Writer's Unblock, by Doug Grady
writer's block (noun): a psychological inhibition preventing a writer from proceeding with a piece
Writer's Unblock, by Doug Grady
A couple of days ago I jokingly posted on my facebook status,
"I was going to blog today about writer's block but I couldn't come up with anything."
And then I started writing this. It took forever.
For the past two years I have been writing regularly- blogging a couple of times a week and recently completing the manuscript for my first book, The Ripple Effect. At times the words flowed effortlessly. Other times it took hours to get one thought out of my head and into a word document; months and even years to complete some of my writings. At this very moment I have at least 12 unfinished articles in my files, some of which were started well over two years ago.
Writer's block is most commonly associated with fear on some level. Fear of criticism, fear of looking bad, fear of the naysayer. It's probably quite obvious that fear tends to stifle creativity and inhibit self-expression.
While this may account for much of writer's block, it is a limited view. There can also be a positive aspect to writer's block. At times your ideas simply need the chance to develop and mature.
Whether you are blocked from fear or your ideas are taking their time marinating, here are specific strategies to get your thoughts flowing.
- Morning pages as defined in Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way. This practice of "three pages of longhand, stream of consciousness writing, done first thing in the morning" has been a part of my daily ritual for years.
- Images. Google the images for your topic. Sometimes the right visual representation of what you are trying to put into words can have an almost magical effect on your writing.
- Talk it out. Converse with a friend on the subject.
- Do it anyway. Specify a minimum number of words you will write (my target is generally 500) or a minimum amount of time (say 30 minutes) of writing. Forget about the quality of the output, just focus on the activity.
- Exercise. I had been struggling with writing a song for my mother for months. I wrote almost the entire song in my head during a one hour trail run.
- "Good enough" sometimes really is. It doesn't have to be perfect to be powerful, purposeful, and published.
- Multiple starts. Leave the topic you're blocked on. Write about something else. Worst case scenario is you'll have multiple unfinished writings. Oftentimes you will combine two or more concepts into one writing.
- Begin without the end in mind. Just write. Don't worry about where you are going with it. You'll know when you get there.
- Deadlines and other commitments. If no one else is setting a deadline for you, set one for yourself. Commit to other people what you will complete and when you will complete it.
- Lastly, be aware of how you talk to yourself. If writer's block has a negative implication in your mind, try this:
"My subconscious mind is always working to clarify my communication. My words flow easily in the right way at just the right time."
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Please leave a comment- I really want to hear from you.
Writer's Block, by Doug Grady
Writer's Block, by Doug Grady
Please leave a comment- I really want to hear from you.
The Cost Of Persistence, by Doug Grady
January 22, 2012 by Doug · 8 Comments
persistence: firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition.
The Cost Of Persistence, by Doug Grady
per·sist·ence (noun): firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition.
“I will persist until I succeed.” -Og Mandino
“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” -Calvin Coolidge
"Energy and persistence conquer all things." -Ben Franklin
The universal power of persistence has been proclaimed in self-help books and motivational speeches for hundreds of years. Persistence, put simply, is a refusal to give up. The talented may give up, the educated may give up, the genius may give up. The persistent one does not.
I am a persistent person. For as long as I can remember, whether in school, sports, or sales it seemed to take me longer than others to gain an understanding of the critical elements of a given discipline. Once I "got it", I would often surpass my peers. I always attributed this to persistence.
However nothing in any definition of persistence speaks to intelligence, innovation, or being strategic. It may be implied that if we continue to push long enough we will explore creative ways to succeed, but this is by no means an automatic element of persistence. Persistence without thought can lead to staying too long in a relationship or job, beating a dead horse, stalking…
When the economy turned in 2007, I was persistent. I pushed. I put myself out there. I went on many sales calls. Companies and industries that previously generated tens of thousands of dollars for my business yielded little or no revenue from my efforts.
But I was persistent. I refused to give up. I made more phone calls and booked more meetings. I tried harder. My "obstinate continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition" was undeterred. And eventually... things got worse. I continued to produce dismal results. My company lost more and more money. I became increasingly frustrated. I was persistently sucked into the quagmire of mediocrity.
