhile back in the RWA Online Forum where she puzzled over the resistance she experienced every time she sat down to write. I can pull up page after page in my own journal where I shook my own mental fist at the universe and asked the same thing.
A friend had phoned a couple of months ago, puzzling over her own resistance, this in relation to working out at the gym. She thrives on exercising, so why does she procrastinate and avoid an activity she loves? She hoped I would provide some magic answer and all I could tell her was this. Don’t think about it. Just do it.
It sounds too simple. Too flippant. Yet, Linda herself summed it up with an illuminating insight: “What made me slip into considering the activity rather than doing it?”
“A warrior lives by acting, not by thinking about acting, nor by thinking about what he will think when he has finished acting.” –Carlos Castaneda
What I realized as I began this essay is this. For all the tasks we face, whether they be pleasurable or onerous, there’s always one distinction. Do we have a choice? When we don’t, we can’t allow ourselves the luxury to think about it. We know we have to just do it. Now, this doesn’t stop the cycle of resistance! If it were that easy, there would be no missed deadlines. *rueful grin* It does, however, provide a clue as to the process. Since we CAN choose, we stop and think. People who perform heroic acts would probably all agree, had they stopped to think about it, they probably wouldn’t have had the courage. Or the strength. Or the extra push needed to succeed.
Just Do It.
“You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do.” –Henry Ford
Years ago, a good friend of mine told me why he loved to ski. “When you’re up on that snowy mountain, you can’t stop and think about everything. You just do it.”
Huh.
There it is again.
Linda’s post prompted much thought on my part. A contemplation about both resistance and the choice to resist. In all areas of my life. Even in the mental phrasing of what I’m doing.
Do I say to myself, “Today I HAVE to write. Today I HAVE to edit this many pages.”
Or do I just say, “Today I write. Today I edit this many pages.”
Hmm… Food for thought.
“It is always your next move.” --Napoleon Hill
Just Do It.
How can it still be winter? *grin* Spring is almost upon us and here we are at the crux of change. It is up to us to choose which direction to take each day. Should we consider whether or not to write or simply write? What is our choice?
Consider this…
Whatever we want to accomplish, we can. Whatever we choose to accomplish, we will. Whatever we want to be, we are.
We Are Writers. And what do writers do?
We Write! So… Just Do It! *grin*
Here's to a solid week of productivity. Write-write-WRITE! Go-go-GO!!
Smiles to you,
Chiron O'Keefe
Featured at Pop Culture Divas
Author, Linda Ford posted a message awhile back in the RWA Online Forum where she puzzled over the resistance she experienced every time she sat down to write. I can pull up page after page in my own journal where I shook my own mental fist at the universe and asked the same thing.
A friend had phoned a couple of months ago, puzzling over her own resistance, this in relation to working out at the gym. She thrives on exercising, so why does she procrastinate and avoid an activity she loves? She hoped I would provide some magic answer and all I could tell her was this. Don’t think about it. Just do it.
It sounds too simple. Too flippant. Yet, Linda herself summed it up with an illuminating insight: “What made me slip into considering the activity rather than doing it?”
“A warrior lives by acting, not by thinking about acting, nor by thinking about what he will think when he has finished acting.” –Carlos Castaneda
What I realized as I began this essay is this. For all the tasks we face, whether they be pleasurable or onerous, there’s always one distinction. Do we have a choice? When we don’t, we can’t allow ourselves the luxury to think about it. We know we have to just do it. Now, this doesn’t stop the cycle of resistance! If it were that easy, there would be no missed deadlines. *rueful grin* It does, however, provide a clue as to the process. Since we CAN choose, we stop and think. People who perform heroic acts would probably all agree, had they stopped to think about it, they probably wouldn’t have had the courage. Or the strength. Or the extra push needed to succeed.
Just Do It.
“You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do.” –Henry Ford
Years ago, a good friend of mine told me why he loved to ski. “When you’re up on that snowy mountain, you can’t stop and think about everything. You just do it.”
