Lessons from a productive week

I said last Monday,

"...as you move forward in the week ahead, think about what it means to be your Best self. Are you going to slow things down, drive more carefully, remember to think responsibly toward others, and be thankful for the goodness you already have in your life? That is my plan. That is my motivation for this week."

And this is what happened:

_COMPLETED A BOOK PROPOSAL
This project is one I'm working on with two other guidebook authors. The idea came to us at a book event, I believe, more than six months ago, shortly after we first met. And now it's done; we sent it out on Wednesday. Now, we wait for the willing publisher to grab it up and offer us a contract. The three of us really want to do this project and are hopeful it will sell.

_CAME UP WITH TWO MORE BOOK IDEAS
I am clearly in book mode lately, as I came up with two more book ideas that I pitched to my publisher. He's in China at the moment, so it'll be a few weeks before I see a response, but I think the ideas are good. I realize the book industry is in a flux right now, but I think these kinds of books are still a draw. I cannot imagine a day where I walk into a visitor center only to discover there are no books available about the area. That will be a very sad day for me, as my shelves are filled with books I buy at visitor centers across the country and beyond. I still like books, in print, and I still read them.

_SOLVED AN EDITOR'S DILEMMA AT END OF WEEK
A misunderstanding left an editor with whom I'm working without important detail she needed for the story I turned in last week. She hadn't told me she needed this detail when I received the assignment, and after checking prior issues of the publication, I even e-mailed her to be sure. We got our inquiries crossed, because, for some reason, there was a misunderstanding. I didn't turn the information in because I thought she didn't want it. Turns out, she did need it and notified me about this at 3 p.m., Friday. Of course, I thought I wouldn't be able to get to it till Monday. Luckily, I finished something else quickly and managed to gather the information she needed and get it to her before 5:30 p.m., just in time for me to get ready for my son-in-law's surprise birthday party and not be late for that. She got what she needed. I felt like I saved the day. And everyone had a great time at the party.

SOLD 90 BOOKS
But they weren't my books. As part of the same trio of authors mentioned above, I am the main contact for any leads that might come to us, should someone want to work with our alter egos, the Arizona Authors & Adventurers. Lo, and behold! Someone did. I received our first lead last week from a woman who was planning a conference here in Phoenix in October. She was looking for a Phoenix-themed travel guide to send out to her 90 members as part of their marketing campaign for the conference. I understood she needed a response right away, as she wanted to purchase the books the following week. She had a two-week time frame and a budget to maintain. I saw it as an opportunity, of course, to possibly sell my books.

So I did what I do and responded right away. She e-mailed me back. She wanted to know the names of the books and to see a color photo of the covers. I faxed her the postcard our publisher created for us--it has all three of our books on it, and two others. By then it was Thursday evening. On Monday, I followed up, asking her if any of these books might work. She hadn't received my fax, but she had received my e-mail. She asked for me to try it again, or to send a PDF. I didn't have a PDF but did retry the fax, and sent her a link to our Web site, as well as links to each of our books via the publishing house Web site.

Affirmative. She wanted one of the books and told me exactly what she needed to make the decision.

I next contacted my publisher to let him know what was going on and if they could help. There were several e-mails back and forth. When I got an answer with all the pertinent details, I sent them to the contact. The publisher also volunteered to overnight a copy of each of the books to her office in Virgina.

Two days later, she'd made her decision. She bought one of our books--90 copies--but it wasn't mine.

I won't lie and tell you I wasn't disappointed. I had hoped like heck she'd buy 90 copies of mine, and I know the other author would have loved the same. All of our books were available at her budget price and could be shipped out in time. But, I knew going in what this woman wanted (a Phoenix-based book) and only one of ours is that. Each of us authors were aware of this, as I was copying everyone on all the important e-mails (both to update them, and to educate them on one way to handle any future inquiries like this).

Still, it felt great to be able to make this happen, to help the woman get what she wanted, to help my fellow author sell 90 copies of her books, and to not get overwhelmed by the rush and details. The whole experience provided a few lessons from which you might benefit:

_When it's necessary, multi-task. I was in the middle of several other projects, at the end of a pitching contest with other writers, and dealing with the finalization and deadline to get that book proposal out. But I still managed to make things happen with this inquiry. Follow-up was key.

_Follow-up is key. I stayed focused on the goal: to help this woman get the 90 books she wanted for her members. By doing that, I was able to follow up with specific questions and be persistent without being annoying.

_Provide what the customer wants. Though I wanted to, I didn't try to sell her what she didn't want. I showed her what was available, solicited help as needed, and made sure her needs were met. That's what made her happy and helped her make the purchase.

_When working as a team, work together--even if it means one of you won't get something tangible out of it. If you can make something happen, and you know you can, why wouldn't you try? It's the karma that will pay off in the end. And, in actuality, I did get something out of this transaction. I owed this author for which I sold 90 books some money for a dinner meeting; she said I'm paid up now. Nice!

_You can accomplish the impossible. Before last week, I couldn't say I'd sold 90 books in one single day. Now I can, and that's pretty darn cool.

