Here’s what most folks don’t understand about the writer’s life: It doesn’t choose
you.You choose it. Too many people think being a writer is preordained. Like
you have to be born with an uncanny mastery over words to even earn the label
“writer.”
It follows that they’d think the writer’s life, complete
with money, freedom, and admiration, only comes to those preselected by fate.
I’m here to tell you, “NOPE!” That’s not it at all.
You have to choose this lifestyle … and there’s a lot more
to it than being able to string together clever sentences.
And the Money Kept Rolling In (and Out)
I didn’t know all this when I first tried my hand at copywriting. I saw an opportunity to
write for a living, and I took
it.
At the time, I mainly needed a way to pay off some debt. I
also wanted to spend more time at home with my husband and two puppies.
And I’ll admit, the prospect of earning a lot of money just working from a home office was
pretty appealing. After all, I had my wish list. A new car … trips abroad …
nice furniture … chic clothes.
When the money started rolling in, I cashed in on that wish
list. I paid my debts, bought my new car, vacationed on an island, filled my
house with hand-crafted furniture, and packed my closet with designer clothes.
But still, I wanted more.
How High Will You Go?
One of the lessons I’ve always remembered from my days as a
sociology student is this: “No matter how much money people make, they tend to
always want more.”
It’s true. I’ve since observed it in myself, in friends, and
in celebrities.
If you make $30K a year, $50K sure looks attractive. If you
top six-figures, you think you’d be better off doubling that. If you’re already
a millionaire, you wonder what it’ll take to get $2 million … or $5 million …
or maybe even $10 million.
It’s a trick of the ego, really. Your ego is the part of you
that only cares about what you want or need. It fixates on how much money you
can make or how far you can climb up the corporate ladder.
Maybe it’s also a survival instinct, where you look out for
yourself. Maybe it’s cultural. Regardless, it puts you on a path where you
constantly chase after material things.
Your longing for greater
wealth and prestige will continue to grow — unless you make a choice.
It has nothing to do with stopping at a point where you feel
content. It has everything to do with recognizing just how much you have … and
then giving it away.
How to Guarantee Good Things Will Come to You
Once you start giving, you’ll be admired. It’s more or less
expected in our society when you start doing well for yourself. But, I don’t
think you should give just to be admired. You should do it because it’s a smart
move in a lot of ways.
For starters, consider the fact that giving improves your
health. It also boosts your quality of life in a way money can’t. Giving expands your prosperity. It changes
the lens through which you see the world. Instead of the common man’s view of
always wanting and never having enough, it offers you the ability to step up
and say, “I have enough, and I am happy.”
The funny thing is, once you do that, you end up with greater wealth and prosperity — not
to mention happiness, love, security, loyal friends, and true connection.
This is known as the “boomerang effect” of giving. It’s
where you recognize all that you have, whether it’s wealth or talent or simple
joy, and you dole some of it back out into the world.
In exchange, you no longer have to chase after good things …
because they come to you. It’s the scientific principle of cause and effect:
you get what you give. So, no matter how small the gesture, the act of giving
will boomerang back to you in some way.
I had this happen two months ago. After leaving a waitress a
$50 tip (something I’ve never done before), I went home to find an email with
an offer of a $1,000 project.
But, you don’t have to give just money. Consider the value
of giving your time through volunteerism, or even giving someone else a kind
word or a compliment.
Even saying “thank you” is an act of giving. Feeling gratitude for everything, from the
roof over your head to catching a green traffic light on your way to the store
goes a long way in amplifying your ability to appreciate life.
Overcome Your Scarcity Mindset
When you start living the writer’s life, you have to face the
question of what you really need to be happy. You’re literally forced off the
treadmill of life other people get stuck on, where everything is about showing
up, earning a check, getting what’s needed to survive, and then doing it all
over again … day after day.
Money is nice and all, but wouldn’t you rather live a life
that matters? When it’s your time to go, wouldn’t you like to know you did
something to change this world for the better?
The key is to start with yourself.
Ghandi’s quote, “Be the change you want to see in this
world,” is one of my favorites, and it couldn’t be more relevant.
Adopt a Giver’s Attitude — the well-known “Attitude of Gratitude” — and you’ll
start to understand where your strengths lie. A path will take shape to lead
you to your goals. You just have to take the first step.
But to get there, you must first overcome the common scarcity mindset that you don’t
have enough and aren’t good enough. That’s a fear-based attitude, and it’s all
too common among people who want to be freelance
writers. Replace it with a giving
attitude, and good things will start to boomerang back into your life.
Live Well and Prosper!
© 2011
Peter Allan Mariano
Talakayan at Kalusugan - DWAD1098KHz 10-11am Every Tuesday
The Big NM - Network Management for Filipinos
Links2Prosperity Marketing - Web Marketing : Web Content : Web Design
Virtual Assistant Philippines - A Community of Pinoy Virtual Assistants
Follow me on TWITTER:
Join my FACEBOOK Family:
No comments:
Post a Comment