You hear this analogy a lot for the lottery, but it’s true in working at home as well. This point was reiterated by a member of a panel I sat on at the Virginia Festival of the Book. Don Fry, author of Writing Your Way: Creating a Writing Process That Works for You and a writing coach reminded attendees that if they want to make money writing, they need to submit their work. This may seem like a great big ‘duh’, except that many writers never submit (some never even finish) their work.
I belong to a writer’s group and except for a couple of members who publish items in the newspaper, no one else has published anything. They give me all sorts of kudos and high-fives, which I love, but the truth is there is nothing special about my successes. I’m not the best or most creative writer. The only difference between me and them is that I submit my work. I write pitches, synopsises and queries, and send them off. Sometimes, if I get rejections, I simply publish my work myself. They could have the success (and sometimes rejection) that I do if they submitted.
I see this too when it comes to working at home. People tell me they want to work at home, but then they don’t do the work that is needed. Or, they appear to be doing work; they’re reading blog posts and books, but they don’t take action on what those resources suggest they do.
So why don’t people take action? I think there are many reasons, the biggest is a lack of confidence. While you can’t win if you don’t play, you won’t lose either. Except you will. While you hear no or experience failure if you don’t try. Neither will you have the thrill of pursuing and realizing your dream. Everyone has set backs and rejections when they work for something more. If you live your life trying to avoid them, you won’t really be living your life.
Another reason people don’t succeed at working at home is they don’t follow through on what they started. Posting a blog online isn’t all that needs to happen to make money blogging. Submitting a few resumes isn’t the end of the road in finding a job. Sometimes you’re waiting to get started until thing are perfect, but that will never happen. Your work won’t be perfect. There won’t be the perfect time. Except now…now is the perfect time.
If you want the flexibility and other perks that go with working from home, you have to jump in and start making it happen. Right now. Push your fear and nerves aside and submit a resume or launch a website. Do it today!