Recovery of any kind begins with the admission that you have a problem. In this case I had several. It took some time before l began to see the light at the surface of the muck. The turning point came when I finally accepted the fact that what I was doing was not working. My persistence had failed me.
Faith, humility and a re-commitment to growth eventually augmented my persistence. I asked for help. I let go of behaviors that weren't serving me. The Ripple Effect highlights some of the personal struggles, lessons, and ripples that followed during this very challenging time in my life.
“As long as we are persistent in our pursuit of our deepest destiny, we will continue to grow. We cannot choose the day or time when we will fully bloom. It happens in its own time.” -Dr. Denis Waitley
Professionally, there were lessons to learn as well. I went "back to school" and educated myself on how to survive and thrive in the "new normal." My studies were focused in the areas of:
- Online strategy
- Social media
- Personal marketing
- Strategic alliances
- Becoming a trusted authority
- Attraction versus promotion
- Recurring revenue
In the next few weeks I will be sharing some of the best of what I have learned and applied in these areas over the last four and a half years. If you are not sure whether or not you are opted in for my blog, take a moment to do so now (scroll up and to your right). And be sure to share this article with the people in your life who can utilize it.
Persistence, like many other attributes, can be a liability. Sometimes we need to slow down and reevaluate. Other times we need to let go of what's not working and do something different.
Please leave a comment- I really want to hear from you!
Persist intelligently.
Open Mic Night, by Doug Grady
January 18, 2012 by Doug · 3 Comments
Open Mic Night
Open Mic Night, by Doug Grady
In The Tough Mudder Goal Setting Formula I suggested:
Do you want to:
• Play the guitar? Sing? Do stand-up comedy? Book an open mic night.
Although I have been performing music in my trainings for over a decade, I had never played an open mic night... until recently.
In 2011 I wrote four original songs, three of which aren't particularly suited for my speaking engagements and seminars. The thought had crossed my mind on more than one occasion that I should practice what I preach.
I was running an errand in Midtown Atlanta when I noticed a flyer on the door of the Red Light Cafe, "Open Mic Night every Wednesday". You gotta be kidding me. I didn't even have to look for it.
Wednesday rolled around and I showed up, banjo in hand with a couple of friends. To my surprise a few more arrived within the hour. The room was a mix of several people I know and 40+ artists, performers, and spectators.
10:55pm: "Next up, Doug Grady!"
I know what you're thinking. I got a standing ovation and booked a multimillion-dollar record deal. Not exactly. The first two songs, Saturday Morning and Is it Time to Let Go were a little off. These songs had never been performed for more than a couple of people and my nerves got the better of me. Of course The (unofficial) Tough Mudder Song had 'em clappin', snappin', hootin' and hollerin'.
My 13.5 minute open mic performance was nerve-racking, uncomfortable, and at times a little off key. It was fun, exciting, and inspired. It was a growth experience unlike any I have had or ever will have while simply practicing.
Put yourself out there. There simply is no substitute for putting your butt on the line.
Please leave a comment- I really want to hear from you.
That Little Voice, by Doug Grady
January 6, 2012 by Doug · 4 Comments
What voice are you listening to?
That Little Voice, by Doug Grady
You know the one. The one that lets you off the hook. That makes it OK to not do what you said you would do.
According to statistics, 75 to 90 percent of New Year's Resolutions are broken by February. Roughly 60% of smokers who attempt to quit fail their first time. Up to 80% of the people who buy gym memberships do not use them. The voices in their head said it was OK.
I was talking with a business associate earlier this week. He said on day 3 of an exercise program he did not fulfill his commitment. I prodded, "How did that happen? What was the voice that let you off the hook?" After a few minutes we got to it. It was kind of a one-two punch. His voice said, "I'm too tired tonight and I'll make up for it by doing two workouts tomorrow."
What does your little voice tell you? What are the specific words that make lying to yourself OK?
