What Happens When I Forget Who I Am

I've been stuck. 

In a creative quagmire. 

I'd call it writer's block but if - as Mitch Joel reminded me in his blog this morning - you listen to Steve Pressfield or Seth Godin - no such thing exists. As much as I admire and respect all three, the fact remains that my ability to get words on paper has been obstructed, blocked, closed down - whatever you'd like to call it - since the New Year started. 

I feel like one of those automobiles in the now infamous traffic jam that was the brainchild of Chris Christie's staff last September. Sitting amidst this congestion of ideas and projects - all spinning in my head with nowhere to go and  no idea when the mess will let up and things start flowing again.

Frustrated.

Unsettled.

I've tried all my usual tricks including reading my own book and setting my egg timer. I sit and I don't let myself get up until it goes off. But I don't have much to prove for it. 

Mitch Joel asserts the Internet will break your creative block. On the one hand I agree with him because I do find reading what others write a source of inspiration. Case in point was reading his blog this morning. On the other hand it can be a huge time waster if one is not disciplined with it.

But I can't blame trolling Facebook on this stoppage. In fact, as much as I would like to affix responsibility to someone else I have really only myself to blame.

I have been writing. Just nothing I really like. Nothing I think is really good enough to be shared. Nothing that passes Upworthy's  quality test regarding content.

The one that really trips me up is "If 1 million people saw it, would the world be a better place?"   

I'd like to think so. Hope so. Believe so. But really? 

Those are the kind of suggestions that make me wonder if I will ever share one more word with anyone - ever! 

As I am writing this it's occurring to me that perhaps that might be one of the things that is contributing to the lack of creative output at the moment. I've been trying too hard. I've been waiting for perfection. I've been comparing myself to the infinite scroll of everything else that is out there and telling myself it's not as good.

I've forgotten who I am. 

A writer. 

Above all, I am a writer at my core. And a true writer writes so they can breathe. They write to function. They write to make sense of life. They write to remember who they are.

And if they wind up resonating with a million - or even one person - then that is a very good day. 


A special thanks to Mitch Joel - for the inspiration for this post!

What I Read This Summer

It's here. Labor Day Weekend. Just like that in a blink of an eye another summer has flashed by. With the forecast here in New York looking to include lots of clouds and rain - reading is sure to be on my list of weekend activities. So I thought - as the weekend is about to get into full swing-  I would share what I read this summer that qualifies to make my list of recommended reading.

Consider yourself forewarned. This list includes novels, books on marketing and even one on angels. It is proof positive that I have eclectic interests and reading habits.

That said - in no particular order -

Is This Tomorrow?  This wonderful novel by Caroline Leavitt will make you not care if it pours all weekend. Consider this a must read. 

Control, Alt, Delete - Reboot Your Business. Reboot Your Life.  I just discovered Mitch Joel this summer and have since become a follower. Marketing Magazine called him the "Rock Star of Digital" so that pretty sums up what he writes about. 


OohLaLa - French Women's Secrets to Feeling Beautiful Every Day. I already forewarned you that I mix my daily reading with new and innovative uses of make-up and Vine  - so this one is definitely for women only. It's a delightfully entertaining and inspiring read - true to form for author Jamie Cat Callan. 

Angels In My Hair. You have to believe in a power greater than yourself to enjoy this memoir by Lorna Byrne. One of my most favorite take-a-ways is that people have forgotten to ask the angels for help. The author explains this is resulting in lots of unemployed angels. So asking for help is actually giving someone- somewhere - a job.

The Silent Wife. The saddest thing about finishing this novel was finding out the author, A.S.A Harrison had died just as it was being published and so we will not get to see anymore of her brilliant and riveting writing. Just know - that while it is being marketed as 'like Gone Girl' -it's not. It's much better! This is actually believable. 

The New Rules of Marketing and PR - the new and improved 4th Edition. I've recommended David Meerman Scott before and will continue to do so. If you don't get or don't believe that marketing really has changed - forever - this is the best place to start getting it. In full disclosure it is the book I use with my graduate students. 

