The Universe Likes Speed

"Much of the stress that people feel doesn’t come from having too much to do.
It comes from not finishing what they’ve started."
— David Allen

In Issue #228

Main Essay: The Universe Likes Speed
by Krista Jones

If I heard it once, I heard it three times in the past week alone: New copywriters are feeling overwhelmed by all they have to do to make it as a copywriter.

Do you feel that way too?

I’d be surprised if you said ‘no.’

I know what it feels like to have to hone your skills, find potential clients, market yourself in ways that feel comfortable, and then figure out what to charge when you finally get someone’s attention. It feels like your head is spinning because you’re not sure where to start—or where to stop before you make a leap.

While plenty of unpleasant things can come from feeling overwhelmed, the biggest problem is allowing it to flat out stop you. Letting it make you want to punt or stop short before you reach your goal. Do that too many times and not finishing what you start becomes a habit.

We all have different ways of handling not feeling ready to embrace something we really want. Some people make excuses about why they can’t do it yet—saying they need to read one more book or perhaps finish their book before they can really go for it. Some procrastinate by keeping themselves busy with other projects. And others overanalyze things.

My Achilles’ heel is the latter. Whenever I’m in a situation where I feel in over my head, I tend to pick at it and mull things over far longer than I should. In fact, that’s exactly what I found myself doing last week…

I was working on some copy with my friend Isabel. I drafted it, sent it to her for revision, she sent it back to me for further revision, and so it went.

Finally, after several rounds of this, Isabel nudged me away from my fixation on what was a small piece of the puzzle we were working on. She did it by sending me an email with a subject line that read, “Oh what the heck!” The email explained that although most people think the secret to Dr. Phil McGraw’s success was meeting Oprah and then appearing on her show, there is (of course) more to the story.

Turns out, Dr. Phil’s secret to success was not waiting until he was completely ready before he said ‘yes’ to the opportunity that ended up launching him to fame and fortune. Of course, he’s not the only person who has used this secret to his advantage. It’s one of the things that separates most successful business owners from most everybody else.

Isabel’s email reminded me that, even though I often resist it, the Universe likes speed.

So I stopped trying to make the piece we were working on perfect and I let it go out just as it was. And then, not long after I let it go, the Universe sent me a second “ready, fire, aim!” message. (Maybe it wanted to make sure that I finally get this concept down.)

But this time it came through Monica. And although it was meant for you, the message came through loud and clear for me, too. In CP Issue #227, Monica wrote that you shouldn’t wait to be perfect before you try to get paid work as a copywriter.  She’s right—and her words apply to much more than looking for your first paid assignment.  

Both of these reminders from my friends made me realize how, over the years, my desire for perfection has prevented me from finishing more than one dream. So while I can relate to all the people I talked to last week about feeling overwhelmed by the details of getting their copywriting business off the ground, the buck must stop there.

I know that for them, for you, and for me, there comes a time when we’ve got to move off the mark. There’s a difference between failing and not fully trying.

Although I’ve settled for less in the past, I’m at the point now where I’d rather fail than not finish what I start. Far less regret and stress comes with that. Don’t you agree?

Resource Referral: A Time Sensitive Update from Monica

Even though this is Krista’s week to write you, I wanted to send greetings from Austin – and an important opportunity I don’t want you to miss out on!

I am the Roving Reporter for this year’s Web Copywriting Intensive – so I’ve got the inside scoop on everything that’s going on here. Four heavy-hitters are headlining: Matt Furey, Andrew Palmer, Nick Usborne, Heather Lloyd-Martin. Every single one of them earns deep into six figures a year – some earn seven.

The event is called a copywriting intensive – but honestly, it’s much more than that. They are talking about site optimization, pay-per-click advertising, using emails and newsletters to build your list. And yes, what works and what doesn’t in web copy.

AWAI wasn’t going to put together a home study package for this event – but at the last minute has so many requests, that they brought out the film crew after all. And between now and this Sunday only – you can get it for just $599.

If that sounds like a lot – you should know that it cost over $5,000 for attendees to be here. So you’re getting nearly a 90 percent savings. And if I waited to tell you about it until it was my turn to send you an issue – the price would already be up to $1,295—and well worth it!

You’ll hear a lot more from me next week on what I learned. But don’t miss out on this deal. Click here to grab it before it’s gone.

Quick Copy Tip: Buddy Up!

People often ask me if I get lonely working at home alone. My answer is an emphatic ‘no.’ I am perfectly happy working away for hours without taking the time to socialize with co-workers or peers.

BUT…

I do have friends and peers that I swap stories with and talk to about the things I struggle with. Having them as part of my support system has helped me more than I can say. And even though I would never initiate it on my own, it’s also wonderful sharing with and learning from an expanded group of peers at our quarterly Write 4 Success networking meetings here in Atlanta.

Monica and Isabel both helped me last week in ways they may never fully understand. If I didn’t have buddies like them in my life and I had to work through all of my challenges on my own, I’d probably still be crunching numbers from a desk in corporate America.

So, even if you’re good at being alone, don’t go at this alone. Having peers, acquaintances, and friends to support you can and will make a world of difference as you grow into your new self. With their help it will be much easier to meet scary opportunities with an attitude that screams, “Oh what the heck, I’ll do it anyway!”