Should You Self Publish?

Be forewarned, I may use the word "may" a lot in this post. Maybe.

I say that because the thoughts I share here will address the broader public, and not the exceptional outlier who defies the norm.

That said, here are the benefits of self publishing as I see it. Note: Feel free to disagree, but be polite. My intent is not to incite a riot.

Self Publishing Benefits:

1. May speed up delivery to market by removal of traditional gatekeepers
2. May allow greater freedom and creative control
3. May result in greater remuneration
4. May grant you a sense of accomplishment for actually taking your project to completion

Self Publishing Drawbacks:

1. May speed up delivery of a piece of crap to the market
2. May make you delirious with entitlement and turn you into a prima donna control freak. After all, absolute power corrupts absolutely
3. May require you to do a lot of marketing and self-promotion

These lists are in no way conclusive. But the point is that there are some very real benefits and drawbacks to self publishing but there are also similar issues working through a traditional publisher. Here are some:

Traditional Publishing Benefits:

1. May result in a finer finished product, working with editors, etc
2. May offer channels for reaching a wider consumer base
3. May provide emotional relief from self-promotion, selling, and deal-making

Traditional Publishing Drawbacks:

1. May cost you a lot of potential income
2. May slow down delivery to market
3. May cost you creative control

In the end, every writer needs to weighs the pros and cons of both paths and choose which option best suits their immediate and long-term goals, as well as their work style and emotional tolerances.

It may be that self publishing is your best route. Or traditional publishing may serve you better.

Maybe.

Fortune Friday: "Stalling could sour your fantasy. Start that travel adventure with gusto."

Answer truthfully. How often have you had an idea and gotten a rush of excited energy, only to have that energy dissipate within a day or so and then eventually disappear?

If you are like me, probably weekly.

Many motivation experts or productivity coaches recommend taking some form of action within 24 hours of an receiving and idea or breakthrough idea. In other words, act fast before your fantasy sours.

Part of me agrees with this philosophy. Often people wait for inspiration to compel them to action. But the truth is, actions, any action, can "prime the pump" and spark newer and greater actions.

If you don't feel like singing, then sing. Badly, and loudly if possible. Don't stop. Pretty soon you'll be singing and loving it.

Don't feel like writing? Just write something, anything. Start transcribing the phone book for heaven's sake. Just write. The very action of moving the pen or pounding the keypad will engage your mind and soon you will click over into the realm of creativity.

Like I said, part of me agrees with this philosophy. However, part of me feels there is something else, perhaps gentler and less forced. And that is to tap into our inspiration. I once heard Supercoach Michael Neill say that any genuine seed of desire contains all the energy necessary for its realization.

His example is that an acorn contains everything needed for it to become an oak tree. Yes, yes I know. It needs soil and water and sun too. But you get his meaning.

In other words, if your really, really, really want to do something, you'll do it. You won't need to motivate yourself or follow self-help tactics. You will naturally find a way to do it, in the way that works best for you. Simple. Maybe not easy, but simple.

In his article "Why You Can't Motivate Yourself To Take Action," Morty Lefkoe makes the following statement:

"If you want to do something and the necessary behavior is consistent with your beliefs, no motivation is necessary. You will do it naturally."

So the choice is yours: Start with gusto or follow your wanting. Both are reliable, viable paths to achieving your dreams.

Today's fortune specifically mentioned travel. Lately I've been fantasizing about London, Paris, Italy and Hawaii. Which option do you think I should use to jump start this dream?

To your good fortune!

The Power of Compounding Action

 An elderly neighbor, and avid gardener, of mine is fond of saying, "The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time to plant a tree is today."

Another saying I recently came across is "People commonly overestimate how far they can get in a year, but grossly underestimate how far they can get in five years."

These two concepts apply perfectly to any endeavor we're involved in.

Is it possible to become a working Hollywood actor in one year? Maybe for a few. What about five years? A lot more likely.

Is it possible to create a dream career in one year that will replace or exceed your current income? Possibly. In five years? Absolutely.

Is it possible to become a bestselling author in one year? It has for some people. In five years can you write and self-publish a dozen titles? Just ask Amazon sensation J.A. Konrath.

Is it possible to earn a bachelors degree in one year? Doubtful. In five years? Easy.

Is it possible to healthily lose 100 pounds in one year? Actually, yes. That's only 2 pounds a week. Can you modify your lifestyle over five years to ensure it stays off?

Well, you get the point...

The Power of Compounding Action is a beautiful thing. Like the interest on your retirement account, each little gain you make amplifies the ones before. Before too long, your collective small actions will roll downhill growing into a thundering snowball of accomplishment.

And then everyone will marvel at your overnight success.

Your time starts now.

Fortune Friday: "A modest man never talks to himself."

Our self-talk can have a huge impact on the kind of life we live. And from what I have experienced and observed, most of these inner conversations are not positive. For some reason it seems the average person defaults to a negative mindset when they talk to themselves.

