Month: May 2023

How to start

Health is not important. But sickness is. If you are sick, your thoughts will be stapled to that sickness. You can’t get rid of it; you’re in pain, and pain takes up the mind. This is why being healthy, capable, and strong is not about looking good in a bathing suit and feeling attractive (although that has a place, too).

The point? We don’t think about our health unless something is wrong, and then that’s all we think about.

Focusing on your spiritual life is the point of the bigger picture. And to do that, we must become and stay physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy. Spiritual can mean many things to many people. In this context, spirituality means gratitude, gratitude means God, and God means miracles.

So if someone were to ask me Where or how to start – start anything? I would say, Start with physical, mental, and emotional health. Then document that process and what it looks like for you. What unfolds will inspire the right people to take the course of action you recommend.

Create connection

The people who are whipping out their smartphones… They’re not just avoiding boredom, they’re searching — not only for information, entertainment, or updates. They are searching for a feeling of connection. It reminds me of how the person across from me wants to feel when we arrive belly to belly. With so much content on the web, it’s a reminder that the best content makes people feel connected.

Attention on social media

What if instead of showing up on social media to get attention, I showed up to give it without expectation? It seems like a novel suggestion. Imagine the resources that could be built if I spent most of my time attending to how I could help instead of trying to be seen.

Specificity rules

Using “To Whom It May Concern” in a letter differs from addressing someone specific. I will write to a person, not a department head, and create content as if addressing a human with a name, not a general demographic.

When I write content, I will think of them by name and consider them individuals, which helps me understand their needs, preferences, and interests. By tailoring content to one specific person, I will create personalized and engaging messages that lead to more effective communication.

After all, excellent communication is about arriving at the intended outcome, nothing else.

What did I do when…?

I will reflect on how I grew and adapted when this moment passes. I’ll remember how I acted on my creativity, resourcefulness, and resiliency. I’ll remind myself how I pushed through and helped forge a new day. This time next year or the next, how will I answer the question: What did I do when…?

Writing to unlock discovery

In life, it’s not just about what you know but also about what you don’t know you don’t know. The hidden possibilities, the undiscovered talents, the unexplored paths. It’s about the music in the silence and the epiphanies that come from instinct.

Sometimes, the only way to truly see is by being blind, allowing dreams to rise from the depths of our subconscious. And sometimes, by giving up, we gain a new perspective.

Writing can also be a powerful tool for discovery. As you put pen to paper, you may find yourself renewing your covenant with the mysterious and enigmatic. Embrace the furtive pen as it saunters across the empty page, allowing the dark, brimming mist to give way to daylight and reveal its secrets.

So, don’t just focus on what you know. Embrace the mystery and the unknown, and let your instincts guide you toward discoveries. Who knows what you might find?

100 hour rule

I heard this from the Internet… Do you think this is true?

If you spend 18 minutes a day, every day, for a year in any discipline, i.e., soccer, piano, writing, etc., which equals 100 hours in a year, you will be better than 95% of the world in that discipline. It’s the consistent practice of whatever you do that can make you great. So it pays to become highly aware of what you’re practicing.

I do if you’re practicing the right thing in the right way.

Discipline to prospect

I see a crash coming because I have not consistently prospected for clients to fill my pipeline. Sure, I have a few clients now, but what about later?

Prospecting is essential for building a successful freelance business, and waiting until all work is gone before prospecting leads to an inconsistent workflow. This is a challenging way to have a freelancing business. The key, I am discovering, is to commit to prospecting every day instead of only focusing on doing the actual work assigned by the clients. Right now, I’m working IN my business but not spending enough time working ON it. I must do both.

Slowly, drip by drip, I can become a category of one rather than one of many and establish a reputation. This will take time. This involves doing exceptional, even “quirky” work that stands out as mine. I’m not there yet. But the first step towards achieving this is developing the discipline to prospect every day, and that offers me a path to narrow into smaller markets to do work that is not seen as a commodity.

I can build a sustainable and fulfilling freelance career by doing these things. Until then, I keep my day job.

More thoughts on freelancing

When I started my freelance writing journey seven months ago, I believed that taking on any work was essential, even if it didn’t align with the vision I had set forth for myself. I just wanted to start and get paid. After gaining some experience and a few clients, I’ve realized that working with fewer companies that value my work and allow me to improve my skills is more meaningful and sustainable.

Instead of pursuing the largest possible customer base, I’m now looking to narrow my focus to a smaller but sustainable market. My goal is to work with a handful of companies and a few people at each and keep busy with work that aligns with my professional and personal growth goals. This might be a slower approach, but it will deliver me where I want to be in the mid-term.

Another thing – I’ve recognized the importance of prospecting to keep a consistent workflow. Waiting for all work to be gone before seeking new clients is challenging and unpredictable. Not to mention a hard way to live. To establish a reputation and become a category of one, instead of just another person doing commodity work, I need to do exceptional work that stands out as mine. That means developing the discipline to prospect daily and investing time to work ON my business, not just IN.

I’m aware that building a sustainable and fulfilling freelance career will take time. Grateful for the day job, which I’ll continue while implementing these strategies. I’m confident that this refined approach will take me closer to my goals.