Turning Pro in 2012

Asthe year winds down, every blogger, media outlet, television show, and radioprogram looks back at the past year and reminisces about the best and worst of 2011.If they are not doing that, they are hammering you with Resolutions. I'mhere to wish you a Happy New Year and avoid doing those things.
Withthe sun setting on 2011, many of you have achieved the success that you've been wishingand working toward, and for others, you may not be where you want to be, yet. 
Whatmakes the difference between those who succeed and those who don't? Is ittalent? Effort? Knowledge? Marketing? While these things play a role, I'lloffer my two cents on what makes the difference. 
Yourmind and thoughts … 
It'sthat simple. Get out of your own way and put success in your head.
Thisblog post is not for everyone, because many of you believe that you are there.I wasn't. Exactly one year ago, I had never published a book, created a cover,formatted the interior, or even wrote, THE END. Sure I had been workingon my debut novel and I knew that someday I would finish. But, someday nevercame. 
Then,I read a blog postfrom Larry Brooks at www.storyfix.com. Ifyou haven't stumbled across Larry yet, he is one of the best out there. In his post,he sidetracked from his usual story engineering and six core principles forwriting success and hit me with something that burned into my core.
Iformed a sort of mantra with it and posted it on my computer. I read it everymorning. I read it every time I found my wheels spinning. I read it afterspending ten straight hours with final revisions. I read it after "working" my real job all day with no time to write. I believe it was the mostimportant change that put me on the fast track to success. I'll share it withyou now.   
This year I will officially turn pro as a storyteller.I will establish a schedule. I will set goals. I willsolicit feedback. I will study. I will become a scholar of my genre.
I will render myself fluent in the language of my craft.I am writing for an audience. For money. For my career. Acceptanceof that awareness changes everything.Larry Brooks, Storyfix.com
It'sthat simple. Believe it. Post it. Say it, everyday. Starteveryday with this affirmation, then come back next year and share with me yoursuccess. It will happen. It has to happen. The universe works that way.
Happy New Year!