Raquel A. Greer's Blog
August 26, 2015
Life is not an Excuse
Too many times I've heard, and more importantly used, the excuse that Life gets in the way of success.
For example, I have great aspirations but...
I didn't accomplish what I set out to because Life got in the way.
I wanted to be there for you, but I couldn't because Life got in the way.
I had this amazing idea, but I didn't act on it because Life got in the way.
As it turns out, amazing ideas aren't as unique as you'd think they are, their uniqueness stems from the motivated people who transform those ideas into reality.
Today's motivation to DO rather than DON'T is:
Let Life be the reason you accomplish something, not the excuse you use to fail.
For example, I have great aspirations but...
I didn't accomplish what I set out to because Life got in the way.
I wanted to be there for you, but I couldn't because Life got in the way.
I had this amazing idea, but I didn't act on it because Life got in the way.
As it turns out, amazing ideas aren't as unique as you'd think they are, their uniqueness stems from the motivated people who transform those ideas into reality.
Today's motivation to DO rather than DON'T is:
Let Life be the reason you accomplish something, not the excuse you use to fail.
August 9, 2015
When Numbers Lie
I decided to try Amazon's free book promotion for In Her Wake. It's generated over 200 downloads in less than 2 days! This is great news. It's amazing. It's mind-blowing to say the least, and yet, these numbers don't tell me how many people will actually read a single word. Will they like the words and how I've arranged them? Will they read it and think "she has potential as a writer" or will they petition for the removal of my fingers so they never punish a keyboard with their nonsense again?
Interesting thoughts either way.
I'll never stop dreaming, creating characters, emotions, and worlds only I'll ever see in vibrant colors behind closed eyelids. My mind will continue to run rampant with its vivid imagination and I'll always let the many stories it creates play out until their ends. It's what prompted me to write in the first place, to share with people the living, breathing beings that take up residence in my head.
What do the numbers tell me? What will they tell me when those numbers become faces with mouths ready to unleash words into the faceless medium we all rely on to validate our work, our existence?
Today, they numbers were just numbers. Tomorrow may be a different story.
Interesting thoughts either way.
I'll never stop dreaming, creating characters, emotions, and worlds only I'll ever see in vibrant colors behind closed eyelids. My mind will continue to run rampant with its vivid imagination and I'll always let the many stories it creates play out until their ends. It's what prompted me to write in the first place, to share with people the living, breathing beings that take up residence in my head.
What do the numbers tell me? What will they tell me when those numbers become faces with mouths ready to unleash words into the faceless medium we all rely on to validate our work, our existence?
Today, they numbers were just numbers. Tomorrow may be a different story.
June 24, 2015
Get on Up
Here's what I've learned from waiting it out...
A procrastinator never looks back proud of what he did, because he didn't.
He never looks back wondering what would've happened if he didn't make a move, because he's living with the consequences.
He has a head full of dreams that die before daybreak
He watches life happen to those around him instead of making more of his own
A procrastinator lives with regrets instead of accomplishments, fear and laziness weave his future
It takes a lot of trial and error before accomplishments are made so it's time to start trialing and erroring
Dreams only become reality through brute force and a little bit of luck...and pixie dust. It's time to make it happen!
...says the girl who wrote this instead of editing her next novel
A procrastinator never looks back proud of what he did, because he didn't.
He never looks back wondering what would've happened if he didn't make a move, because he's living with the consequences.
He has a head full of dreams that die before daybreak
He watches life happen to those around him instead of making more of his own
A procrastinator lives with regrets instead of accomplishments, fear and laziness weave his future
It takes a lot of trial and error before accomplishments are made so it's time to start trialing and erroring
Dreams only become reality through brute force and a little bit of luck...and pixie dust. It's time to make it happen!
...says the girl who wrote this instead of editing her next novel
April 6, 2015
Wise Whys?
How much can I learn from "why"?
I found myself in a pickle and began asking multiple questions directed to no one in particular... and yet, many particulars felt the need to voice their opinions, whether or not they were valid or even helpful. Why?
Why? And then, more importantly, why bother? Why bother asking the questions when the answers ringing above the crowd pass through the lips of those I'd rather not encounter on a day to day basis much less seek advice from? These are the same people who bump into me on the street advising me to "Watch it!", prompting an apology from me for stumbling into their air space. They are also the people who walk through the door I've held open then continue walking without a backwards glance or polite "thank you", refusing to return the kindness I've extended to them. They accept all I have to give then snicker at my ignorance. They have countless words of advice and answers to every question- they always have the answers but never the right or useful ones.
My frustration boils down to this, Why?...Why? Why? Why???
My realization simmers into, "Why ask why when I should be asking How?"
Why is only the beginning and one only I can answer or one that tries to rationalize actions or beings out of my control. When it comes to my future, the right questions are "How?" and "What?".
"Who?" doesn't matter. If it isn't me I have no business searching for answers.
The answer to my own question is: I can discover very little from asking why. Rather than ask why, I need to ask What: What can I do? What can I change? What is best for me? And How: How can I make it happen?
I found myself in a pickle and began asking multiple questions directed to no one in particular... and yet, many particulars felt the need to voice their opinions, whether or not they were valid or even helpful. Why?
Why? And then, more importantly, why bother? Why bother asking the questions when the answers ringing above the crowd pass through the lips of those I'd rather not encounter on a day to day basis much less seek advice from? These are the same people who bump into me on the street advising me to "Watch it!", prompting an apology from me for stumbling into their air space. They are also the people who walk through the door I've held open then continue walking without a backwards glance or polite "thank you", refusing to return the kindness I've extended to them. They accept all I have to give then snicker at my ignorance. They have countless words of advice and answers to every question- they always have the answers but never the right or useful ones.
My frustration boils down to this, Why?...Why? Why? Why???
My realization simmers into, "Why ask why when I should be asking How?"
Why is only the beginning and one only I can answer or one that tries to rationalize actions or beings out of my control. When it comes to my future, the right questions are "How?" and "What?".
"Who?" doesn't matter. If it isn't me I have no business searching for answers.
The answer to my own question is: I can discover very little from asking why. Rather than ask why, I need to ask What: What can I do? What can I change? What is best for me? And How: How can I make it happen?
