Carrie A. Pearson: children's book author and presenter
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact and Connect
  • Purchase a Signed Book
  • News and Upcoming Events
  • School, Library, and Bookstore Visits
  • Conference Presentations
  • Blog
  • My Current Books and Reviews
  • Latest Book: Stretch to the Sun
  • Educational Resources
  • Creator Resources
  • #SixSecondNatureFix
  • Media Kit
  • Children's Book Connections Consulting

Yackity yack -- let's talk!

Michael Hyatt on Being a Successful Creative

1/13/2012

3 Comments

 
I'm re-posting this great piece by Michael Hyatt who is a leadership expert. This caught my eye because sometimes we "creatives" get so caught up in creating, we forget to think about being successful. Michael shows us how to accomplish the success part, too. His website is: http://michaelhyatt.com.
 
Ways Successful Creatives Think Differently than Unsuccessful Ones

I have worked with authors for more than three decades. I have also worked with speakers, recording artists, and other creatives. I have had the privilege of working with the best—and the challenge of enduring the worst. Ninety percent fall somewhere in the middle.

What separates them is not talent. Surely, this plays a role. But it doesn’t fully explain why some creatives with marginal talent become successful and others with extraordinary talent never really make it. (I could name names, but I would get myself in trouble on both counts!)

Instead, I think the determining factor is to be found in how they think. Successful creatives think differently than unsuccessful ones. This is evident in seven ways.
  1. Successful creatives think big. The best creatives think, “Go big or go home.” If they are going to go to the trouble of writing a book, preparing a speech, or recording an album, they might as well make the biggest impact they can. They aren’t naive about the amount of work it will take, but they still dream big. They are always asking, “What could we do that would exceed everyone’s expectations?”
  2. Successful creatives take responsibility. The best creatives take responsibility for the outcome. They don’t expect someone else to make them famous or successful, though they realize they can’t succeed without others. They own their work and accept responsibility for how it is received by the market.
  3. Successful creatives listen well. The best creatives are not know-it-alls. They understand that being good at one thing (e.g., writing, speaking, or singing) doesn’t mean they are good at everything (e.g., packaging or marketing). As a result, they listen to those who have more experience. Ultimately, this raises their probability for success.
  4. Successful creatives seek help. While the best creatives accept ultimate responsibility for the outcome, they enroll everyone they can to help them succeed. They understand they can’t do it alone. As a result, they build a world-class team around them. They are constantly asking, “Who else can I enroll to help get me where I want to go.”
  5. Successful creatives work hard. The best creatives are not lazy. They don’t assume that their work is done once the book is written, the speech prepared, or the album recorded. In a real sense, their work has only just begun. They don’t display a spirit of entitlement. Instead, they roll up their sleeves and do the work that lesser creatives are unwilling to do.
  6. Successful creatives remain humble. The best creatives know that success is illusive and fragile. They know that they didn’t attain it on their own, nor will they preserve it on their own. This makes them grateful and humble. Though they face the same temptations to become arrogant, they understand the dangers and comport themselves accordingly.
  7. Successful creatives give praise. The best creatives take all the responsibility and little of the credit. They are quick to give that away to the numerous people who helped them get where they are. These creatives are especially good at praising in public and shining the spotlight on others.
The bottom line is that you have more control over your success than you may think. However, you must develop a winning mindset and cultivate the habits of successful thinking. This is what separates the best creatives from all others.

3 Comments

    Welcome!

    This blog shares insights on the craft of writing children's books and the publishing industry, and supports creators on their journey. 

    Click here to subscribe to Carrie's Blog Posts by Email
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Available now at your favorite bookseller!

