The Four Legs of Happiness

“I do not want to get to the end of my life and find that I just lived the length of it. I want to have lived the width of it as well.”
–Diane Ackerman, author and poet

In This Issue:

The Four Legs of Happiness
by Krista Jones

Last week I bought the #1 New York Times Bestseller, Marley & Me by John Grogan. It’s a story of a family’s journey with their dog—a lovable, but uncontrollable, yellow Labrador retriever. I just started reading it, but so far I’m getting a kick out of the 30 minutes or so a day that I steal away with this delightful book.

It was hard for me to resist the book since dogs have played such a big role in my life. Especially a Golden retriever puppy named Courtney we got back in 1992. Although I loved her from the day we got her, our relationship reached new depths when I started working from home. She became my shadow from the moment I quit my job until we had to put her down two years later.

If you’ve ever been through the experience of putting a dog to sleep, you know how heart-wrenching it is. But months later you figure out that it was worth the pain because of the gifts the dog brought to your life.

If I were to ever write about my experiences with my often bigger-than-life dog, the book would be called something like Everything My Dog Taught Me About Happiness. I marveled at her spirit and the unadulterated joy she so frequently displayed.

While I was in the throes of learning and building my copywriting business, my dog taught me three life lessons that I will never forget:

  1. Be true to yourself. Anytime we were apart for more than an hour, she would greet me with something in her mouth—anything from a tennis ball to an undergarment.

    If you know much about Golden retrievers you know they are a loving and affectionate breed. So even when I wanted her to buck up to a burly stranger or a yappy little dog, she would have no part of it. In fact, if we crossed paths with someone who looked the least bit intimidating, my 65-pound wimp would quickly slip behind me so I could protect her.

    Courtney showed me over and over that life is best when you’re true to your nature. As a result, I’m much better at avoiding things that are just not in my blood. Truth is, I fail miserably whenever do things like attend a networking function or try to imitate a writing style that has caught my attention. I get far greater results when I stick with my own style.

  2. Refuse limits. When I would get on Courtney for tearing up a remote control or chewing my shoe laces, she would basically thumb her nose at me. “WHAT!? Are you talking to me?” Then she would dash off to her next adventure.

    And her nose-thumbing antics didn’t stop with me – she did the same thing with other dogs. She outsmarted her older brother whenever they jockeyed for the same bone. She took much larger dogs to the ground in mere seconds for trying to have their way with her. She didn’t even let age get the best of her. That dog had the energy and stamina of dogs half her age.

    Watching Courtney outwit, outrun, and outlast others—including me on occasion—often brought to mind one of my favorite sayings: “Argue for your limitations and sure enough they’re yours.” I realized just how quickly I give up when someone says ‘no’ or tells me something can’t be done. But Courtney set a wonderful example by never letting false limits stop her.

  3. Play hard. When Courtney played, she did it with gusto. Whenever I took her to the lake, for example, she liked to play “Bobbing for Balls.” I’d throw two tennis balls about 30 yards into the lake and she would charge ahead, taking a flying leap into the water.

    Quickly she’d retrieve the first ball and then swim to the second. Then she would do a really clever thing: She would shift the ball to the back of her mouth before slamming her face into the water trying to nab the second ball. She would swim in circles and continue to bob until she had both balls between her jaws. Then she would swim back to shore and we’d do it again…and again…and again.

I adored watching her play. Whether she was bobbing for balls, playing with other dogs, or chasing deer through the woods, she always had such a happy grin on her face. Her zeal and courage in life helped guide me when I was unsure or simply taking things too seriously. After all, I had followed this path because I was looking for greater freedom and happiness.

Today, I think Courtney’s role in my life was far deeper than that of family pet. I think she was meant to remind me why I was working so hard. And in her playful way, to teach me the wisdom of happiness. Who’s in your court, reminding you that fetching a ball is sometimes one of the greatest, and most worthwhile, joys life has to offer?

Resource Referral: Update on the CP Mentoring Program!

Monica and I are receiving a great response to the mentoring program that was introduced in Friday’s issue. We’re still reviewing writing samples, so if you haven’t heard from us yet, you will very soon—we promise! 

In case you missed Friday’s issue, here’s what we’re doing:

Many of you have written Monica and me, asking if we would take on the task of coaching and mentoring you personally, but until now we have referred you elsewhere.

Now we are each taking on a very small, intimate group of copy protégées as part of the new Copy Protégé Mentoring Program. And you’re invited to apply today if you’re interested in working with us one-on-one.

It’s not a first come, first serve kind of thing. Rather, we want to first assess your writing and hear your goals for the program. We want to make sure you’re serious, and that you have already gotten some of the basics under your belt. So here’s what you need to apply:

Once you drop us a line and let us know you’re interested, we’ll assess your sample and send you more particulars about the program, including the cost, timeframe and everything it includes.

Our hope is that, for a handful of you, this will be just what you need, at exactly the right time in your career. If that sounds like you, send your sample right away. We anticipate, from the number of responses we’ve received since Friday, that we’ll fill up fast.

Quick Copy Tip: Track Your Time, Part 2

Last week I explained that tracking the time you spend on different projects will help you come up with fee estimates that are on the mark and also schedule your time effectively. And here’s another benefit I neglected to mention: it gives you a way to quantify your progress as a copywriter.

As you gain experience it will undoubtedly take you less time to complete projects. But unless you keep track of your time, you’ll never know just how much better you’re getting.

On average it takes me about 70 – 75 percent of the time it used to take to complete a project. So for a project that used to take 100 hours, it now takes about 70 – 75 hours.

This information is good to know when planning projects. It’s also good for your confidence as it gives you to track your improved efficiency.