Thursday, August 21, 2014

Keep Your Eye on the Finish Line


My good friend Debbie suggested that I write a post about my recently published book. Thanks for the suggestion, Deb.  I try to motivate people in my blog, so I will try to encourage you to get in touch with any long term goals that perhaps have been mulling around in your brain (and your heart) over the years, or at least lately.  Or, another way to look at it is to think about your Bucket List, if you have one.  If you don’t, why is that? What is something you would like to experience or accomplish before you leave this world?

I am proud to say that this month I completed a long-term goal of mine.  It took seven years, but I finally published the book that I’ve always wanted to publish—a holistic self-esteem workbook for tweens and early teens, titled I Am Awesome!  A Healthy Workbook for Kids.  I guess it’s been a goal of mine even longer than that, because forty years ago, when I started my teaching career at Thurston Junior High, I made a little booklet for all the girls in my PE classes, titled Feeling Good.  Some of you can probably guess how I did that—I used the ditto machine!  (If you're old enough to remember the ditto machine, did you love the smell of the ink on the paper as much as I did?)  We’ve come a long way since the days of the ditto machine! 

You know how they say (Who is they anyway?) that it doesn't matter what you do, someone will always find fault with it? Well, I’ve had my share of negative critiques, like the time a workshop teacher told me that I’d have to redo my entire book, in a program that I’d never heard of before. Crybaby Mary had a little setback after that. But the gal (who never thought to mention anything positive along with her critique- #$%^&;!#/) was right,  my book really needed to be redone, and I was eventually open to finding the right person to help me tackle the challenge.  I think that’s the key, being open, and focused on the end result, the finish line. Don’t let the Negative Nancys get you down!

So, I hope my drive is a little contagious to some of you out there who have a long term goal percolating inside of you.  I know many of you have certainly helped motivate me, and given me the confidence to go after my dreams.  If you’d like me to check-in on you from time to time, about any progress you are making on a goal you’d like to share with me, I’m all about it, OK?  Once a cheerleader, always a cheerleader! (I wouldn’t want to be a for real cheerleader these days. Yikes! Those stunts they do!  Ay-yi-yi!)

If you are interested, my book is listed on Amazon in two versions- color (my favorite), and black and white.  The nice thing about Amazon is that you can take a peek inside the book, and see sample pages.  Plus, you can read reviews. Another option is to purchase an autographed copy, with a personal message, through my website:  www.awesomeworkbook.com.   Or, come see me at the Oregon Authors Table at the state fair, August 22-September 1.

I’ve learned from many of my marketing workshops that an author should only talk about their book 20% of the time, and use the remaining 80% of the time to inform. Let's call this post my 20% . J

Take care, dream big, and please consider letting me be amongst those in your life who help motivate you towards your goals.

Mary

P.S.   I must take a moment to brag about my sweetheart, Larry.  Talk about reaching a long term goal!  After ten years, of only working on building his log home during time off from his full-time business, and starting totally from scratch (no kits for him!), it is now livable.  We slept in it for the first time in July. (I wanted flush toilets before I was willing to spend the night.)  I wish I had a current photo to post! I'll be sure to add one to my next post. The cabin is just outside of Prineville, overlooking the Ochoco Reservoir.  It is absolutely a work of art.