“Beware the barrenness of a busy life.” – Socrates
I’ve got to be honest; there seem to be a lot of “experts” out there. Just this morning I read a how-to blog that really didn’t tell me anything different than what another one had told me last week. I read yet another that told me something completely different. The ‘expert ‘advice seems to be flooding the marketplace.
Has it always been like this?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for getting advice. Especially when it’s free. I’m trying to make a living, and trying to do all I can to make myself better so I want to be as proficient as I possibly can. But I also want to strike a balance in my life. Maybe it’s taboo to admit it, but I’m not a hustler.
And therein lies the struggle. I want to entertain people with stories and anecdotes (and maybe even a live presentation or two. I’m a funny guy. No really, I am…) I want to interact with people. I want to socialize. I want to market and do all the things I need to do to make my living as a writer.
I just don’t want to hustle.
For me it doesn’t seem sincere or legitimate. Like I’m putting myself out there to be something I’m not. That’s the whole reason I left the life I was leading over three months ago (a HUGE risk). I lived a life unfulfilled of joy and satisfaction yet filled with anxiety and disappointment because I hadn’t reached a certain rung on the ladder, didn’t have a certain number in the bank account or not driving “the car”. I needed to get away from all of that.
So I did. Now I’m on the path to living a life full of joy and satisfaction. My life in reboot.
But I still need to make a living. And if I listen to the experts, I need to hustle. Now I feel like I’m heading right back to square one.
Again, I know this post is probably like shooting myself in the foot. My “Jerry Maguire” moment where I have a great thought but putting that thought to paper (or screen, as it were) is going to land me on the curb, hat in hand. I get it. It’s a fear. But it’s not going to stop me from posting it.
Why?
Because Jerry makes it work by the end of the movie. He has clients and everything is coming together for him. And doesn’t he do it with integrity and good old fashioned hard work?
Sure, it’s a movie. No, I don’t live in a fantasy world. My point is that honesty and integrity and good old fashioned hard work are pretty good things. I think we need to realize in this age of instant gratification and constant change that staying true to yourself is ultimately more gratifying. And rewarding. Maybe this is just a reminder to myself.
I’ll adapt and change as I see appropriate for me. I will continue to offer my own thoughts and perspective on life. Hopefully reward for me is out there. Somewhere. Until then, I’m going to do what I can to strike a balance. Market myself and my work and yet still find time to get away from it all. Be myself.
I think I read that somewhere…
Greg Morton 
I’m in harmony with your thoughts on this. The corporate dance can spill over into our lives long after we’ve stopped dancing. So many people die with their “music” still in them. Namaste.
Thank you! I like the analogy…
Wow! I needed to hear this today! Very true! Dealing with this a lot recently in my life! Sometimes it is very easy to give in and would make life easier if I did but that’s not the kind of person I am. Thank you!
So glad this helped! You are so very welcome…
This is a great post. Keep in mind you’re forging a brand new path and that’s overwhelming sometimes – but the beauty of forging your path is that it *is* yours – your rules, your agenda. So if hustling doesn’t fit for you, it’s not the thing to be doing. At the risk of sounding trite, I really believe you can trust your gut. It’s calling you to something, and that’s real.
Thanks, I really appreciate your comments. I do feel like I’m forging my own path, and the uncertainty of my future is at times…overwhelming. Today was one of those days. But I always have tomorrow to look forward to!!
Definitely, definitely tomorrow is something to look forward to :). The uncertainty, the feeling of being overwhelmed, the total responsibility for your own future is why so many people don’t choose this path. It’s scary and hard, but that doesn’t mean anything except you’re human, and honest. And that’s all okay. Because this path is also so amazingly wonderful. So many good things can come to you this way that you’d never have access to if you’d stayed in the box :). People can take inspiration from you – from the way you’ve chosen to proceed from here, and because you’re being genuine and sharing your doubts and concerns. It helps remind us all that it doesn’t have to be perfect or entirely comfortable to be good.
This means so much to mean, thank you for taking the time to share your words of encouragement! It is tough to keep in mind this is a journey and not a race to a destination. I enjoy the time to reflect, but I also enjoy the conversations with others about this thing called life!
I completely agree with everything you stated. I would also like to note that i enjoyed reading this post far more than those “market expert” posts that i have been flooded with lately. Its nice to hear someones real “voice” for a change. I enjoyed reading this, thank you.
You’re welcome. I appreciate your comments about “voice”. It’s hard to take someone seriously as an “expert” if what they’ve told you is simply recycled material. Thanks for stopping in!