Huh.
There it is again.
Linda’s post prompted much thought on my part. A contemplation about both resistance and the choice to resist. In all areas of my life. Even in the mental phrasing of what I’m doing.
Do I say to myself, “Today I HAVE to write. Today I HAVE to edit this many pages.”
Or do I just say, “Today I write. Today I edit this many pages.”
Hmm… Food for thought.
“It is always your next move.” --Napoleon Hill
Just Do It.
How can it still be winter? *grin* Spring is almost upon us and here we are at the crux of change. It is up to us to choose which direction to take each day. Should we consider whether or not to write or simply write? What is our choice?
Consider this…
Whatever we want to accomplish, we can. Whatever we choose to accomplish, we will. Whatever we want to be, we are.
We Are Writers. And what do writers do?
We Write! So… Just Do It! *grin*
Here's to a solid week of productivity. Write-write-WRITE! Go-go-GO!!
Smiles to you,
Chiron O'Keefe
Featured at Pop Culture Divas
Monday, February 9, 2009
Act As If...
"Act as if everything you desire is already here…treat yourself as if you already are what you’d like to become.” –Wayne Dyer.
What does it mean to be a success? How is such a phenomenon measured?
Here is my definition:
To push just a little bit harder, to strive just a little bit longer, and to reach just a little bit farther than you first thought possible.
That's it. Every accomplishment seems daunting at first. Tying your shoes seemed impossible when your itsy-bitsy brain first contemplated the tangle of strings in your chubby little fingers. *grin*
Yet for the most part, we forget the secret of success and become overwhelmed by what we THINK we can't do. We're forgetting two very simple facts. We learn through visualization. We are motivated by our desires.
"If you want a quality, act as if you had it." –William James
Returning now to our toddler self with the daunting task of tying a shoe. How did this get accomplished? Someone showed us the magic method and we Pictured Our Success. Yup. We visualized the process. We put a picture in our head and mimicked the action. Even more, we had a burning desire to succeed. Nothing would deter us. We never even considered the idea of failure. Right?
Now (theoretically) we're all grown-up. We're struggling with queries and deadlines and synopsis and rewrites and plot points and Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh, My!
Sometimes the process is overwhelming and we're all tempted to give up. How DO people manage to tie their shoes without even thinking about it? The secret of success in our youth is the same secret today. Whether struggling to stand upright, wobble our way across the room, and tie our shoes, or write a chapter, send out queries, and meet our deadlines, we begin with desire.
"Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything." –Napoleon Hill
Not a wimpy-ass desire either. Your heart has to beat with the same kind of fervent passion that motivated you to get off your butt and toddle in the first place. Want it, feel it, breathe it!
I Am A Successful WRITER!
Desire and Visualization.
Visualization is more than mumbling a few affirmations. We're not tossing salt to ward off bad luck here. We're using the power of our minds to create reality.
"Formulate and stamp indelibly on your mind a mental picture of yourself as succeeding. Hold this picture tenaciously. Never permit it to fade. Your mind will seek to develop the picture... Do not build up obstacles in your imagination." –Norman Vincent Peale
This may seem like mumbo-jumbo but here's a fact. The most successful people in history have known and utilized this fact: What you Believe is What you Create.
And more… If you want to Be A Success, Act Like A Success.
Don't play the "if only" game. If only I had a contract (or an agent or a guaranteed path) THEN I would…
Nuh-uh. Don't go there. Act As If You Are A Success. That's the secret successful people have utilized for eons.
"Create a definite plan for carrying out your desire and begin at once, whether you are ready or not, to put this plan into action." –Napoleon Hill
Put your plan into action NOW. Why? Because You Are A Success. The sooner you act like a success, the sooner your reality will reflect this FACT.
So… this week, let's experiment. Let's spend the week approaching each of our goals with a new perspective. We write not because we hope to be or want to be but because We Are Successful.
We Are Successful Writers.
