The fourth "P" on this path to what is a pretty simplistic path to achievement (but sometimes simplicity is the best approach) is patience. Again--it's not up to me to decide how someone reaches their goals. I'm just expressing my opinion and what has worked for me...in particularly in the area of my writing.
So, patience..., this one of all of the "P's," might be the hardest to master for some. We live in a society of "NOW"--Fast food, binge watching, the availability to download books on a whim, online shopping, access to all sorts of things that interest us can be found immediately in the "google culture," etc. Therefore, waiting for anything can be difficult at best and tormenting at worst. I think it'll become increasingly difficult for younger generations to accept and process that patience is really a virtue. I do believe (again, my opinion) that good things come to those who wait and to take that a step further, I believe that good things come to those who learn, apply, allow and accept.
What do what I mean by that? I'll use my own life as a writer as an example. I was fortunate to know at a young age that I wanted to be a writer. But, when you get ready to go to college and want to tell your parents that you want to be a novelist it doesn't always equate in parents' minds that this is a solid way to make a living. So, I decided that journalism would at least seem more of a credible idea. But, I never lost the dream and fortunately fate (or God, The Universe) has a way of redirecting our paths back to our original intentions even though we don't always understand that is what is happening in the moment. I became pregnant at 21 (my last year in college) and when Alex made his way into the world he was six weeks premature and needed to stay in the hospital for a period and then come home with monitors and needing a lot of care (side note...he is now a fully healthy, amazing adult). So, with a newborn baby at home I started dreaming about writing fiction again. And, that is what I did. But before that, I began reading everything I could on the craft. Then, I set a goal. I was going to write a book. Goal set, learning taking place and then what? Application. I took a correspondence course via Writer's Digest and after almost a year I had a completed manuscript.
Now, comes the patient part! I repeated the first two habits almost daily for twelve years. I learned consistently through reading, workshops, read and critique groups and applying myself by writing eight more manuscripts and as many partials. I queried literary agents every week. I would call Mondays...marketing Monday. That's when I'd write my query letters and go to the post office and mail them out. I'd try to do 3-5 every week. And, every week...rejection letters would show up in the mailbox. I think the postman wanted to run away from the crazy woman waiting for her mail every day and then swearing or tearing up the the mail. Yet, I knew deep down that if just one agent out there believed in me then I had a real chance and after twelve years that happened. I was lucky enough that my agent did truly believe in my work and sold three books of mine in three weeks, and then another three within nine months. Time sort of caught up with me during that "allowing" phase. Allowing is another way of viewing patience. Good things typically take time. They take time to grow. It takes time to get good at something and we never really master anything because that would be boring. It's in the learning and applying that the adventure takes place, and when you live with purpose and passion and you've been persistent, I think that allowing patience to take hold becomes an easier practice.
Patience isn't always easy. It rarely is. I like the way Benjamin Franklin thought of it... "He that can have patience can have what he will."
I'll tackle "acceptance," and my final "P," in a few days. I'd love to hear thoughts on any of my "P's" so far and what processes you utilize or believe in that help you achieve goals.
Cheers,
Michele
So, patience..., this one of all of the "P's," might be the hardest to master for some. We live in a society of "NOW"--Fast food, binge watching, the availability to download books on a whim, online shopping, access to all sorts of things that interest us can be found immediately in the "google culture," etc. Therefore, waiting for anything can be difficult at best and tormenting at worst. I think it'll become increasingly difficult for younger generations to accept and process that patience is really a virtue. I do believe (again, my opinion) that good things come to those who wait and to take that a step further, I believe that good things come to those who learn, apply, allow and accept.
What do what I mean by that? I'll use my own life as a writer as an example. I was fortunate to know at a young age that I wanted to be a writer. But, when you get ready to go to college and want to tell your parents that you want to be a novelist it doesn't always equate in parents' minds that this is a solid way to make a living. So, I decided that journalism would at least seem more of a credible idea. But, I never lost the dream and fortunately fate (or God, The Universe) has a way of redirecting our paths back to our original intentions even though we don't always understand that is what is happening in the moment. I became pregnant at 21 (my last year in college) and when Alex made his way into the world he was six weeks premature and needed to stay in the hospital for a period and then come home with monitors and needing a lot of care (side note...he is now a fully healthy, amazing adult). So, with a newborn baby at home I started dreaming about writing fiction again. And, that is what I did. But before that, I began reading everything I could on the craft. Then, I set a goal. I was going to write a book. Goal set, learning taking place and then what? Application. I took a correspondence course via Writer's Digest and after almost a year I had a completed manuscript.
Now, comes the patient part! I repeated the first two habits almost daily for twelve years. I learned consistently through reading, workshops, read and critique groups and applying myself by writing eight more manuscripts and as many partials. I queried literary agents every week. I would call Mondays...marketing Monday. That's when I'd write my query letters and go to the post office and mail them out. I'd try to do 3-5 every week. And, every week...rejection letters would show up in the mailbox. I think the postman wanted to run away from the crazy woman waiting for her mail every day and then swearing or tearing up the the mail. Yet, I knew deep down that if just one agent out there believed in me then I had a real chance and after twelve years that happened. I was lucky enough that my agent did truly believe in my work and sold three books of mine in three weeks, and then another three within nine months. Time sort of caught up with me during that "allowing" phase. Allowing is another way of viewing patience. Good things typically take time. They take time to grow. It takes time to get good at something and we never really master anything because that would be boring. It's in the learning and applying that the adventure takes place, and when you live with purpose and passion and you've been persistent, I think that allowing patience to take hold becomes an easier practice.
Patience isn't always easy. It rarely is. I like the way Benjamin Franklin thought of it... "He that can have patience can have what he will."
I'll tackle "acceptance," and my final "P," in a few days. I'd love to hear thoughts on any of my "P's" so far and what processes you utilize or believe in that help you achieve goals.
Cheers,
Michele
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