What percentage of the time do you walk around throughout the day with thoughts like "Wow I did such an excellent job on that presentation" or "I can't believe how good I look in these jeans" or "I don't deserve it"?

Be honest. The conversation probably goes a little more like this: "Why did I open my big, fat mouth in that meeting?" or "I can't believe I ate that whole bag of chips. My butt looks huge!"

We all do it. The problem is we do it a little too much. The bigger problem is we do it on autopilot most of the time.

So how do we break the poor-old-me cycle?

The S-word. That's right, service.

One of my favorite sources of inspiration is author-coach Steve Chandler. Regarding service, he says:

"All of us have had those moments. I know I have. But the point I try to remember is that those moments do not serve me on the road to success. They stop me.

There's a way out of those moments  Because those doubtful moments can't happen unless I'm focused on myself—unless I am starting to obsess about me, my fears, my heartaches, my welfare and my own survival.

The cure is to turn that around right up there in the mind. Turn the whole focus around. Turn the spotlight around! Get it off of me!

Instead, I want to focus on the end user of my service. It's a surefire way out of self-doubt. It's a way out of fear—to focus on the end user.

Think about the person out there in life who is longing to receive your service; someone who would really benefit from your ebook, or from your counseling or your product. Someone who would really benefit if you communicated with them and gave them what you had. Keep your focus on them because that will get you back into action. That will have you less self-conscious about how you are coming across. Now you're trying to help. You want to contribute to their lives.

When you have something that would really help someone, you don't care how you say it. Or how you're coming across, you just want them to know about it. Shift the mind out to other people. Shift it off your self-conscious self."

Take the spotlight off yourself. Shine it on someone else and the negative chatter in your mind will quiet down.

The modest man never talks to himself because he's too busy serving others.

Get into a habit of service and you just may never hear those voices again.

To your good fortune!  

Everyone Should Create

 In a recent Esquire interview, comedian and actor Ricky Gervais offered this simple gem:

“You should bring something into the world that wasn’t in the world before. It doesn’t matter what that is. It doesn’t matter if it’s a table or a film or gardening—everyone should create. You should do something, then sit back and say, “I did that.’”

To create is human. It is in our divine DNA to build and explore and to push the limits of our world and our imaginations.

But too many of us, myself included sometimes, abdicate this responsibility—and I mean responsibility—to others. We kick back and sit idly by, watching and waiting for someone else to pick up and run with the ball. Or else we allow self-doubt to creep in and take up residence in our soul.

It is our God-given duty to share our gifts with the world. And we sell ourselves short when we second-guess our ability to contribute.

The world NEEDS what you have inside you. Let it out. Create something. Anything.

I just wrote this post. I did that.

Fortune Friday: "Wise men make more opportunities than they find."

When was the last time you set forth a plan and worked to accomplish it?

It is probably more recent and more often than you think.

Did you set your alarm to wake up on time this morning? Did you pick matching socks to wear? We all successfully complete a myriad of things each day which we take for granted, all while beating ourselves up mentally with thoughts like:

"I never get anything important done." Or "Everyone is doing so much more than me."

But maybe we should reexamine these less-than-noteworthy tasks. Because these micro-accomplishments can sow the seeds of bigger and better success. My new mantra for 2013 is:

Think big. Act Small.

Have big dreams, big plans, big goals. Aim for the stars. But take regular, small, achievable actions. Eat that elephant one bite at a time. Take that thousand mile journey one step at a time.

Draw your graphic novel one panel a week. Write one paragraph in your novel each night. Write 2 blog posts a week. Walk 1 mile a day. By years end you will have a completed comic book, written 30,000 words of your book, logged over a hundred blog posts, and walked almost 400 miles. That's halfway from my home to Denver!  

Make more opportunities.

The alternative is to sit idly by waiting for life to happen to you. And a lot of people do this. They somehow believe that if they suffer long enough and hard enough, that the karmic universe will finally take notice and make recompense.

You've waded through trials and tribulation? Here is the home of your dreams. You've put up with years of abusive energy vampires? Here is the generous, loving partner you've been waiting for—complete with six-pack abs. You stuck it out in a dead end job for decades? Here's your winning lottery ticket.

The universe doesn't work that way. And deep down we know it.

You have power inside you beyond your ability to comprehend.

Let it out.

To your good fortune!

How High Will You Fly?

This is the question Seth Godin asks in his latest book, The Icarus Deception. As the Greek myth goes, a young Icarus is given a pair of wax wings by his inventor father Daedalus with the express instruction to not fly too close to the sun. Our hero, of course, immediately flies towards the sun, wherein the wax wings melt and poor Icarus plummets into the sea and drowns.

The moral of the story is to beware the sin of hubris. Never try to fly in the domain of the Gods. Know your place. Don't make waves. Stay safe and fly under the radar.

But what Godin reminds us of is the lesser known part of the story: Daedalus' warning to also not fly too low, so that the salt water wouldn't ruin the wings.

