I have two friends who own their own businesses. They’re very dedicated to making these ventures work, and they balance that with full time (or more than full time) jobs. I talk to them, and when I hear how much vigor they put into these opportunities, how much time they spend on them, my jaw drops.
“I was up until 3 am…”
“I worked 100 hours last week…”
I shake my head and tell them “that can’t be healthy”. How has that kind of enthusiasm and vigor for something like…working?
And the reply is always along the lines of ‘but the payout makes it worth it…’
And then when I’m up at 5 on a Saturday morning — even though I didn’t go to bed until 1:20 — because Saturday mornings are my #1 best time to get some intensive and quiet writing time in, I don’t question my own sanity for a moment.
But I can almost guarantee you that they’re looking at me (or they would be if they knew), thinking “who puts in that kind of effort for something like…writing? She doesn’t even know if she’s ever going to make any money at it.”
But that’s what drives me. It’s what motivates me and fills me with vigor and makes those three cups of coffee that much more lovely first thing. I define success a little differently than my entreprunerial (sp?) friends.
So, what fills you with the vigor and drive to succeed?
During the entire month of April, I’m participating in the A to Z Blogging Challenge. The alphabet will be my motivation, though the content of the posts will be very similar to what regular readers are used to. Check out the link for more amazing bloggers, and enjoy April!
I simply do what I enjoy and love. Blogging, vlogging, writing. These are all from the same creative outlet. I participate in these activities, well, they consume my life really, but I do it because I need to. Or else I’d go crazy.
I’d spend more than 100 hours on these things if I could. 🙂 And even if there wasn’t a payout at all.
A good post for today. Even when I was doing the 70+ hour weeks with the two jobs I didn’t have the vigor that people have for their work. I did it to get through. While I don’t get up early to write (cause I’m useless when first getting up) I do stay up really late writing and reading. I keep writing my novels even when I hear all the statistics that say there is little chance of getting published. I keep writing my characters even when people have doubt that they would sell. I love my writing and hope I do it with Vigor.
I have this image of paying for my life with writing, going to signings and traveling. That’s what gives me vigor 🙂
Sarah Allen
(my creative writing blog)
It only works if you don’t pay attention to the time.
Such a great post! I keep thinking about seeing my name on the spine of a book–that’s waht keeps me going. 🙂
I don’t know how writers can wake up so early and have enough brain-cells to write. It takes me 2 hours and 2-3 cups of coffee until I start forming sentences that make sense. (So that’s why I usually review other’s work when I first wake up. Heh-heh-heh.)
Hello, Loralie! Chocolate fills me with vigor. Sunshine does, too. Put those two things together and I’m a very productive writer! 😉
We writers know that we won’t make any money if we never write. But as long as we keep on writing and revising and submitting, our time will come!
Have a lovely weekend and happy A to Z!!
Great post. We need more vigor in people today. My drive comes from seeing others succeed and knowing one day I will too.
ScribblesFromJenn
Happy A to Z-ing!
Great post. We need more vigor in people today. My drive comes from seeing others succeed and knowing one day I will too.
ScribblesFromJenn
Happy A to Z-ing!
I love the word vigor…it takes vigor to get up so early after working so many hours in your week…great post.
A fear of starvation pushes me on. I cannot afford to lose my vigor in a foreign land as the pay isn’t that great to begin with.
I push on because I want to be a successful author, and mostly because I can’t not write. I love it too much.
I definately use vigor in my writing. Coupled with perseverance, the pay-off is tremendous. To know that other people are reading the words I’ve created from my imagination and strug together in a way that makes sense fills me with determination to finish yet another book.
http://francene-wordstitcher.blogspot.com/
I’m with you. Writing is worth it. I would sacrifice sleep and sanity for my adorable cat and dog too.