In his book ‘Creative Followership’ author Jimmy Collins states… “Before you start your journey, you must know where you are starting and where you want to go.”
In his book ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People’ author Stephen R. Covey states… “To be successful you have to start with “the end” in mind.”
The guiding, Godly, principle behind all of these ‘sayings’ is found in Proverbs 23:7 “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he;”
There are lots of quotes, from lots of authors and philosophers, throughout the ages that describe this phenomenon.
I can tell you it’s true.
Or in simpler terms, in the words of Sophia Potrillo, “Picture it… Sicily… 1922…”
I have been busy talking about being a writer, mentally envisioning being a writer, and more importantly “doing those things a writer does.”
This, my personal blog, is here to help me track and capture my “success” as I journey out into the world/market of being a writer.
The thing writing it down helps me to do, it helps me work through my mental immaturity and weaknesses, gaining maturity and mental strength by performing the proper reps… same as when I exercise my muscles, or work at being more accurate with my bow.
Writing is a great mental exercise!
I have very recently discovered something about myself, as I contemplated this articles subject matter.
I took a look at where I am and asked myself, “Do you have a definition of what success is, really?”
I did not.
So like a slow cooking rotisserie chicken, turning, and turning, and turning… ever so slowly… I started cooking up an idea of what I have as a mental picture of what kind of success I am chasing.
I thought I had developed a healthy mind picture of becoming financially successful as a writer. With the healthy part being… I understood that kind of success would take a long time to transpire.
I thought because I suffer from a ‘poverty stricken spirit’ it would take extra long because of my negative mental state concerning my feelings toward money.
The thing with slowly turning over ideas with mental exercises is that they can bring out your best flavors just like placing a chicken on that rotisserie.
I have to admit I didn’t come the conclusion of my thoughts by my own power. As it says in Zechariah 4:6 “…Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,” says the Lord Almighty.“
And why… because “the Spirit will lead you into all truth.”
And my mental truth is, my mental picture is… I haven’t been picturing money at all… and so… very little has come in.
The other mental picture I have of being an ‘old’ weathered writer, with a cool, museum like office… is coming true right before my eye’s.
The deeper truth I was shown was the fact that I have a picture in my head of “being stupid.”
This has me trying to be “successful” by “becoming smart.”
I see it now.
My mental picture of myself is one of a Renaissance Man, or Gentleman, a Knight Errant, a Cowboy. One who is well read enough, and experienced enough, to have a polite conversation with the Dalai Lama… or the new checkout gal, just learning her new job at the furniture store.
In that regard, I totally believe that picture in my mind… I Am that guy.
A “Success” because of making money… I don’t know what that picture looks like. I feel stupid, here is why…
I don’t know how to identify or build the proper processes that are conducive to monetary success. Again, I don’t know what that looks like.
My past success, and I’ve had some, has come from me being able to “drive the car that was already built” I mean, the processes were already in place, somebody just had to toss me the keys… I just had to drive the wheels off them, maybe improve them here and there… but I didn’t build them!
Things like identifying your core customer; how does that customer respond to marketing; what kind of marketing does it need to be; what is the current market environment; you know… the real business side to things.
Holding a door for a lady, and saying, “Yes, ma’am,” is what a gentleman, knight, or cowboy does… I Am that.
Building a book and writing a story is what a writer does… I Am that.
Being able to sell them… that takes some good processes… and a salesman! I think I know what that looks like.
If you can draw the picture in your mind of what it is you want, or need, to be…
You can Confidently Define Success and Fearlessly Manifest It in your life!
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