Say it with me: I Am A Successful Writer. My Life Reflects My Success. My Actions Reflect My Success. I Take Action BECAUSE I Am A Success.
"Action is a great restorer and builder of confidence. Inaction is not only the result, but the cause, of fear. Perhaps the action you take will be successful; perhaps different action or adjustments will have to follow. But any action is better than no action at all." –Norman Vincent Peale
And one more:
"Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements." –Napoleon Hill
Let's set some goals!
Continue first round of SIDEKICKS edits. 65 pages last week!
Continue to flesh out WIP. Three chapters last week!
Weekly essay to post.
Now it's your turn. Any goals to share? How about personal experiences acting "as if"?
"Act as if. Moment to moment to moment. And, sooner than you think you won't be acting anymore." –Wayne Dyer
Have a fabulous and productive week! Go-go-GO!
Smiles to you,
--Chiron
What does it mean to be a success? How is such a phenomenon measured?
Here is my definition:
To push just a little bit harder, to strive just a little bit longer, and to reach just a little bit farther than you first thought possible.
That's it. Every accomplishment seems daunting at first. Tying your shoes seemed impossible when your itsy-bitsy brain first contemplated the tangle of strings in your chubby little fingers. *grin*
Yet for the most part, we forget the secret of success and become overwhelmed by what we THINK we can't do. We're forgetting two very simple facts. We learn through visualization. We are motivated by our desires.
"If you want a quality, act as if you had it." –William James
Returning now to our toddler self with the daunting task of tying a shoe. How did this get accomplished? Someone showed us the magic method and we Pictured Our Success. Yup. We visualized the process. We put a picture in our head and mimicked the action. Even more, we had a burning desire to succeed. Nothing would deter us. We never even considered the idea of failure. Right?
Now (theoretically) we're all grown-up. We're struggling with queries and deadlines and synopsis and rewrites and plot points and Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh, My!
Sometimes the process is overwhelming and we're all tempted to give up. How DO people manage to tie their shoes without even thinking about it? The secret of success in our youth is the same secret today. Whether struggling to stand upright, wobble our way across the room, and tie our shoes, or write a chapter, send out queries, and meet our deadlines, we begin with desire.
"Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything." –Napoleon Hill
Not a wimpy-ass desire either. Your heart has to beat with the same kind of fervent passion that motivated you to get off your butt and toddle in the first place. Want it, feel it, breathe it!
I Am A Successful WRITER!
Desire and Visualization.
Visualization is more than mumbling a few affirmations. We're not tossing salt to ward off bad luck here. We're using the power of our minds to create reality.
"Formulate and stamp indelibly on your mind a mental picture of yourself as succeeding. Hold this picture tenaciously. Never permit it to fade. Your mind will seek to develop the picture... Do not build up obstacles in your imagination." –Norman Vincent Peale
This may seem like mumbo-jumbo but here's a fact. The most successful people in history have known and utilized this fact: What you Believe is What you Create.
And more… If you want to Be A Success, Act Like A Success.
Don't play the "if only" game. If only I had a contract (or an agent or a guaranteed path) THEN I would…
Nuh-uh. Don't go there. Act As If You Are A Success. That's the secret successful people have utilized for eons.
"Create a definite plan for carrying out your desire and begin at once, whether you are ready or not, to put this plan into action." –Napoleon Hill
Put your plan into action NOW. Why? Because You Are A Success. The sooner you act like a success, the sooner your reality will reflect this FACT.
So… this week, let's experiment. Let's spend the week approaching each of our goals with a new perspective. We write not because we hope to be or want to be but because We Are Successful.
We Are Successful Writers.
Say it with me: I Am A Successful Writer. My Life Reflects My Success. My Actions Reflect My Success. I Take Action BECAUSE I Am A Success.
"Action is a great restorer and builder of confidence. Inaction is not only the result, but the cause, of fear. Perhaps the action you take will be successful; perhaps different action or adjustments will have to follow. But any action is better than no action at all." –Norman Vincent Peale
And one more:
"Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements." –Napoleon Hill
Let's set some goals!
