On Obstacles

Vince Lombardi said that "Obstacles are what you see when you take your eyes off the goal."

 

That being said, I am amazed at where I seem to find obstacles. I'm sure it is the same for most but it's almost as if we subconsciously don't want to succeed. I sometimes find myself going to great lengths to pass by an obstacle that shouldn't be in my way in the first place. Sure, we all have our plans but it seems all too common to step off your path and go out of your way in order to be impeded by something.

 

So maybe that's what On Living is about for me. Maybe it's my way of reminding myself to stay on my path. I think that is what Culmination 7 is going to be another piece to that. The question is, what will these things be to you?

Feedback:

So what is it that keeps you focused on your goal/goals? In the end, they all are techniques but I'm sure we all have something to share that could be of some use to another. Feel free to share anything that keeps you focused! :D

On Finding Your Way

I read a lot on ways to be successful in life. I've read many different books on starting your own business, investing in real estate, stocks, banking... One author will tell you to go about doing business this way and another will tell you to do it that way. The same with the rest of the the subjects. But there is one thing that they all have in common. They tell you about what worked for the author.

When it comes down to it, they are all just techniques. I know that I have struggled because I was trying to emulate their success when that is not what I nor you should be focusing on. I think the only true way to be successful is to find your own way. So read. Read all that you can. And then step back, realize that they are all just different techniques, and then work on the thing that will work best for you. No one can tell you what that is. That is something you have to decide for yourself. Find your own way.

On 10%

They say we only use 10% of our brain. That is part of the truth but not the the whole truth. We do only use 10% of our brain but that 10% is what we use consciously. The things that the 90% part of your brain do...well they don't require any attention or thought from you. Your brain takes care of those things for you. I mean think about it--how miserable would it be if you had to think to breath in and out all the time? Trust me, that 90% is your greatest physical asset. I am happy with my 10% and I think you should be too ;)

On Book Shelves

On Culmination 7

Well I completed my first draft about a month ago. Toward the end of my draft, I was reading a book by Alicia Raisley called The Power of Point of View. It was a great read and I think it is going to go a long way so far as helping with my book. It made me realize that I wanted to present Culmination 7 in a different way...a more personal way. So yeah--that is where I'm at now. I'm doing my first rewrite and am changing the POV. I am almost done rewriting the 1st chapter and the story has already changed a lot. I'm curious to see how it will change further in.

I'll throw out updates on anything else I discover along the way.

By the way, if any of you are writing your own story, I recommend The Power of Point of View. I'm sure it will be helpful if you have questions or curiosities concerning POV. If you are wanting to develop your characters, you might try Breathing Life Into Your Characters by Rachel Ballon. That is a fantastic book and has a lot of useful advice. Check out both of them! You could craft your characters and then figure out what would be the better vantage for your story ;)

On Book Shelves

On Success

"A strong, successful man is not the victim of his environment. He creates favorable conditions."
Orison Swett Marden

I think there is a lot more to it than just borrowing a quote. If you believe in the words, then own it. I'm not saying claim creation of it but if it stirs your spirit, then stir your life to reflect what it had to say.

I Love Neurons

On "If you liked..."

I think it is kind of funny to walk into a book store and see a book being marketed by referring to another book that is similar. I guess it makes sense but it seems kind of sloppy. I was in a book store recently and the book said "If you liked 50 Shades of Grey, then you'll love blah blah blah." I realize it is trying to appeal to the fan base of that series and I see how it could be effective.

With my story, I could have a similar statement but it wouldn't be anything like the book it would refer to. I think mine would go something like this: "If you liked Think and Grow Rich, then you'll love how Culmination 7 ends!"--or maybe begins?--

I'm anxious to see what the Napoleon Hill Foundation thinks of my story and then to see what readers think. It's an interesting idea and I'm looking forward to sharing it!

On Potential

I think we've been looking at potential all wrong. I have certainly changed the way I look at it. I've been told on varying things that "I have potential." At the time, I thought that was a good thing to be. I no longer feel that way.

