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Out the backpack
In order to help my book find more readers, I attend events. I bring books and give away free copies. When my shoulders strain from the weight of the books in my backpack, and I wonder if there’s an easier way to do this, my mind goes to Rich Paul selling clothes out of the…
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Products, services, education, self service, and scale
If you visited a grocery store in the 1800s, one of many clerks would do the shopping for you. It was only a century ago when you might choose an item from the shelf yourself, which is what many of us do today at a supermarket. The same thing has taken place with paying for…
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You, independent publishing, and the audience
Kevin Kelly shares everything he knows about independent publishing, and concludes: The way I approach publishing today is with as much self-publishing as I can handle. I’d write in public installments, as a subscription newsletter, or e-book single chapters, or simple posts on my blog. If I could find an audience that wanted more of…
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Personal growth happens after voluntary discomfort
More often than not, you won’t feel good before going to the gym. Maybe not even during. You’ll feel good after. Nobody’s forcing you to go, so it’s up to you. The popular saying goes, “The hardest part is putting the shoes on.” Personal growth works the same way. It takes place only after voluntary…
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How to walk more
If you want to live longer, one good way to start is to walk several thousand steps a day. (10,000 steps is the gold standard, though not scientific—the number was the result of a marketing campaign for a Japanese pedometer.) It’s not difficult to walk several thousand steps every day living in a city. In…
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What is your relationship with your craft?
A contemplative exercise: If writing was a person, what would it be like? What would your relationship with it be like? For example, are you in a relationship with writing only because you hope it will bring you success and wealth? Is writing more like a friend, a spouse, or an acquaintance? Or is it…
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A more resilient confidence
When you put your confidence in external events—such as results or outcomes—you are also setting it up to be shaken by disturbances, setbacks, and rejections. While it might feel more exciting—high highs, low lows—this type of confidence is less resilient. One minute, your stock is up and you feel like you can take over the…