Continue first round of SIDEKICKS edits. 65 pages last week!
Continue to flesh out WIP. Three chapters last week!
Weekly essay to post.
Now it's your turn. Any goals to share? How about personal experiences acting "as if"?
"Act as if. Moment to moment to moment. And, sooner than you think you won't be acting anymore." –Wayne Dyer
Have a fabulous and productive week! Go-go-GO!
Smiles to you,
--Chiron
Monday, July 28, 2008
Want It, Feel It, Believe It!
"Act as if everything you desire is already here…treat yourself as if you already are what you’d like to become.” –Wayne Dyer.
What does it mean to be a success? How is such a phenomenon measured?
Here is my definition:
To push just a little bit harder, to strive just a little bit longer, and to reach just a little bit farther than you first thought possible.
That's it. Every accomplishment seems daunting at first. Tying your shoes seemed impossible when your itsy-bitsy brain first contemplated the tangle of strings in your chubby little fingers. *grin*
Yet for the most part, we forget the secret of success and become overwhelmed by what we THINK we can't do. We're forgetting two very simple facts. Humans learn through visualization. Humans are motivated by their desire.
"If you want a quality, act as if you had it." –William James
Returning now to our toddler self with the daunting task of tying a shoe. How did this get accomplished? Someone showed us the magic method and we Pictured Our Success. Yup. We visualized the process. We put a picture in our head and mimicked the action. Even more, we had a burning desire to succeed. Nothing would deter us. We never even considered the idea of failure. Right?
Now (theoretically) we're all grown-up. We're struggling with queries and deadlines and synopsis and rewrites and plot points and Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh, My!
Sometimes the process is overwhelming and we're all tempted to give up. How DO people manage to tie their shoes without even thinking about it? The secret of success in our youth is the same secret today. Whether struggling to stand upright, wobble our way across the room, and tie our shoes, or write a chapter, send out queries, and meet our deadlines, we begin with desire.
"Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything." –Napoleon Hill
Not a wimpy-ass desire either. Your heart has to beat with the same kind of fervent passion that motivated you to get off your butt and toddle in the first place. Want it, feel it, breathe it!
I Am A Successful WRITER!
Desire and Visualization.
Visualization is more than mumbling a few affirmations. We're not tossing salt to ward off bad luck here. We're using the power of our minds to create reality.
"Formulate and stamp indelibly on your mind a mental picture of yourself as succeeding. Hold this picture tenaciously. Never permit it to fade. Your mind will seek to develop the picture... Do not build up obstacles in your imagination." –Norman Vincent Peale
This may seem like mumbo-jumbo but here's a fact. The most successful people in history have known and utilized this fact: What you Believe is What you Create.
And more… If you want to Be A Success, Act Like A Success.
Don't play the "if only" game. If only I had a contract (or an agent or a guaranteed path) THEN I would…
Nuh-uh. Don't go there. Act As If You Are A Success. That's the secret successful people have utilized for eons.
"Create a definite plan for carrying out your desire and begin at once, whether you are ready or not, to put this plan into action." –Napoleon Hill
Put your plan into action NOW. Why? Because You Are A Success. The sooner you act like a success, the sooner your reality will reflect this FACT.
So… this week, let's experiment. Let's spend the week approaching each of our goals with a new perspective. We write not because we hope to be or want to be but because We Are Successful.
We Are Successful Writers.
Say it with me: I Am A Successful Writer. My Life Reflects My Success. My Actions Reflect My Success. I Take Action BECAUSE I Am A Success.
"Action is a great restorer and builder of confidence. Inaction is not only the result, but the cause, of fear. Perhaps the action you take will be successful; perhaps different action or adjustments will have to follow. But any action is better than no action at all." –Norman Vincent Peale
And one more:
"Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements." –Napoleon Hill
Let's set some goals!
Continue first round of SIDEKICKS edits. 65 pages last week!
