Abundance is, in large part, an attitude.
- Sue Patton Thoele
Not what we have but what we enjoy constitutes our abundance.
- Epicurus
Over the past few weeks, as friends and acquaintances have become more aware of and interested in my pursuit of a writing career, I’ve begun to have some very interesting conversations. To me, what I’m doing is what I have to do. It doesn’t feel like anything particularly special because not much has happened yet, and the process is far more potential than reality. To others, my quest has taken on a much different meaning. Not only are there a number of people who genuinely wish for me to succeed, they’ve gone out of their way to offer advice and suggestions. I’ve never been a comfortable networker, but what’s been happening as I talk to people is that what I’ve been doing without even realizing it is…networking. Without even thinking about it, I’ve been opening up and making myself available. As it turns out, there are quite a few people in my life who are genuinely excited about what I’m doing and, even better, want to see me succeed.
There’s something taking a risk that elicits some very interesting reactions from those around me. From where I sit, it doesn’t feel like a risk, but I’m so close to it all that I have no perspective. To many people in my life, what I’m doing really does represent a risk. For some, this generates excitement, in other a degree of envy, in still others a desire to be of what assistance they can. I’ve never been very good about reaching out and asking for help, but in this case I really haven’t even had to do that. I’ve just been open about what I’m up to, and the rest has just happened spontaneously.
Sure, if I’m honest, I recognize that I’m taking a risk in chasing this dream. I have no idea what the final outcome may be, and there’s a chance that the ultimate outcome may be failure. I have to recognize and respect that, but I need to have faith in my ability and be willing to allow things to become what they will be. I have to believe that things will ultimately work out; otherwise, I have no business traveling this path. After a career of working for other people doing things that only really left me unfulfilled, I don’t feel as if I even have another option. I HAVE to be successful, because there really isn’t a Plan B.
And so I’ve begun to let people around me know what I’m doing. I’m becoming more comfortable engaging in what feels like self-promotion but is really only common sense when you consider what I’m trying to accomplish. I’ve begun actively searching for ways to gain some exposure and create awareness of my writing. I can’t say with any certainty that I know where any of this will lead, but a very wise man once told me that if you launch enough birdshot into the sky, eventually you’ll bring down a duck…and so that’s what I’m trying to do. Eventually, I’ll drop a duck…and once I’ve been able to get that first one, perhaps it will become easier to hit a few more.
Stay tuned….