So what is the point?

Through this book, Godin issues a world-wide call to creative arms. A challenge for everyone, everywhere to find the courage to treat your work like a form of art. To become an artist.

Yes, you read that right. You are an Artist. A maker of art.

But not art in the traditional sense as we typically think think of it. Not just paintings or sculptures or symphonies. But art as a force of creation, a way to connect emotionally human being to human being. The kinds of inventions, services, products, and interactions that spark the imagination and ignite the heart.

It's about finding the strength deep down inside to push through the fear of rejection and ridicule, to birth something from our soul into existence. It's about flying in the face the of the industrialist machine and charting your own course.

It's about faith, courage, and love. Emotions and convictions so strong that we are willing to take blow after blow and continue to rise, continue to create, continue to ship.

It's about using your unique gifts in only the way you can. And I truly believe every single person on this planet has at least one unique gift to share, or a way of expressing that gift that is unique to them alone. It's about serving the planet.

I'm all about useful, concrete, day-to-day application. So here are some practical examples of how to bring an artistic sensibility to your work world:

1. The carpenter who spends an extra 10 minutes sanding the edge of a cabinet that no one will ever see, instead of calling it "good enough" and packing up for the day.

2. The nurse with the courage to question whether a prescribed treatment is really in the best interest of the patient.

3. The programmer who over-delivers and wows his client by adding a useful feature that wasn't in the original spec.

4. The writer who stays true to her voice and delights a small but loyal following.

5. The exhausted mother who inspires her children by taking night classes. 

This is the Art that Seth is talking about. It's bold and rewarding.

Overall, I found the book truly inspiring. It is the perfect companion and followup to his other best-seller Linchpin: Are You Indispensable, which was my favorite read of 2012. And I highly recommend both to anyone.

By the way, this is not a book review, and I do not get any perks or swag from you clinking on any links. I simply love Seth's message. I paid for this book myself and it was worth every penny. That said...

Make art. Be happy. Fly high.

Fortune Friday: "You will always have good luck in your personal affairs."

As part of my new blog, I thought it would be fun to start a regular series about something near and dear to my heart: kung pao chicken.

Okay, let me clarify. On most Fridays I like to "ring in the weekend" by treating myself to lunch at one of my favorite local Chinese restaurants. And what is the best part of these lunches? The fortune cookie of course. Seriously, I've been tempted to buy a whole bag of these delicious beauties. But I don't want to spoil the magic. I know you can relate.

Lately, I have been giving more thought to the fortune cookie messages. Before I would have just rolled my eyes or shrugged and then thought nothing more of it. But then I got to thinking. What if the level of profundity is proportionate to the attention I give it? Hmmm.

That said, every Friday (hopefully) I am going to share my fortune from my lunch and give you my take on what I learned from it. Here is today's:

"You will always have good luck in your personal affairs."

Wow, where to start? You could almost break it down word by word, attaching meaning to 'will' and 'always' and 'good'. I won't even talk about 'affairs'.

But my takeaway from this fortune is that life, good or bad, comes down to perspective and your personal outlook. One of my favorite quotes is from Albert Einstein. He said:

"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."

My life is what I choose to make it. Life is how I choose to see it and live it. If I look for miracles I will find them. If I look for the bad I will find that too. If I choose to find the 'good luck' in all my personal affairs, then ANY event or instance, even ones intrinsically negative, can be turned into a positive learning experience for my benefit.

For example, in my 19-year career as a graphic designer I have been laid off from 8 of my 12 jobs. One of the occupational hazards of working as an in-house creative in the tech industry. Not to mention my average time at a job is about 18 months. I won't lie, that's a lot of disruption and stress to ones family life. People talk about the stability of a day job, but that is a discussion for another day.

My point in sharing my work history is that it would be easy to grumble and bemoan my luck. But honestly, EVERY single layoff has brought with it new and greater opportunities, not only for professional growth but for income as well--even during times when the economy wasn't doing so well. That is a miracle by anyone's definition.

So in this area, I have always had good luck in my personal affairs. And believe me, I consider myself very, very blessed in this regard.

Side note: This reminds me of something my father once told me. He said ones best chance for a sizable pay increase comes from changing jobs or getting a promotion, not from annual pay increases. Maybe he was on to something there.

To your good fortune!

Starting My New Blog

So I've decided to start a blog.

What it will be about or where it will go I have no idea.

For now it will be a collecting place for my thoughts, likes, inspirations, or any old thing that is important to me. I'm just going to let it develop organically. My guess is that in time it will grow and mature into whatever it is meant to become. And hopefully what I choose to write about will ultimately be of use to whoever reads it.

The way I see it the world can use all the positive, life-affirming and uplifting messages it can get. I hope to contribute in a way that encourages boldness, individuality, and creativity.

Just remember, I don't profess to be an expert on anything. If you disagree with anything I have to say or show in this blog, it's cool. I get it. I'm not everyone's cup of tea.

Whew. Here we go.