Not Far from the Tree

A Guide to Using Personality To Build Your Business Online

October, 3 2008

Issue # 6

3 Lessons About Perseverance in Writing

With three children in the house, you can imagine how many children's television shows we've been exposed to (don't let me get started on the horror of the Barney/Teletubbies years). A few years ago there was a Disney series called Kim Possible about a teenage crime fighter named (you guessed it), Kim Possible. Kim Possible can do anything. Even when the chips are down, she finds a way to succeed. Her sidekick (and best friend) is Ron Stoppable. He can't do anything.

As part of the series, there was a movie called So The Drama. I love that phrase and we use it often around here when our kids have a bigger-than-life reaction. Like the one our daughter Charis had last week.

All three of our children joined cross country at their elementary school. They race every Tuesday afternoon. Last week's race was tough for Charis. The week before both her younger sister and older brother had received a ribbon (top ten get ribbons). Charis was determined to get a ribbon in her race. There was only one problem with her plan. The course was really hard. It went up and down and up again. It was flat-out hard (without the flat).

Charis was nervous when she started, but ran hard up the first hill. Then she started to get tired and the panic set in. Soon she was crying while running. Then she was walking and crying and just generally really upset. It got so bad that I started running alongside her. I encouraged her to keep going and to do her best. I reminded her that tears don't make running any easier. She wasn't having any fun and being upset just made it harder for her.

However, because I was there to help her, she kept going and finished strong. Even though she had a "Ron Stoppable/So the Drama" kind of day, I was still really proud of her when she kept trying even though it wasn't going very well.

The race this week went much better. Charis started and finished her cross country race in true "Kim Possible" form. She started strong, she ran the whole way, and she didn't cry because it was too hard. Even when she faced adversity (she got confused and ran with the 1st graders which was mortifying for my 2nd grade girl), she didn't give up, she didn't stop trying, and she succeeded. She had fun, and not only was I proud of her, but--most importantly--she was proud of herself. She knew she ran the whole way and she did her very best.

We can all learn something from Charis's races.

  1. Don't Quit. Your writing (eNewsletter, blog, website) is a long-term strategy with the goal of connecting with your customer in order to increase your business. Let's be honest. Some projects are going to go really badly. You will feel like your writing and efforts are just a waste of time. They will be Ron Stoppable projects. But keep going when you feel like quitting and you'll be more likely to succeed.

  2. Be Proud. By continuing to try even when it's hard, you are giving yourself the opportunity to have Kim Possible moments. Moments when everything goes right. Times when you just connect and build those relationships that make your business strong. Moments when you can do anything. Be proud when you keep going in the face of adversity and be even more proud when you succeed.

  3. Get Support. Sometimes, when you are having a Ron Stoppable time with your writing, it helps to have someone who can come alongside and help you succeed in spite of yourself. That might be a friend, a business associate, a significant other, or maybe (possibly) a writing consultant.

Bottom Line: Relax! Your writing is a chance to connect with your customers. If you enjoy your profession, it's even a chance to have fun. Sometimes it will be really hard, but remember that this is a great opportunity for you to share what you love with your target audience. And no matter what, don't give up.