The one thing we have to remember when we're plying the art of Intention is this: our desires sometimes come about in quite different ways than we'd pictured. Experts warn us to let go of our need to control the specifics.
Stephen King and others have written frightening tales of those who got what they prayed for--and soon came to regret it. But this isn't to say that we shouldn't intend...only that we can't control precisely how and when the processs works. I'm free to intend to have a million dollars come my way--but I'm better off not setting conditions: e.g., I must have the money by December 31, 2013...and I need to make the money through sales of my next ebook. It's better, and safer, to form an intention...take the necessary actions over and over again...and let life take care of the details.
Something happened this past week that brought the lesson home. One evening I decided that one aspect of social media was more than I could handle. It involved a small handful of people I love: an ongoing series of 'rounds'--banter back and forth--that was flattering to me and my work...but which I couldn't keep up with. I decided to scale back somehow without seeming ungrateful.
Cut to the next day: one of my better Twitter friends had taken exception to my too quickly written Tweet. I'd thought I'd understood my friend--but, in fact, I hadn't. Apologies and explanations failed to satisfy...so far. Possibly, I've lost a friend. But, eerily, the Tweeting rounds stopped immediately.. I miss the rounds. I miss the jokes. I miss the sweet attention. But I work two jobs while writing and I do the best I can.
Lesson two: I need some reminding, like everyone else, to steer my attention from what I don't want to far safer ground: what I do want. Focusing only on the don't side, I may think excessively of my burning desire to escape from my job. And life may manifest my desire in a form that I don't like: a dreaded pink slip before I've lined up something else. I need to keep my focus on what I do want: a smooth and safe transition to a job that suits my talents better and offers an easier day schedule along with better pay.
Enough of theory. Applications!
1) I've made a bold new change to the Moleskine. Keeping with the new two-day per issue form, I've added a new 2-day Playbook for each: things that I need to accomplish to keep me on course: e.g.
--Final-proof 20 pages of The Suiting.
--Proof Lev Butts' responses in order to publish the interview on Saturday.
--Write new post for Authors Electric.
--Continue to fine-tune salads to reduce my body fat for photo shoot.
--Call photographer to set up first prelim shoot.
Etc.
2) One of my boldest moves has been to add a new penalty/rewards section: if I fail to accomplish the 2-day Playbook's objectives, I either penalty or reap a jim-dandy reward. No rewards so far, I fear. But I've been steadily upping the number of crunches I do for the photo shoot!
These two new strategies have brought my game to higher ground. And this older gladiator really digs the difference.
Hi Reb. I'm relatively new to Twitter, but I've connected it to my blog and am gamely trying to promote myself as an author. It often seems to me as I engage in Social Media that there's a whole lotta people talkin' and only a few listenin'. My view is if I want to get, I have to give. I try to engage with other bloggers (as you do), but I am also increasingly aware of the 24-hour limit to each day. Marketing and self-promotion is hard work. What's your secret. Any tips for us newbies, esp. with managing time.
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting, Matt. Best advice I can give is to find and fight to maintain a proper balance between self-promotion and social engagement. My favorite ebook writers are those I've 'discovered' on Twitter through interesting Tweets that led me to wonder what their writing might be like. These writers do promote their work and announce sales events--but not non-stop. Around 60% of their Tweets are social interactions or RTs to help other writers. Make sense?
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