Choose Yourself! James Altucher is another new discovery for me this summer. I had been tripping over him but it was a podcast he did with Mitch Joel that provoked me to pick up his book. James is not for the faint heart - but he is funny, entertaining and very smart. He will also catch you off guard with his own special brand of spirituality.

What about you? What did you read this summer that you recommend?  Please add in the comment section. All categories welcome!

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The Egg Timer Theory - Revisited

I've read two posts on the subject of time in the last two days. I took it as a 'sign' - of something. Just don't ask me what. So I waited - certain a third blog - somewhere - was being written - and was going to show up in my vast array of links on social nets.

Three times and those who believe as I do in the mysterious ways of the Universe and a random occurrence now becomes a 'sign' - after which action must be taken. But again - don't ask me what action. I hadn't thought things through that far. I was hoping when the third post arrived I would know.

So I waited. 

I didn't think about writing my own blog even though I haven't posted since last Wednesday and it was - well- time.  Because quite frankly in the afterglow of my thirty day blogging experiment things got busy. The summer semester at NYU was ending, grades needed to be uploaded and I was preparing for an in-house workshop with a new client. It didn't seem like I really had the time to write as much.

OMG. Did I just write that I didn't have the time? 

Me - who gets obsessed with this subject. Whose written many blogs on the topic.

Me- who managed to write an entire guide/manifesto on how to create time for your life. 

Me - the organized one who has this reputation for getting so much done was flailing. I'd pressed pause to regroup and seem to have gotten stuck. 

And there I was reading other people's words who sounded like something I would have said. And should have - except I had convinced myself the time just wasn't there for me to write. To do what I love. 

Oy! 

So I reread what David Meerman Scott wrote. And Mitch Joel. And I stopped waiting for my 'sign'. 

I set the timer and I started writing.

The 'sign' became crystal clear. The third post on time was supposed to be written - by me - to remind me - that I do have the time and the words to write another blog. I just have to sit down and do it.

I also have to set that timer.



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The Books That Made A Difference - Day 18

In the last five years I've discovered a number of authors whose writing has influenced my thinking and my direction, who inspire me and make me think. This is a partial list, but a significant one - one that I'd like to share. 

Linchpin - When I was still in my corporate job, I didn't know who Seth Godin was. Which in retrospect does not surprise me. Seth is the kind of forward thinker who sparks controversy and discussion. Not generally encouraged in corporatedom.  A friend and former colleague thought I would like him and suggested I read his blog. He was right. I started reading and haven't stopped since. Linchpin was the first book of Seth's books I read. And it wasn't the last. 

The New Rules of Marketing and PR - The first time I heard of David Meerman Scott was at a talk he gave at, ironically, NYU when his book, World Wide Rave came out. I remember being so inspired by his story, his passion and his perspective. Little did I know at the time that a few years into the future I would be teaching at NYU and using The New Rules Of Marketing and PR as a textbook for my students.  The 4th Edition just came out. I highly recommend it for anyone in sales, marketing, public relations or in business for themselves that wants a comprehensive look at what's changed and what you need to do to keep up with the change. It's also an entertaining read. David does not believe in a lot of meaningless jargon or what he calls Gobbledygook and his writing lives up to that.

The War of Art - I found Steve Pressfield through Seth Godin. The title may lead you to believe it is just a book for artists who struggle with getting their art out, but it is applicable for anyone who wants to create something. If the title scares you away try Do The Work in which he addresses the entrepreneur and business person directly. Steve is pure inspiration - the kind of stuff you can read again and again and still say Aha!

Fascinate - Your 7 Triggers to Persuasion and Captivation.  I discovered Sally Hogshead through Nancy Moon of MoonPR who has a reputation for always steering me in the right direction. To say I was fascinated by Sally's take on what fascinates us in today's noisy 24/7 world is an understatement. I've taken her Fascination test (you can too by clicking this link) which offers great insight as to how we fascinate others. 

