What is the Thing Stopping You from Succeeding?

I try to stay in reality. I don't often read fiction, see movies, or watch tv. I stay away from mainstream media because - fake.

But I am not a realist. I am an optimist and an impressionist. I see the world as a place of hope and dreams and do not focus much on the details.

I have been a nomad since birth. It's of no use to me to see the finer points when I will soon be gone. Instead I drink it in so memories stick.

I'm an accountant who is not good with numbers. This is why God made calculators, computers, and staff. I am a big picture person. I see shapes, lines, colors and patterns. I used to get paid well to point those things out to people who could not see the forest for the trees.

But at times, I need to be realistic and focus. This is one of those times. I wrote a post about my quandary earlier today:

Facing Reality with STEEM

The post above is a progress post for a challenge by @metametheus. I'm in my second week of making "one small change" to see where that will lead. Ten days ago I would not have believed the huge wind of change blowing on me now.

Find out about the challenge here:

And The Wind Cried......

I highly recommend joining if you have not already.

My progress post talks about some success and some failure coming out of my change. When she read it, @metametheus asked me:

My question for you is: what's the thing stopping you?

We cannot have ONE thing, my new-found friend and mentor. Here are the things I can think of now.

Fear

• fear of failure
• fear of rejection
• fear of success

Procrastination

• avoiding the hard tasks
• forgetting the important tasks

Distraction

• doing STEEM tasks that lead to little result
• doing other work tasks that lead to little result
• wasting time in any other way

Lack of clear goals

• not taking time to dream
• not setting big goals
• not being inventive

Lack of focus

• brain fog
• jumping from task to task

Illness

• autoimmune disease symptoms; pain, deformed joints, fatigue
• poor diet
• lack of rest
• lack of exercise

Lack of resources

• no money
• no food
• few natural remedies I normally depend on for better health

I'm already working on all of those issues through this project. Some are greatly improved, some are better, some are stagnant, some are worse, some are much worse. Some are just excuses I need to kick to the curb.

I have been living off STEEM and STEEM related money since December 2017. I also have book sales, affiliate sales and weight loss coaching income I can get and increase when I direct my energies there.

I made the choice to go all in on STEEM for many reasons. I believe in this place. I like working here, and devote most of every waking hour to posting and commenting with my three blogs. I get rewarded on a personal level by:

• helping redfish and minnows succeed.
• having others read, comment and appreciate my work.

But the last year has been very hard financially. I see hope in the many new voters I have. But with the low STEEM price, all those votes are not enough. This led to another exchange with @metametheus:

When I asked:

Should I:

• Write more books?
• Market the books I already have?
• Revitalize my weight loss coaching?
• Keep pushing for success on STEEM?
• Or do something else?

@metametheus replied:

I was wondering whether all of these could be one and the same, could they not?

Hmm...

And then in a thrilling coincidence of inspiration this week, my fellow freewriter @deeanndmathews has published her novel we have been watching her create from freewrite prompts for a few months. She is now on to the next book in the series.

You can read her post announcing publication of her book here:

Black, White, and RED ALL Over -- Now Available on Amazon Kindle!

I have been reading the daily posts and watched her characters grow. Even though I am not a fiction reader, the story is quite fascinating and drew me in.

@deeanndmathews did not come to STEEM to write!

Though she is a published author already, music is her passion and why she joined us. But deciding to freewrite to learn the ropes and then getting great support made her take this turn.

Please read and support her post to get the full story, but it really has my wheels turning.

Turning how and where?

I am not sure.

But I sure have 100's of STEEM posts on health themes that could be gathered up and published on Amazon if I set my mind to it.

I already know I can get books out in days and have done so four times.

This would not solve my immediate problem of needing to pay my rent and eat now. But it could be one of those pesky long term big goals I need to develop.

All of the photos in this post were taken by me with cheap point and shoot cameras over the years. I like my blurs.

What I do on STEEM

@fitinfun

• freewrite daily with @mariannewest
• Minnow Tips
• Photography
• Travel

@fitinfunfood

• Food and ccc contest posts
• Tasteem restaurant reviews
• @pifc contest entries

@bxlphabet

• dApp, tokens/tribes and gaming review posts
• dpoll- STEEM and lifestyle questions

My most recent summary of Minnow Tips is here:

You CAN Succeed on STEEM

These tips will help you if you are new and struggling on STEEM. Tag me in any comment, and I will help you if you ask me to.