    RSS Feed

    Picture
    Member of the Nerdy Book Club
    Explore Nonfiction
    Picture

    Categories

    All
    25 Things Writers Should Stop Doing
    A Cool Summer Tail
    Agent Search
    Andy Sherrod
    Arthur A. Levine
    Art Notes
    Austin
    Avante Garde Mentorship Program
    A Warm Winter Tail
    A Writing Life
    Be Fearless
    Being Critiqued
    Benefits Of Books
    Blog Tour - Cool Summer
    Blog Touring - How To
    Bologna Children's Book Fair 2018
    Boni Ashburn
    Book Launch
    Books Help Brains
    Book Studies
    Boxing For Cuba
    Bulver-Lytton Fiction Contest
    Butt-in-Chair
    Cbi Clubhouse
    Chasing Home
    Cheryl Klein
    Children
    Children In Exile
    Children's Choice Book Awards 2012
    Christina Wald
    Chuck Wendig
    Coast Redwood Trees
    Conference Success Stories
    Craft
    Creston Books
    Critiquing
    Crits For Water
    Cuban
    Cuban Children Exile
    Cubans
    Curated Content
    Darcy Pattison
    Deborah Halverson
    Dial
    Dos And Don'ts
    Dutton
    Eggstra Crazy Day
    Emerging Voices Award
    Endorsements And Reviews
    Erin Dealey
    Escape From Havana: An American Story
    Exile
    Fall Scbwimi Conference
    Floyd Cooper
    For Book Crafters
    Free Edit
    Frepful
    Gelett Burgess Award
    Goals
    Great Lakes Great Reads
    Guillermo Vincente Vidal
    Holy Family Orphanage Marquette Mi
    Holy Family Orphans Home
    Humor
    Ideas
    Inbound Marketing
    Industry Outlook
    Ingrid Law
    Jacketflap
    Jerry Spinelli
    Jessica Lee Anderson
    Julie Straussgabel672dfe5019
    Katie Davis
    Kickstand Desk
    Kickstarter.com
    Kidsbooklink.org
    Kristen Remenar
    Kristin Wolden Nitz
    Laini Taylor
    Lauri Hornik
    Linda Sue Park
    Lisa Moser
    Lisa Wheeler
    Marketing
    \\\"marquette Boys\\\"
    Mary Kole
    Melissa Shanker
    Mentee
    Mentor
    Mentoring
    Mentor Monday
    Mentor Mondays
    Mentors4rent
    Mentors For Rent
    Mentorship
    Michael Hyatt
    Michigan History Magazine
    Middle Grade Historical Novel
    Milkweed
    Mindy Hardwick
    MINE!
    Mini Labradoodle
    Miss Piggy
    Moosewood
    Motivation
    Must Read
    National Mentor Month
    Networking Day
    New Blog
    Notes From The Road
    Nuggets
    On A Beam Of Light
    Operation Pedro Pan
    Patience
    Patrice Barton
    Pedro Pan
    Personal Mission Statement
    Philomel
    Phrase Frequency Check
    Piboidmo
    Promotion
    Publisher's Weekly
    Puppy Breath
    Rateyourstory.blogspot.com
    Rejection
    Rejections
    Research
    Revisions
    Rhythm
    Ruth Mcnally Barshaw
    Save The Bookstores Day June 16 2012
    Scbwi
    SCBWI-MI
    SCBWI-MI Mentorship Contest
    SCBWI-MI Revision Retreat
    Scbwi National
    SCBWI.org
    Scbwi Wisconsin Mentorship Program
    School Visits
    Second Sight
    Self-growth
    Selfpublishing8081e9eb37
    Selfpublishing8b1f9d6af0
    Show Vs Tell
    Shrunken Manuscript
    Shutta Crum
    Signings
    Sitting Poses Cancer Risk
    Spinster Goose
    Stacy Dekeyser
    Successful Creatives
    Sylvan Dell Publishing
    Tamra Tuller
    Tara Lazar
    Treadmill Desk
    Twitter
    Unaccompanied Minors
    Underhoured
    Unexpected
    Website Development
    Wild
    Wild Midwest Scbwi Conference
    Word Frequency
    Writing Contests
    Writing In Rhyme
    Wwwdeareditorcomb008ccbbfd
    Www.kidlit.com
    Www.readerkidz

    Archives

    December 2018
    November 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    May 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010
    December 2009
    November 2009
    October 2009
    September 2009
    August 2009

    Picture
carrieapear@aol.com
(906) 360.3229 EST
Photos used under Creative Commons from wuestenigel, Steve A Johnson, dirkjanranzijn, bandita, margory.june, aldenjewell, ell brown, arripay, Edwin Torres Photography, greg westfall., Bill Ward's Brickpile, Peter Blanchard, Enderst07, Karrierebibel.de, Ben Husmann, striatic, plentiful, pdam2, erix!, Parker Knight, autoreverse tiramisù, Chris_J, cheriejoyful, brewbooks, thedailyenglishshow, Maguis & David, Bill Selak, paparutzi, human after all, g23armstrong, Bring on the Photog, hans s, ilovememphis, Enokson, peapodsquadmom, bsabarnowl, photogramma1, bsabarnowl, shawncampbell, KOMUnews, ecksunderscore, Richard Leighton, dvs, xlordashx, tiefkuehlfan, photosteve101, Denise Cross Photography, bluebirdsandteapots, Keoni Cabral, halseike, bovinity, Aaron T. Goodman, Cesari
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact and Connect
  • Purchase a Signed Book
  • News and Upcoming Events
  • School, Library, and Bookstore Visits
  • Conference Presentations
  • Blog
  • My Current Books and Reviews
  • Latest Book: Stretch to the Sun
  • Educational Resources
  • Creator Resources
  • #SixSecondNatureFix
  • Media Kit
  • Children's Book Connections Consulting