There is NO shortcut to success. Here's the truth to what it takes to excel.
and, honestly, trying to find one will only hold you back.
I have so many people come to me asking me for help with how to make income at home, with no "real" job. But as soon as I explain the amount of work that goes into getting where I am, they give up and submit to their tedious, unfulfilling job. This seriously happens to me time and time again. I am not going to lie to these people and tell them that there is a short-cut because there isn't one.
I was also recently asked by a fellow steemer if I could elaborate on some of the ways I stay motivated so I am ending this blogs with some tips.
But you just stay home and make paintings, and write and stuff.
Yeah, I stay home and make paintings and write. I also make residual income from books I published and I also do user-testing and it also took me many years of trying many things and slowly building an audience for my art in order to actually get where I am. Many, many months of work. Never-ending nights. Struggling to get by financially while pursing my passion. I didn't just wake up one day and decide to quit my job and make a living with art. Well, okay I kinda did but it also took me like 15 years of practice to get my art to the level it is today.
You don't just pick up a pencil and immediately create this:
That is one of my drawing and that was after many years of very hard work. I get people that are jealous of me and my talents. Sometimes, they even get angry and resentful as if I somehow stole their talent and potential. I am only responsible for my creativity and my talent, not yours. Everyone has potential and everyone has a passion that they could turn into a viable skill with dedication and work but sitting around talking about how someone else is doing better than you and moping about it isn't going to get you anywhere.
I also do really nice digital art, I sculpt pretty well, and I paint. These are all very different mediums that each took a ton of dedication. Not to mention working a LOT of crappy jobs and then going home to work on my craft AFTER working my ass off at some unfulfilling job. I used how much I despised those jobs as fuel to find an alternative.
I know it can be hard as heck to work and then come home and try to find energy to work more on whatever you are passionate about, trust me.
But, in the end, it'll make it so you aren't working those tedious, soul-sucking jobs for the REST OF YOUR LIFE. Sounds scary, right? Well, it is and the longer you put-off finding a way out, or working on your skills the longer you will be working in that office, or at that restauarant, staring at your clock and getting that sinking, gut-wrenching feeling every Sunday night -or whatever day is your Sunday- before bed. Well, at least that's how I felt. I remember literally laying in bed wanting to cry some mornings when my work-week at my office job I had been at for 4 years was about to start. But eventually I was like "Fuck this" and I started working really, really hard to get out of it.
It took me 5 years from the time I said "Fuck this" to being self-employed.
I am not saying it will take you this long. I had a lot of obstacles and almost no support and it was really a struggle. If you have helpful family, or good credit, or a savings then it'll be a lot easier but it'll still take time and dedication to excel at whatever it is you want to excel at, even if that is a "regular" job. You may simply want to climb to the top of that corporation, be the boss and that also will take years of learning, commitment, and work.
Here are some tips on how to get to where you want to be:
- Don't listen to the nay-sayers, keep pursuing your passion.
- Continue learning and finding new ways to solve problems
- Don't give up when the going gets rough
- Learn time-management skills
- Start getting serious about saving money
- Make a 1 year, 5 year, and 10 year plan
- Regularly make lists of goals and stick to them
- Reward yourself when you hit a milestone
- Don't take on way too much all at once (why lists are helpful)
- Break huge goals into smaller goals to avoid feeling overwhelmed
- Keep studying and stay on top of your field
- Find ways to set you aside from the rest
(Be innovative, Be unique, or just try extra hard) - And once again, regardless of what ANYONE says, DON'T GIVE UP.
You will get haters, you will get skeptics, you will get people just wanting to kick you down to make themselves feel better, ignore them and keep working hard. Use their hatorade as fuel for your success. Just keep chugging and if you legitimately give it all you have, with time, and persistence you will make it to the top of whatever mountain you want to climb.
Seriously though, just remember you are not seeing the entire picture if you just look at a person's success in the present. You are not looking at all the failures, and all the struggling it took them to get where they are. You are not innately less capable or talented, you just need to invest the time and there's no better time to start than right now.
