We’re all adults here.
Why… when we have a new idea… we don’t just go with it? See where it goes? Learn something new? Maybe re-learn, or have something we do know, become even more ingrained in our thinking due to our new experience with it?
Why do you think you need permission to investigate, ponder on, and experiment with a new idea you have?
I do the same thing, I don’t know why either.
My latest instance with this revolved around me trying to wrap my head around how to move forward in my writing by trying to submit more articles for pay, to take the next step, to try and create a “part time job” for myself.
If you read my previous article “The 300” you know that my first ever accepted magazine article brought me a whopping $25.00. (please don’t get me wrong… I’m super proud of that first one)
But my next couple of submissions for pay were met with rejections. That’s the writing game. No shame in that. Just keep firing.
But I did get some feedback from one magazine editor on an outdoor article I submitted… “Thanks for the submission Dave, your article was very well written, but we will have to pass, your article’s point is a little loose for our readership.”
Sweet… my first “No”… and with, what I thought was, good feedback.
But looking back I think that actually scared me off a little and made me think my writing wasn’t good enough. Which in my mind means, “I’m not good enough.”
I went into research mode looking up articles on “How to write better.”
I went into “practice mode” setting weekly article goals for my personal websites. (non-paid)
I went into “do anything else other than actual submissions for pay” mode.
Then, while that was going on, the pandemic hit, then God got a hold of me and placed this on my heart, “Who has any real authority?”
“Why am I feeling like NOW I need someones permission to move my writing forward?”
I didn’t when I sent the first one out. I just did like I always do… got a crazy idea in my head and ran with it… but I was feeling like someone told me, “You better slow down.” But not in a good way.
In my not so distant past I had a job for the largest automotive wholesaler in the state of Wisconsin. For a few years I was a Sales Rep, responsible for all of the cars and trucks going to auctions.
I learned a very valuable lesson about supply and demand, that I broke down into a little system to try and improve what we could get for a car at the auction sales across the state.
I did well. It was a lot of work. It also was a lot of fun “experimenting” and trying to make more money on the vehicles.
Once my manager placed me “in charge” of the whole she-bang I was responsible for it and how well the prices did or did not do.
I was ok with that.
Being responsible also allowed me the authority to try things on the fly, without having to run every little idea past “the boss.”
I did good!
One feather in the cap I was able to attain… I believe I was the only Sales Rep who started, and was able to duplicate, on certain cars… prices that were over “Top Book” for those individuals. Consistently.
In my market the demand was for “quality” cars at reasonable prices… I was able to figure out how to provide those quality cars to the guys who were willing to pay up for them… and because they needed them… I got better than good money for them.
I was told multiple times by co-workers, “That’s too high, you’ll never sell it for that much!”
Guess what… yep, I always did on the ones “I knew I could.” The funny thing was my two bosses never told me that. They only asked, “How are you doing that?”
Through lots and lots of repetitions… I sold over ten thousand cars and trucks in one year… I learned how to do that.
I figured with my writing it would be the same thing.
But somewhere I lost my confidence… I felt like I needed somebody to teach me what I thought I was missing.
So I ordered another book. (remember research mode?)
This little “How To..” book by Avery Breyer literally spelled it out for me… she laid out the exact steps… that I used to submit my first accepted, for pay, article.
The exact steps!
I’m gonna pop this in for you right here… it’s a link to a good article I found on “needing permission.”
Ms. Avery Breyer did an excellent job of making “the market industry for writers” CLICK for me.
Sometimes… I can be so dumb.
And those steps I learned processing 10,000 cars… are the exact same steps I can apply to my writing. (like a previous article I wrote stated “Duh! Everybody knows that.”)
Now today… I had another crazy idea… “I wonder if that small business ever got their website up and running, I’ll pop in and check with him.”
I got really excited, (turned out The Holy Spirit had something going on as well, but that’s another story) and when I whipped my truck onto the highway exit I soon realized, “Crap! I took the wrong exit, I’m headed the wrong way!”
Zooom! Down the highway I went. A few miles past my desired destination. And when the opportunity presented itself I whipped a U-ey and headed back in the right direction.
Upon arriving and having a nice chat with the owners, (along with that Holy Spirit thing) I am happy to report… I am currently waiting for a call from that gentleman… in regards to a potential HIRED GIG, as their main content writer for their business website!!
If you are working on an idea you have, that is your own… understand that you have the authority to give yourself permission to pursue it… if you are ready, willing, and able to accept the responsibility of your actions moving forward.
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