Unbinding The Heart - It feels like I've known Agapi Stassinopoulos forever, she has become that good a friend to me,  but in truth we met just two years ago prior to the release of her book. While it may not seem like a book with this title fits in with the rest of the list, it does. Corporate culture encourages us to close our heart, exactly the opposite of what is needed for healthy, sustainable businesses. I'm not the only one thinking along those lines. In addition to teaching transformational workshops, Agapi also lectures to forward thinking businesses on the topic. Plus she walks the walk. I like that.

No Excuses - 9 Power Tools for Women - Gloria Feldt is one of the first people I met as I began expanding my networks after the 'divorce.'  I was honored to get an advance copy of No Excuses in 2010. I'm even more honored that she's become a friend and supporter. Every woman should read her book and check out her new venture, Take The Lead Women, where she will be offering leadership training specifically for women.

Control, Alt, Delete - Reboot Your Business, Reboot Your Life.  I just recently discovered Mitch Joel. Once again, the connection was Seth Godin. All I can say is WOW! There are so many gems in this one that I might have more sections highlighted than not. Like this one -

"Ask yourself if you're telling a story worthy of being told or are you telling a story just to get something sold?"

Note there are no novels here, which I read alot of, or raunchy erotica which I've been known to imbibe in. But I do learn from those books as well - about human behavior, character and interactions. However, that is a list for another day.



note: This is Day #18 of a 30 Day Experiment. Here are the details on how it all started.

The Blog About Nothing - Day 7

I admit - readily - that today, the seventh day of my thirty day blogging experiment is the most challenging - at least so far.

After a long weekend at the home of my dear friends on the East End of Long Island I came back with no idea of what I wanted to write today. Last night,  I turned on my computer and instead of setting the egg timer and opening up a new page to see what might come out of me, I circled it. I read through emails, caught up on newsletters that had gone unread and did a lot of laundry. I even dusted and vacuumed thinking a clean desk would help.  I opened up my Scrivener file where I am storing all the ideas I've been jotting down and stared. Not one screamed "Pick Me!"

So I went back to those unread newsletters. One of them directed me to Jerry Seinfeld's web series. Apparently Jerry (after being a faithful follower of Seinfeld I feel close enough to refer to him by his first name) has a web series called Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee. What you get is what the title tells you. Jerry chooses a car from his vast collection, calls up a comedian, picks them up and they go for coffee.

I am a full season late to this party. Season 2 is already underway. Past episodes are archived on the Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee website and at Crackle. Jerry Seinfeld chatting with people from Carl Reiner to David Letterman to Alec Baldwin. Sarah Silverman was noticeably,  the lone female in the group to which I ask, What is that about? 

But that aside, I started to laugh. And laugh. And laugh. Until it hit me. I was sitting in front of my computer watching something funny and original that could not be found on traditional television. I hadn't discovered it from an advertisement. I found out through today's version of word of mouth. Mitch Joel's newsletter gave it a mention and there I was and now I was writing about it - sharing content worth sharing.

I did a little research into how this came to be. Jerry Seinfeld had an idea that he convinced Sony Pictures to experiment with. He wanted to break into a new medium and liked "the flexibility of the Internet."  Sony wants to develop original programming for the Internet. His relationship with Sony and with Steve Mosko, President of Sony Pictures gave him the green light for the first season.

There was no elaborate set or contrived story - just simple conversation that made me smile and forget about the fact that I had nothing to write about. Because suddenly, as I was watching a webisode that really is about nothing, I did have something to write about.

The success of the first season resulted in an order for 24 new episodes. This time they are looking to monetize it and have signed Acura as a presenting sponsor. Not to worry about annoying, intrusive ads. From what I saw so far the ads are living up to what Acura has promised,  "short, contextually relevant."

Next episode is July 11 with Seth Meyers.  I'll be watching. This time on my iPad on my couch. 

My only suggestion - I think Jerry could find more than one woman comedian out of the fifteen episodes archived so far willing to have  coffee with him! 


note: This is Day #7 of a 30 Day Experiment. Here are the details on how it all started.