Motivating Quote

Found this yesterday and blew it up to 36 font on a piece of paper I plan on tacking to my forehead:

"If you really want to do something, you'll find a way. If you don't, you'll find an excuse." - Jim Rohn.

No idea who Jim Rohn is, but brilliant man, I must say.

Took a bit of a sideroad last night. A former client of mine I wrote a speech for called and asked what I was doing for the next hour and a half.

"Extremely busy," I said, as I stuffed another Dorito in my mouth.  "Why?"

"My parents 60th wedding anniversary is tonight and I'm supposed to give part of a speech on my father's history and I have all these facts and nothing written and I need it by 6:30 tonight."

"I'm so sorry,"  I said.  "I'd love to help you but I just can't."  And I believed it.  I only wish I were swamped.  "Dead and buried" I think comes closer to describing my situation.  Considering I'm someone who prides herself on her organizational skills and ability to get the job done, the fact that I'm so struggling with this project is scaring the daylights out of me.

Anyway, the client was very nice and said sorry to bother me and we hung up.  I was sad not to be able to help someone in a crunch but felt proud of myself for saying no--something I often have trouble with.

Thirty minutes later the phone rang.

"Did I mention I'll pay you?  Because of course I'll pay you!  How much will it take to have you do this?"

So much for resolve.  It wasn't the money.  It was more I couldn't stand to turn someone down who was pleading for help.  And I really like this client and knew this was a big event.  "Okay," I said.  "E-mail me what you've got."

I took 40 minutes away from the book and worked on the speech.  It was marvelous to actually sit down and accomplish something.  I sent it to her and was worried...a 60th anniversary is a big deal and I hadn't had long to work.  I hoped she could find something to use in what I'd sent.

So I breathed a huge sigh of relief when I got her e-mail telling me I was incredible.  Seriously, it was something I needed to hear in terms of my writing when self-doubt is attacking at every corner.  So where am I going with this?  Simply that things come to us in life for a reason.  I could have said no for a second time, but the benefit I got out of stopping to work on this project far outweighed the time it took away from the book.

Trust life to give you what you need.