Ownership

We often think of ownership as a possession over tangible items such as a car, house, pet, computer, etc.  Aside from intellectual property, we rarely view ownership of intangible items, for example, a writing career, the same. We know when we own the tangible, but when do you actually own your career or even your future? As a result, we may fail to ever fully take ownership of the intangible. This, in the end, is where you truly find happiness.

3 simple steps –

1.      Ownership - In order to direct the trajectory of your writing career, taking ownership is the first step. Tell yourself that you are the boss.

2.      Long-Term Plan – Write down where you want to be in one, three, five, and ten years. Do not be vague here and consider different aspects of your life. For example, in three years I want to be in a new house with a study, completed 250 edited pages of a new novel, see every one of my family members, attain a promotion, etc.

3.      Imagine - To bring your vision to life first consider your end-goal. Assume that you have reached it. Then work backwards. What steps did you take to achieving your goal? Make sure you write this down to see where your next step is. These steps may involve networking to learn more about a new field, going back to school, creating a website, or seeking out a promotion. Name as many of these big steps as you can and list them in a clear and organized fashion so you can start to cross them out.

When you take ownership of your writing, career, or life in general, you will stop drifting along waiting for your turn to own your life.