Justification, rationalization, reasoning. Call it what you will. It is one of the voices in your head. This voice has been with you a long time. Think about the last time you let yourself off the hook. How did it speak to you? If you don't remember, no worries- this voice will be back. Pay attention next time. Awareness is the key. Feel it coming. Hear it. There is power in knowing the exact words you listen to right before you break your commitment.
They are just words. You can hear them; feel them; even consider them; and then let them go. You can choose another voice to listen to. The voice that holds you to your word and encourages you to stay the course. The one that keeps you committed.
"I have many voices in my head. The key is choosing which one to listen to." -Doug Grady
That little voice is always telling you something. If it's inconsistent with who you are committed to be, choose a different voice. It is in there also, anchored deep inside you. You just have to listen.
Please leave a comment. I really want to hear from you.
The Ingredients are Not Enough, by Doug Grady
December 11, 2011 by Doug · 2 Comments
Ingredients: distilled vinegar, red pepper, salt
The Ingredients are Not Enough, by Doug Grady
Tabasco: distilled vinegar, red pepper, salt.
Achievement: inspiration, personal growth, perseverance.
My first experience with Tabasco was in New Orleans as a freshman at Tulane University. A couple of drops and I was hooked. Rarely a meal goes by these days without reaching for that familiar bottle of pepper sauce.
Did you know the ingredients of Tabasco are aged up to three years in white oak barrels before they fulfill their destiny? The barrel gives them an environment to come together, to develop, to mature. It provides a proven structure for the fulfillment of their potential.
The ingredients are not enough.
Even if you have the right potential ingredients for achievement, it is not a given. Inspiration can be fleeting. Personal growth is often painful. Perseverance alone can lead to banging your head against a wall. Put them all together, and you're off to a great start, but it is not enough. High Achievers consciously put themselves in an environment where they can grow, mature, and consistently progress toward realizing their full potential. They learn from others who have been there. They have a support system. They realize it probably won't happen overnight.
The ingredients are not enough.
Check your environment. Does it empower you? What messes do you need to clean up? How's your support system? What simple choices can you make today to nurture your potential for the long term? Who can you count on?
Ingredients: inspiration, personal growth, perseverance
Think of High Achievers as your own personal white oak barrel. Our mission is simple:
To help you embrace a lifestyle of high achievement.
What would happen if you fully embraced a lifestyle of high achievement right now? What would be possible for you in the upcoming months? In a year? In three years?
Bring your inspiration. Be willing to grow. By all means persevere. Join us in embracing a lifestyle of high achievement. Your destiny awaits.
New membership options start at just $9.95/month (start my membership now!)
Do you have a team of 20 or more? Find out how you can book Doug.
Vision Repaired, by Doug Grady
November 2, 2011 by Doug · 3 Comments
Vision Repaired, by Doug Grady
I thought I was just tired. I was reading a book with fine print and found myself pulling it further away to make out the words. My vision was better than 20/20- this must be a mistake. I delayed the inevitable for over 2 1/2 years. Last weekend I faced the facts and bought my first pair of reading glasses.
"It is a terrible thing to see and have no vision." -Helen Keller
What are the factors causing us to resist simple shifts that can significantly improve the quality of our lives? Here are some that have popped up for me:
- Resistance to change/comfort zone. Sometimes I like to hold on to my old, comfortable way of looking at things- even if it doesn't work so well anymore.
- Blind spots. I got so used to reading with obscured vision, I almost didn't notice it.
- Self comparison. Comparing myself to how I used to be can be a recipe for frustration. While it is true that I am continuing to improve in various areas of my life, apparently eyesight is not one of them.
- Denial. I simply did not want to accept my limitations.
- Pride/ego/vanity. Glasses, when I got right down to it, represented weakness in my mind. I didn't want to rely on something outside myself to get results I was used to getting on my own.
I just happened to be with a trusted friend who reminded me how absurd my stubbornness was. Without this gentle prodding, it is likely I would still be vision impaired. As I write these words (glasses on) I am wondering what took me so long.
Where there is no vision, the people perish. -Proverbs 29:18
Tools, resources, and strategies are all around us. They come in the form of books, trainings, people... and glasses. What are you doing today to improve your vision?