_Win-win situations mean just that. Everyone wins. The client got her books and gets to make her marketing vision happen. The author, who is in royalty stage with her book (now in it's 3rd year) earns a little extra cash. And my publisher is very happy with me and willing to help further our promotional work over here. In other words, he's going to help us out more. So, we'll all sell more books in the end. Despite how much I wanted to say, "Please, buy MY book!" I didn't do that. If I had, we might have lost the sale altogether. No one would have won. In this case, we all won.

The final lesson for you: Find the motivation to do good and good things will happen. That's karma. That's good business. And it's certainly about being your Best self.

Next week, we'll focus on Inner strength. I have a few goals I need to work on in that area. How about you?

Motivation for Mondays! Are you sure?

I realize that a photograph like this one, of a Jaguar that's just been run into a wall, may not seem like the thing to post as a motivator for your week ahead. I mean, isn't this the kind of thing you want to avoid, regardless of what you drive?

Yes, that's probably true. But it's also true that you can learn a few things about yourself from an accident like this--even when you're just a witness.

The background: The woman who was driving this car was hit by a man speeding past a light in his truck. He clipped her vehicle on the right while they were both crossing the intersection. All of a sudden...squealing tires, cracking glass, her car spinning around. Then, as if in slow motion, I watched as it came headed right toward me.

I was the first car at the light, stopped on red, the inside lane. Cars all around me. I wasn't going anywhere. Luckily--for me--she passed just in front of me before smashing into the wall.

When the cars behind me started honking, and I saw drivers drive away when the light turned green again, I was still left there, stunned. It took me a minute or two to realize what I'd just seen and be able to pull over into the closest parking lot so I could serve my duty as a witness--and get off the road so traffic could flow.

Young kids who'd also witnessed the accident were already at the car, checking on the driver. A man who'd been passed by the truck driver was there as well. The Jaguar driver's air bag had exploded, and smoke from the air bag was billowing out of her mouth. She was lying back, wincing in some kind of pain. Someone had already called 911.

The wall happens to belong to an insurance agency, and the owner (who would later tell me he's out here taking pictures of these kinds of accidents and damage to his wall at least twice a year) came outside and started taking pictures.

It took about 25 minutes before emergency vehicles arrived to help. To me, that seemed like an eternity. To the woman in the car, in pain, it must have seemed far worse.

You think about a lot of things when you're standing around, waiting for the police to arrive at the scene of an accident you just witnessed:

_Is the driver going to be okay?
_Has her family been notified?
_Who is she?
_I hope the EMT's grab her purse when they take her away on that stretcher.
_She's wincing, but there's no blood. I hope she doesn't have internal injuries.
_Is her car going to be safe?
_Oh, that's nice that you locked her car door, young man.
_I better call Christine who is waiting for me at the restaurant where I'm supposed to be right now.
_I'm glad I'm not in a hurry when I'm driving.
_I wish other people would slow down.
_Why are the police taking so long?!

Yes, a lot of nonsensical and not-so-nonsensical stuff goes on in your mind when you witness an accident.

But what is the take away? Where is the motivation? Okay, some of it I've alluded to already, but here are three things I'm reminded of when I think of that accident:

1) SLOW DOWN
So what if you're going to be late to that meeting this week. Call ahead. Let your people know you're running behind. If the meeting's that important, they'll wait for you. Getting into accident, or worse--causing one--is not worth the cost.

2) DO YOUR DUTY
Thankfully, the driver who caused the accident stopped and did not flee, though he very well could have. And while I questioned what role I had in staying around and serving as a witness to an accident that I'm not sure I saw well enough to report all of the details clearly and correctly, I thought I better do my best and offer whatever information I could. No matter that I was going to be late for my meeting. I did call those who were waiting for me and let them know, and they offered to cancel the meeting. But I was sure I'd be there soon enough. When the policeman arrived, all he did was take our names and other pertinent information. He collected about 10 names, and I've yet to receive a call. But at least I know I did the right thing.

3) BE THANKFUL
I'm grateful that I only served as a witness to this accident. It could have been worse. I could be in the hospital right now, or dealing with my insurance company and all the paperwork involved in getting a car repaired.

These are motivating factors that remind me that life can change in an instant. So as you move forward in the week ahead, think about what it means to be your Best self. Are you going to slow things down, drive more carefully, remember to think responsibly toward others, and be thankful for the goodness you already have in your life? That is my plan. That is my motivation for this week.

What about you?

Where do you find the good in you?

I've been thinking a lot about the Anthony family lately. You know who that is. It's the family in the midst of what must be one of the most trying experiences anyone could ever endure.

Daughter Casey Anthony is accused of murdering her only child, Caylee. Grandparents Cindy and George are fighting to hold on to whatever they have left. And brother Lee is somewhere in the middle of this tragedy. It's a horrendous story that has captured world-wide attention as we wait to see what happens in Casey's upcoming trial.

The bottom line is that a child died, an innocent little girl died for reasons we'll just probably never know nor be able to understand--even if the truth comes out.

