Big Sister Coaching And Training
It's all about the energy of life, so stop wasting your will power!

I would not have gone beyond the easy and the obvious.  Like a quester who settles for an emerald when they can have a unique diamond with a bit more effort.  Hopefully, with this forced introspection, I am able to offer something of deeper value, something unique to my readers.

I would not be qualified to talk about overcoming struggle and coping with setbacks.  I wouldn’t learn first hand about resilience and determination to succeed, and about the internal alignment of dreams, discipline and action.  I wouldn’t know first hand all the distractions that entice people away from success, and be able to advise people on how to overcome them.

I would not be able to help the financially struggling to be resourceful. I wouldn’t discover all the “back door” ways to achieve my ends.  I’d probably have paid someone to set up my website, hired someone to do all the technical and boring stuff, and not really gained a solid understanding of what underpins a successful online business.

If I had my book published traditionally, I would not understand the far greater financial rewards possible with self publishing.  I would always be locked into the concept of publisher, editor, distributor, and not recognise the marketing power of online.

If I had come from a place of  bricks and mortar business success, I would not understand the unlimited potential of an online business based on information.  I would always be thinking in terms of physical products.

I wouldn’t have learned about the gaps that exist for creative people in building an online business.  If I just wanted to make money online, and not had a sense of an urgent higher mission, I don’t doubt that I could have done it sooner. The success guru’s messages all start with “find out what the market wants”.

But I have a message that needs to come out regardless of what the market wants, because I believe that I am the first with my particular message.   And I am first, and foremost, an author, and I needed to get clear about giving voice to my message.  As with fellow authors, there is the process of drafts, re-drafts, revisions, fresh starts, and writers blocks.  I believe it is a process of ripening, a craft.  Not just assembly line, looking at the numbers and playing to them.

What do you think? What did you actually GAIN in wisdom or experience from your delayed success?

I’m going to concentrate on people close to my own age and over (just in case I run a bit more late, LOL!)

• Julia Child’s first book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, was published when she was 49. Her television debut came a few years later when she was in her early 50s.
• Charles Bukowski – The famous novelist/poet worked at the post office for years. He was 49 when his first book was published.
• Laura Ingalls Wilder – Her first book, Little House in the Big Woods came out when she was 65. It was the first of her 8-volume Little House series.
• We all know about Colonel Sanders finally making it at age 65
• Raymond Chandler published his first short story at age 45. His first book, The Big Sleep, came out when he was 51.
• Elizabeth Jolley didn’t publish her first novel until nearly 60
• Daniel Defoe wrote “Robinson Crusoe” at 58.
• Grandma Moses (nee Anna Mary Robertson) started painting in her 70’s.
• Maya Angelou – was in her 60s when her poetry and books became popular.
• Susan Boyle came to public attention on Britain’s Got Talent at age 48.

And my personal favourite role models:

• Byron Katie – began her empowerment journey at age 44 after a breakdown. She is now 68, and still rising in influence.
• Louise Hay found publishing success at age 58 with You Can Heal Your Life in 1984.

I guess if you’re going to write or teach about life, it really helps to have some maturity, wisdom and life experience behind you.

Okay, this one’s for me.  And any one else who needs to top up their bank balance by driving cabs once in a while.

A great site here: http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/31890.  Wow, I’m impressed to learn that modern classical composer, Philip Glass, was listed.