I’ve stopped visualizing which is a big no-no when you’re a dreamer. The key is to visualize. Always, always visualize so you know what your goal looks like. So you recognize it when you get there. I’m not sure when I stopped visualizing all the things I wanted. Feels pretty recent, like the past couple of years, probably when social media blew up and my confidence took a backseat to fear. Or maybe I stopped visualizing when I had no (or very little) sales on my first book. And my second book. And my third. And my fourth.
It’s hard to keep the image of sitting on Ellen’s couch (yes, I imagined this. Shut up) discussing my widely popular novel and laughing over all the trials of getting there when literally no one is buying it. I had this whole idea how everything was going to happen and when it didn’t, something shifted. Me, I guess, and with my lack of readers it became harder and harder to picture myself there, on that couch.
Which is BAD.
I need to start up again. If I have any hope of actually making it, I need to picture myself next to Ellen, being my charming and witty and wonderful self (and not having panic attacks. Stupid anxiety). It’s the only thing that’s going to get me there, imagining the future I want.
And you need to keep it up too. Whatever your dreams are. Visualize it. See what it looks like so you know where you’re going. It’s VITAL and I haven’t been doing it as much so I’m going to start again.
What about you?
Do you visualize your dreams?
All the time. You might need a marketing consultant or at least visit a site. Check out Bad Redhead Media. She has a lot of free marketing advice on her blog and website. Never stop dreaming and take a break now and then allow your mind to drift. Imagine yourself as a ballerina or something like that.
Make it a daily habit–5 minutes every day. Sit on that sofa and talk with Ellen. Walk through the Castle-Mansion. Tour countries you’ve dreamed of visiting. Autograph your books. Focus your energy on it every single day and it can’t help but become reality!
Fill out the form! I want to see you on that show. 🙂
My dreams are rather simplistic: Finish my 4.5 books and have them in print for my kids to read someday. I have the covers ready. It’s just the content I need to get done.
I’m not much of a visualizer, more of a “set a goal and then concentrate on each step”, but different things work for different people, just like some are pantsters and others are plotters 😉 Sadly there is no magic bullet for marketing. A good way to get sales is to advertise on an email list – though you have to research which ones work for your genre and which ones don’t. I’d say the first thing to do is to join a writer’s group and connect to others. If nothing else there are cross promotion opportunities and you can all share tips and such.
I do a lot of visualizing, yeah. I tend to imagine being a guest at conventions or talking to fans at a signing, stuff like that – things that would mean I’m a success. Since I have depression, my therapist says I need to take a moment to realize and appreciate it when I’m imagining such things for myself, as it’s helpful and it beats the hell out of my usual tendency to see myself as a complete failure. >_<
So yeah, I'm right there with you on this. I know how hard it can be, especially when reality doesn't match up to the dreams. But the only way to change that is to keep trying.
I love to visualize! I do it all the time when I’m dreaming of a book launch party one day. =) Definitely important to do!
I’m more a list maker and goal setter than a visualizer. I know where I want to be and lay out steps that I think will get me there.
@mirymom1 from
Balancing Act