And then George? He goes off by himself, wanting to die, wanting to find a way to rid himself of the pain. It's immense, beyond anything anyone can imagine--other than this family--and it takes me back to my own past pain...In times like these, one wonders, where and how do you find the good in you?

Haven't we all been there, to question this, during our own trials?

Is it even possible to move beyond circumstance and find something good in these times?

I can imagine the family feels guilt. What could they have done to have saved their little Caylee, they might be asking. Where did they go wrong? I can imagine their minds will not let them believe Casey could have committed such a crime. But, somewhere, deep down, in the recesses of their thoughts, they know what has not yet been proven. And that has to be the hardest thing to accept. Ever. They most likely see blame, shame and other negative emotions that do nothing to change the circumstance. But can they help it?

How do you look inside yourself and see good where it appears all bad?

Where is that Best self I speak of here?

I think George probably took the first step in finding it in himself when he wrote out so many of his thoughts in what is being called a five-or eight-page suicide note.

I think he has a long way to go, but I think he can get there. He may not like himself much right now. He may not see anything worthy at the moment, as his words imply. But his words on those pages, I think, also indicate a beginning to what I think will be a long fight to survive this tragedy. Maybe he's reached his turning point.

When that happens, I think you can see that as the beginning of change, the beginning of truth-finding, at least truth-finding from that individual's perspective. Others may see things differently, but no one can really argue with you about your truths.

I believe the only way to find your truths is to look within. A friend mentioned a conversation he'd had with two other friends the other day. They were discussing the Trinity and what is this thing called the Holy Ghost. I suggested to him that it was the Holy Spirit. It's the faith that resides in you, I said. You have God, you have his son Jesus, and you have the Holy Spirit--your faith. Without it, you are left with an empty soul. Maybe that's what George is finding out right now, that his soul is empty.

To refill it, he'll have to dig deep within himself to reconnect with his spiritual being. It's in him. I believe it's in all of us. I don't dare define what that is or what that means to anyone other than myself, but it's there in various forms because of the multiple cultures and world beliefs. Even if you call yourself an agnostic or a non-believer, there is something within you that helps you define right from wrong, good from evil, sane from insane. There is something within you that causes you to feel--even if that feeling is numb.

And, yet, the Holy Spirit, or whatever you wish to call it, is easily misplaced. We get caught up in our material world. We get caught up in our fears, our work, other distractions, the ego self. When we veer so far away from a higher power that we can no longer connect with our spiritual being, that's the moment when we feel lost. That's the moment when we feel we no longer matter. And I really believe it takes a turning point to create change.

There's no formula to reach the bottom. But once there, only you can decide where to go next. That means you have to know there's some good in you. You have to believe--even if just a little. You can then begin drawing from that belief--it's the inner strength you didn't know you had. Then, there will be light where there was only darkness. And you'll begin to take responsibility, no matter how difficult that might be or feel.

So, then, where do you find the good in you?

My belief is that you find it when you begin to look inside yourself.

But can you look deep enough?

That takes time, to which I say, take as much time as needed. And pray in whatever way works for you that your loved ones and the people you surround yourself with are willing to do the same.

Your thoughts?

New opportunities--what are you waiting for?

A friend called me last week to see if I could hang out with her. We made plans to attend a lecture in Scottsdale. Something came up, and I couldn't go. She went anyway, enjoyed it, and called me a few days later to make new plans. We arranged to meet at a bookstore and walk over to this resort hotel and listen to the bagpipe player at sunset--it happens to be a nightly event at this Phoenix resort. Well, that plan fell through also, when a third party--her ride--opted out. She didn't want to do something new and unfamiliar. So my friend and I, we made yet another plan. Tonight, she'll go with me to hear a live band that I've been meaning to write about on my travel blog.

I haven't heard from her yet, so I assume the plan's still on.

Over the course of these past few days, and also since I started writing my travel blog, I've noticed something. There are a ton of things to do in Phoenix, and many of them cost little to nothing. My travel blog is giving me the opportunity to explore them and so much more. But you don't have to have a travel blog to explore your own surroundings.

That's a ton of ways to spend your free time, or your leisure time, or whatever you want to call it. But if you're like my friend's friend, I want to know why are you sitting at home? If fear is keeping you from exploring new things to do or see, can you try just once to push past that fear?

Maybe look into buying a membership at the Phoenix Art Museum. It costs less than $50 for the entire year. But if you can't afford that, they do offer a free day at the museum every week. It's a very safe and fun environment, and since there's a museum in every big city that I'm aware of, I'm sure you'll find one near you.

If you aren't sitting at home but know someone who is, could you make it your next goal to ask that person to go with you on an outing? It doesn't cost anything to go for a walk around the neighborhood with a friend. It costs very little to share a picnic lunch somewhere. And the opportunity to ride your bike, hike or work out together is immeasurable--especially if one of you needs that extra push.

The opportunities to find your Best self and to expand your Inner stength to do something out of the ordinary are out there. What are you waiting for?

All my best,
Jackie