My goal is to have no potential. If you think about it, someone telling you that "you have potential" is like saying you could be something better but you're not. I agree that the reverse is true as well though. "You're a potential felon," for example would be a time where I think having potential would be a good thing.

In any case, my goal is to have No Potential. I don't want to be a potentially good writer or a potentially good this or that. I just want to be the best that I can be at whatever the thing is. So that's my goal. One day I hope to have No Potential. I hope you strive to rid yourself of potential as well! :)

On My Strengths

I loved Strength Finder 2.0. It's a book and a personality/psychological profile. It was like looking into a mirror only with words staring back at you. The profile gives you your top 5 strengths. I figured I would post mine here. I think this might give you a better glimpse of who I am and what to expect as far as my blog posts go. My posts will probably coincide with these strengths:

1) Intellection- People who are especially talented in the intellection theme are characterized by their intelectual activity. They are introspective and appreciate intellectual discussions.

2) Input- People who are especially talented in the Input theme have a craving to know more. Often they like to collect and archive all kinds of information.

3) Ideation- People who are especially talented in the Ideation theme are fascinated by ideas. The are able to find connections between seemingly disparate phenomena.

4) Futuristic- People who are especially talented in the Futuristic theme are inspired by the future and what could be. They inspire others with their visions of the future.

5)Connectedness-People who are especially talented in Connectedness theme have faith in the links between all things. They believe there are few coincidences and that almost every event has a reason.

So there you have it! You can expect posts that are related to my five strengths in some way.

On Me

For me, writing is carving my own way--creating a life. For now, that life is fiction. In time, that life will be my own, nonfiction story.

I Heart

On Answers

One of the biggest influences that one of my characters has on another is for that character to find his own way. The influential character comes to understand that while everyone has their own "right" answers, he feels the only answers that matter are the ones that you find on your own. He thinks you should find your own way. Always looking to others for answers isn't living. If you always depend on someone else for answers then you might as well be his accessory. Whether it's crime or good deeds, you will always just be an accomplice. You will only be known as the son/daughter/cousin etc. of whoever it was that always carried you. You will never own a name of your own.

On Culmination 7

Well I finished my first draft but I don't really feel like I finished anything. It still has a long way to go. I'm working on rewriting it now. Towards the end of the draft, some things came up that need to show up in the beginning of the story. I guess my first order of business is to work on story alignment. I want to rewrite it at least twice.

Want

Love

On Principles

"Some men change their party for the sake of their principles, others their principles for the sake of their party." Winston Churchill

On New Blogs

I have a blog that is a lot further along than this one. However, I am living in a certain hotel that answers guest requests in peculiar ways. For example, we the guests complained and asked for faster internet. They honored our request by placing a block on the internet. This significantly cut down on the sites we are able to access so it effectively cut down on internet traffic thus increasing internet speeds.. Great move Hotel. I guess that makes the game 1-0.

If any care to see that other blog, it is a lot more developed and littered with things about my book. Check out http://culmination7.tumblr.com/ if it suits you!

On Poker

"I am an introvert. Having said that, for me, friends are a lot like a game of poker. I only ever hold a limited amount of cards at one time. Those that I do, I keep close to the chest." Jonathan James Taylor

On Stories

"I like to think stories are living breathing things. They expand and contract over time. I think forcing it to inhale or exhale, when it isn't meant to, could very well be the death of that story. I believe in concise writing but that doesn't meant that we should live or die on a word count. (Insert extra meaningful and filling words here)" Jonathan James Taylor

Initial Post

Sometimes I wonder what Culmination 7 really is. I thought it was a story that I was working on, a novel that would live and die by my hand. I find that was my first misconception. I admit, now I seem to be more of the first reader than the writer. I think this blog will be a chronicle of some of the things that happen along the way.

A lot has happened so far but it still has a ways to go. I was about 22,000 words into the story but have stepped back and I am revising what I had written. I now see the importance of rewriting all that you rewrite. Things have changed from what I originally wrote but so far it has all been for the better. I will throw some story specifics on here later. I hope you all enjoy this story as much as I do!