Photos
Working Girl:
https://www.pexels.com/photo/young-woman-thinking-with-pen-while-working-studying-at-her-desk-6384/
Freedom dude:
http://t4nsu.deviantart.com/art/freedom-85271091
Good article. Most people think, quitting your job to successful self-employment is quick and easy. Thanks for pointing out the unspoken reality.
Wow, somehow I replied on the wrong post, twice. I meant to comment here "Yeah, and it's sooooooo not." :)
Thanks. ^_^ I did mention the haters a bit earlier in the blog tho. I said to use their hatorade as fuel. ;) Ignoring haters is a huge, crucial part of finding success.
Well said, and sound advice at the end, just missing the "don't mind the trolls and haters" ;)
good job !
Thanks. ^_^ I did mention the haters a bit earlier in the blog tho. I said to use their hatorade as fuel. ;) Ignoring haters is a huge, crucial part of finding success.
oops, so you did :| , guess I need another coffee or to get new glasses ^_^
James Altucher says the same thing--keep your day job while working steadily towards self-employment and growing several potential streams of income. I have been at my current workplace for nearly two years and plan to leave by next spring. Over the past year, I've doubled my number of freelance clients (I'm an editor) and have co-organized several weekend events for a literary organization. I also moved four months ago from an expensive condo to a co-op and am paying 30% less on living expenses. I'm about to sell my old car as both the insurance and constant repairs don't justify keeping it since I usually take public transit for work. I don't have a cell phone and I don't have any debt either. Right now I'm making myself indispensable at my workplace as I'd like to potentially approach them later as a work-for-hire consultant. There are really so many opportunities to carve out one's work life these days and in the meantime I'm simply learning as much as I can. For those interested in learning new skills--or brushing up on old ones, I'd recommend Lynda.com.
Good for you! Sounds like you are definitely on the right track. And I will check out Lynda.com. :) Cutting out unnecessary expenses if really helpful on the path to independence, for sure.
cool nicely done again
please up-vote my cheatsheet post for markdown. here
Yeah and it is soooooo not.
Woops, left this on the wrong thing.
Awesome article, nicely written and cool images. Thanks for sharing the article @lauralemons
Thank you.
I started photographing, and I will continue :)
I hope you like it B&W :) @foxkoit
and this post was a pleasure to read, Thank you!!
well said! nothing worth doing is ever easy, but that makes it so much more rewarding in the long run
I love the first tip - it's also the first step that you cannot avoid!
Finding success through hard work is sometimes a losing battle in small towns, where most times they are over run by one or two families and they take over all opportunities that are out there. Making the choice to stay home and take care of a sick parent and survive and work hard instead of moving to the city to follow your dreams.
Yeah, there are definitely circumstances that can get in the way. I spent much of my adult life staying with my sick mom, actually so I understand that. ( ._.)
There's a reason why it takes 10 years for any "overnight success" and that 10 years is a conservative estimate.
I used to get frustrated at those always looking for quick fix (I've fallen in that camp before.) But then I realized that just gives me an even better chance to succeed.
Hard work isn't sexy. It can't be broken down to some pill that can be sold to the masses. Hard work is just that.
And the thing is... even with hard work that doesn't guarantee anything! There are a ton of other factors that go into being successful! But I'll tell you what, I ALWAYS find that the harder I work the luckier I get.
My favorite tip of yours is breaking things down into small goals. For example, last week I committed to publishing content on Steemit for at LEAST 3 months, and I know for a fact many will be long gone by then. I know 3 months isn't that much time but for me it's small enough to hold me accountable and big enough to where I believe I can make a serious dent.
It's been awhile since I've been this motivated because here on Steemit hard work is rewarded in the long run.
Thanks for shairng.
I think that is my favorite tip too honestly because I used to be REALLY bad about looking only at the huge picture and that would make me really anxious and feel like "why bother?" and I would get nothing done. I literally try to only think about like today, and maybe the week. haha "Today, I am going to finish this coloring book". "Today, I will write a new chapter to my book". Then like once a week I will compile longer-term goals. This helps me a loooot. :)