Demotivational Chat
November 2, 2011 by Doug · Leave a Comment
Actual comments in a chat room after attending a motivational seminar*:
tinxie: Jeez our company spends thousands and thousands of cash on motivational speakers. They don't work. They just don't. People will stay the way that they are no matter what. LOL. They will only change if they want to.
scarygerman: On the plus side you get out of work for however long the seminars goes on, and they're usually catered, so free food.
MrMerry: I'd honest to god rather be working.
*Not a High Achievers seminar
The Self-help Section, by Doug Grady
October 24, 2011 by Doug · 12 Comments
The Self-help Section, by Doug Grady
According to Marketdata Enterprises, a Tampa-based research firm, Americans spend more than $11 billion each year on self-improvement products and services. The self-help industry is expected to grow 6.2 percent annually over the next three years.
If the self-help section worked it would be getting smaller, not larger. -Self-help Conundrum
I remember attending a seminar in the mid 90s in which the speaker opened with the above point. I had been in the self-help industry for a few short years at the time. As of this writing it has been over 17 years. I can appreciate both the humor and the truth in the statement. My own internal need for growth has often surfaced in various external remedies and fixes which never quite get there. My search for answers has led to more questions. How much is within us and how much do we need to discover? Is it more important to learn or "unlearn"? When do I push and when do I let go? How can I best help others? What is the difference that makes the difference?
Recently I made a trip to my local bookstore to check out some of the titles. Here are a few highlights...
Self-help book titles:
How to Make Anyone Fall in Love with You
The Secret Power of Middle Children
Put Your Big Girl Panties On
This is Why You're fat
The Owner's Manual for the Brain (1005 pages)
The Procrastination Workbook
Change or Die
14000 Things to be Happy About
8789 Words if Wisdom
365 Ways to Boost Your Brain Power
287 Secrets of Reinventing Your Life
The 10 Women You'll be Before You're 35
5 Steps to a Quantum Life
The 4 Hour Work Week
The 30 Second Solution
And finally...
The Only Book on Success You'll Ever Need, Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 (OK, that one I made up)
Can a book really change your life? Or a seminar? Or hiring a coach? What does it take? What is the difference that makes the difference? What do you think? Please post your thoughts in the self-help section. I mean the comment section.
The Storm, by Doug Grady
October 11, 2011 by Doug · 6 Comments
The Storm, by Doug Grady
So often we want to be rescued from the storm. We don’t realize it is the storm that rescues us. -Unknown*
These words hit me like a thunder bolt when I heard them. I was in the midst of my own personal storm. It included, among other elements, intense financial pressures, overwhelming feelings of failure, and habits and tendencies which were making things much worse. I felt defeated and completely out of control. I wanted to be rescued.
*I don’t know who first said this. I heard it in a sermon by Bryan Dunagan. He wasn’t sure where it came from and I have been unable to locate the source.
I remember thinking, what if this is true? What if this storm really is here to rescue me?
Lessons repeat themselves until learned.
My storm carried lessons. Lessons I needed to learn. There were times I hated facing this truth. Some I already knew- I just didn't want to admit. Others were revealed. My storm shook me, it rocked me, it humbled me.
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. -Proverbs 11:2
That storm has since passed, and as a direct result I have a significantly healthier lifestyle, a stronger sense of purpose, and better relationships with the important people in my life. In its wake it left a positive, lasting impact on every aspect of my life: physical, financial, spiritual, mental, emotional, family, friends...
“After a storm comes a calm.” -Matthew Henry
Maybe there is a perfect, beautiful, extraordinary reason why you are where you are. You may not know it until the storm has passed. Maybe there is a lesson or two. Maybe you will become a better person. Maybe you will develop character. Maybe you will end up affecting someone’s life in a powerful way because of what you are going through right now. Maybe, just maybe, the storm will rescue you.
My storm was nothing compared to the lives devastated by the tornadoes that crossed the Southeast. This weekend I travel with my church to Wellington, AL to help out. For more on this cause, click here.
Please, leave a comment- I really want to hear from you.