Jeff Goins's Blog, page 11

Let’s Be Amateurs Again: The Secret to Becoming a True Professional

Do you remember when you started it, this thing you now call your craft? Do you remember when you did it because you loved it, because you couldn’t stop doing it? I don’t. But I’d like to remember. I’d love to go back to being an amateur, if I still can.

The Secret to Creating Work That Lasts: Why The Great Gatsby Endured

Is your work timely or timeless? That is, is it something that is relevant to your current place in history, or does it transcend the limitations of its context? You may be thinking that the goal of every artist is to do work that lasts, but this is a myth.

The Art of Storytelling with Scott Harrison from charity: water

Has a really good story every moved you to feel or to act? That is the true art of storytelling. Someone who knows this well and has honed this art is Scott Harrison of charity: water. Scott got into storytelling when he moved to NYC at 18. Initially, he rebelled against his upbringing and moved […]

The Most Transformative Year of My Life Had Nothing to Do with Success

It was late that night as I sat on my friend Ian’s porch and poured out my heart. What I had to share, though, I hadn’t told anybody, and it had been eating me up inside for a few years now. It was time somebody knew.

Gratitude: A Tribe Conference Review

I’ve recently started a gratitude journal, in which I write 5 things I’m grateful for. Today, I’m reflecting on the Tribe Conference I attended this year

Everything We Do (As Writers and Artists) is Marketing

For the longest time, I despised marketing. Couldn't stand it. It just felt like pure dishonesty. I felt this way long before ever becoming a writer. Little did I know that just about everything I did was marketing.

Writing is Manual Labor

How does inspiration happen? Where does it come from? Do we wait for it to come or simply get to work? And how does one go about capturing such a thing? Most importantly, how does a writer actually write?

Creating Atomic Habits with James Clear

There’s plenty of advice in the entrepreneurial community on habits. But what are atomic habits and how can you take the reins on creating atomic habits of your own? And why would you want to? The man to answer those questions is my friend, James Clear.

The Secret to Writing a Great Book: Start With a Great Idea

What’s the secret to writing a great book? Is it having a great book marketing plan? Hiring a PR agency? Studying grammar for years so you can craft the perfect sentence? Nope. The secret to writing a great book is coming up with a great idea. It all hinges on the idea.

3 Important Lessons on Writing

This year has been quite transformative for me, and I'm still unpacking what it all means. Suffice to say, I am evaluating everything I'm doing, considering changing a lot both personally and professionally.