Wednesday, January 23, 2008

No risk, no reward

Having "blind faith" may seem like risky business -- especially when it pertains to career and goal-reaching. But I've found over the past few years that having blind faith is actually very freeing. It frees you from self-doubt and from second-guessing important but risky decisions that your intuition is nagging you to take the leap on. Blind faith is your friend. It's there for YOU. Not your mother, not your sister. No one else but YOU.

Regarding my art career, I started really paying heed to it again in 2004 (after a few years of "it happens" factors that lead to a hibernation of sorts). In 2004 I started to make important decisions that I knew were probably not going to pay off right away... and, in a tangible sense, I wasn't sure how or when they would pay off, if at all. But I knew that I had to 'follow my nose', period, and that's what I began to do -- take those all-important plunges into the unknown, one after the other. And once you start really listening to that intuition and following it, it starts talking to you more, but a little louder and clearer than before. And then, you listen more and follow it more.... and what you end up with is your own 'magic formula' !! (Not really any 'magic' involved...but wait, I think it is, after all. :) )

I still have that little "what if / but..." monster that crops up! (Don't we all!) But these days, most days, I just tell it to shut up and I proceed to put things on paper. I have a list of my goals. Then I make lists of the things I need to pursue or accomplish to reach my goals. Then I make lists of the steps I need to take to accomplish the goals on my list of things I need to accomplish before I can accomplish my goals...and, well, you get the picture. (Long-term and short-term goals 101, but hey, if it ain't broke...)

I do love making lists (and checking things off of said lists! ) and they are a wonderful tool. But the mental shift is the transformative aspect. Your goals are there for the reaching. But you are the motor... So, start up that engine!

3 comments:

Michelle Kemper Brownlow said...

This post was HUGE for me!
Thank you for blessing me tonight!

Just what I needed to hear. Have spent 2 years submitting to agents and publishers with nothing but rejections in my file (except for freelance work for magazines)...

Looking forward to keeping up with your posts - love your style!

Unknown said...

Thanks SO MUCH, Sanity!!

I am ***so glad*** you got something out of it! Keep up the good work!! Just ***be persistent*** !!!! :) :) :) And... DON'T lose faith in yourself!!!! ;) :) :) :)

Take care!!

Jennifer Thermes said...

I'm late to this post but just found your blog through Alicia's... it's great... and this post is just fantastic. Thank you for these inspiring words!