Continue to flesh out WIP. Three chapters last week!
Weekly essay to post.
Now it's your turn. Any goals to share? How about personal experiences acting "as if"?
"Act as if. Moment to moment to moment. And, sooner than you think you won't be acting anymore." –Wayne Dyer
Have a fabulous and productive week! Go-go-GO!
Smiles to you,
Chiron
What does it mean to be a success? How is such a phenomenon measured?
Here is my definition:
To push just a little bit harder, to strive just a little bit longer, and to reach just a little bit farther than you first thought possible.
That's it. Every accomplishment seems daunting at first. Tying your shoes seemed impossible when your itsy-bitsy brain first contemplated the tangle of strings in your chubby little fingers. *grin*
Yet for the most part, we forget the secret of success and become overwhelmed by what we THINK we can't do. We're forgetting two very simple facts. Humans learn through visualization. Humans are motivated by their desire.
"If you want a quality, act as if you had it." –William James
Returning now to our toddler self with the daunting task of tying a shoe. How did this get accomplished? Someone showed us the magic method and we Pictured Our Success. Yup. We visualized the process. We put a picture in our head and mimicked the action. Even more, we had a burning desire to succeed. Nothing would deter us. We never even considered the idea of failure. Right?
Now (theoretically) we're all grown-up. We're struggling with queries and deadlines and synopsis and rewrites and plot points and Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh, My!
Sometimes the process is overwhelming and we're all tempted to give up. How DO people manage to tie their shoes without even thinking about it? The secret of success in our youth is the same secret today. Whether struggling to stand upright, wobble our way across the room, and tie our shoes, or write a chapter, send out queries, and meet our deadlines, we begin with desire.
"Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything." –Napoleon Hill
Not a wimpy-ass desire either. Your heart has to beat with the same kind of fervent passion that motivated you to get off your butt and toddle in the first place. Want it, feel it, breathe it!
I Am A Successful WRITER!
Desire and Visualization.
Visualization is more than mumbling a few affirmations. We're not tossing salt to ward off bad luck here. We're using the power of our minds to create reality.
"Formulate and stamp indelibly on your mind a mental picture of yourself as succeeding. Hold this picture tenaciously. Never permit it to fade. Your mind will seek to develop the picture... Do not build up obstacles in your imagination." –Norman Vincent Peale
This may seem like mumbo-jumbo but here's a fact. The most successful people in history have known and utilized this fact: What you Believe is What you Create.
And more… If you want to Be A Success, Act Like A Success.
Don't play the "if only" game. If only I had a contract (or an agent or a guaranteed path) THEN I would…
Nuh-uh. Don't go there. Act As If You Are A Success. That's the secret successful people have utilized for eons.
"Create a definite plan for carrying out your desire and begin at once, whether you are ready or not, to put this plan into action." –Napoleon Hill
Put your plan into action NOW. Why? Because You Are A Success. The sooner you act like a success, the sooner your reality will reflect this FACT.
So… this week, let's experiment. Let's spend the week approaching each of our goals with a new perspective. We write not because we hope to be or want to be but because We Are Successful.
We Are Successful Writers.
Say it with me: I Am A Successful Writer. My Life Reflects My Success. My Actions Reflect My Success. I Take Action BECAUSE I Am A Success.
"Action is a great restorer and builder of confidence. Inaction is not only the result, but the cause, of fear. Perhaps the action you take will be successful; perhaps different action or adjustments will have to follow. But any action is better than no action at all." –Norman Vincent Peale
And one more:
"Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements." –Napoleon Hill
Let's set some goals!
Continue first round of SIDEKICKS edits. 65 pages last week!
Continue to flesh out WIP. Three chapters last week!
Weekly essay to post.
Now it's your turn. Any goals to share? How about personal experiences acting "as if"?
"Act as if. Moment to moment to moment. And, sooner than you think you won't be acting anymore." –Wayne Dyer
Have a fabulous and productive week! Go-go-GO!
Smiles to you,
Chiron
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
