How refreshing, Kristina. Just when I was ready to unsubscribe because of hard-driving sales pages, you show me the human --the one that is thinking about your eulogy and including John Hamilton in your tribe. This complements my latest post -- Air, Food, Water, Relationships. The short version is about four numbers and your life. Daily, you need to know these four numbers: Blood pressure, temperature, relationships net worth, and financial net worth. Thank you for showing your savvy in relationship building and keeping.
First, Kristina, thanks for featuring John. He’s fantastic. John, your writing really moved me. Also, most people never talk about the luck involved in “success.” I’m glad you did because it can play an integral part.
I just subscribed to your newsletter and ordered your book. I’ll put your music on today while I’m at work. BTW — my boss is 89 years old!
I’d love to feature you in my newsletter, Unretire Today. I’m starting to include interviews. Thanks for all you do!
No, Ted, you're right. You can't count on luck. It's not a strategy.
The strategy, IMHO, is having the pieces in place so that when luck does strike (and odds are some kind of luck will), you're ready to go. (And, if Im honest, I think I actually did that unconsciously.)
Luck is definitely an important factor. However, the first condition is to "activate" that luck by actually submitting something, even if you believe your chances to be slim. Case in point: my sister, a Belgian writer with three novels under her belt, recently came across a writing contest in a newspaper from the Netherlands. Her books get good reviews, but they are not "bestsellers". Considering the relatively small size of the Dutch-language population, very few writers in either country can make a living from book sales. The challenge was to write a vignette about a personal experience, within a very limited word count. The paper promised to publish a good number of the "best" entries. There was, however, only one single monetary award. Although the assignment sounded easy enough, she almost passed on it, expecting there would be a huge number of participants across both countries. Then she had a what-the-heck moment and submitted something, with zero expectations... and proceeded to win the 500 Euro prize. As the saying goes, "Wie niet waagt, niet wint." Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Yes, thing is luck comes flying at you from the most strange places.
I have a good friend, known him 50 years. When he was twenty-seven, first time out of the gate, first book, he landed on the New York Times best-seller list. (I should point out the book was great, I tore through it in a 24-hour period.) That, quite literally, set him and his family up for life. (He's had ten or so books since then, all of which have done well.)
Sometimes, native talent activates luck. Sometimes, persistence. And sometimes, juts taking a flyer.
One day, I saw an article in a newspaper about a woman who was doing photojournaling workshops (adding meaningful captions to photos). I sensed that she was not the originator of these workshops but that she was part of a larger group. I got the 800 number (this was in the 1990s) of Creative Memories. I was only interested in talking about franchising workshops but that call led to speaking twice at CM national conventions and sales of $35,000 of my book Turning Memories Into Memoirs and The Photo Scribe/ How to Photojournal Your Stories. I thought I was in heaven! I attribute this windfall to good luck and pursuing my curiosity.(BTW, in those wonderful days before Amazon killed web bookstore sales, people continued to order books long after I had returned home.)
Denis, I hadn't thought of curiosity as part of this equation, but I think you're exactly right. I think that one can write without curiosity—but not for long. In between the sentences, there has to be a line that pops out that tells you WHY you are pursuing this subject. I like to think of curiosity as embedded in our DNA. Some folks may end up with a larger dose. (No judgment here!)
And then some of us use the itch of curiosity to activate our pencil or pen or our fingers on the keyboard.
While I was thinking of entrepreneurial curiosity, you are absolutely right about artistic curiosity. Thanks for pointing it out, it contributes much to my comment.
You know, Jeanette, I have virtually no regrets in life. However, if the magic "repeat" button appeared, I would definitely include horses in my life. The very few times I have been with horses, I have been in awe of their majesty, their gentleness, their grace.
This makes me really happy. My mother is 71 and has a successful new passion as a jewelry maker. She was a teacher her career. She's English and harbors some of that "don't be a show off" mentality. I do my best to brain wash her to be the American braggart lol.
Wonderful article, John. Kristina, thanks for featuring John. Can’t wait to read his book! Congrats on your success and ‘contentment’. Keep moving and creating.
Great story! Thank you, John and Kristina. Great inspiration and insight!
Thanks for that, Kathy. I appreciate it!
Age ripens us. And your work is delicious! So happy to find your words and music here John.
Hi Jeanette. we've already been in contact, but I wanted to respond to this as well. So, thank you!
How refreshing, Kristina. Just when I was ready to unsubscribe because of hard-driving sales pages, you show me the human --the one that is thinking about your eulogy and including John Hamilton in your tribe. This complements my latest post -- Air, Food, Water, Relationships. The short version is about four numbers and your life. Daily, you need to know these four numbers: Blood pressure, temperature, relationships net worth, and financial net worth. Thank you for showing your savvy in relationship building and keeping.
Thanks, Georgia. And i really enjoyed your latest piece.
First, Kristina, thanks for featuring John. He’s fantastic. John, your writing really moved me. Also, most people never talk about the luck involved in “success.” I’m glad you did because it can play an integral part.
I just subscribed to your newsletter and ordered your book. I’ll put your music on today while I’m at work. BTW — my boss is 89 years old!
I’d love to feature you in my newsletter, Unretire Today. I’m starting to include interviews. Thanks for all you do!
Thanks so much for ordering the book, Lisa. I do hope you enjoy it. And I'm sure we'll keep in touch.
I'm in.
I know someone who started a public life at 75 and decided to leave it at 90.
She was a famous childrens’ book author.
And, I will write about her 😉
Thanks for that little bit of inspiration, Diana. I guess there's just no set template, which is a good thing.
it is!
You can’t count on luck… until it happens. Really nice article. Thanks for sharing. I’m in my early fifties. So a lot of luck ahead, one hopes.
No, Ted, you're right. You can't count on luck. It's not a strategy.
The strategy, IMHO, is having the pieces in place so that when luck does strike (and odds are some kind of luck will), you're ready to go. (And, if Im honest, I think I actually did that unconsciously.)
FELICES Y GRACIAS MUCHOS CAN YOU START A WRITING
Gracias mi amiga, y que la felicidad llene tu día!
Luck is definitely an important factor. However, the first condition is to "activate" that luck by actually submitting something, even if you believe your chances to be slim. Case in point: my sister, a Belgian writer with three novels under her belt, recently came across a writing contest in a newspaper from the Netherlands. Her books get good reviews, but they are not "bestsellers". Considering the relatively small size of the Dutch-language population, very few writers in either country can make a living from book sales. The challenge was to write a vignette about a personal experience, within a very limited word count. The paper promised to publish a good number of the "best" entries. There was, however, only one single monetary award. Although the assignment sounded easy enough, she almost passed on it, expecting there would be a huge number of participants across both countries. Then she had a what-the-heck moment and submitted something, with zero expectations... and proceeded to win the 500 Euro prize. As the saying goes, "Wie niet waagt, niet wint." Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Thanks for the reply, Elisabeth.
Yes, thing is luck comes flying at you from the most strange places.
I have a good friend, known him 50 years. When he was twenty-seven, first time out of the gate, first book, he landed on the New York Times best-seller list. (I should point out the book was great, I tore through it in a 24-hour period.) That, quite literally, set him and his family up for life. (He's had ten or so books since then, all of which have done well.)
Sometimes, native talent activates luck. Sometimes, persistence. And sometimes, juts taking a flyer.
One day, I saw an article in a newspaper about a woman who was doing photojournaling workshops (adding meaningful captions to photos). I sensed that she was not the originator of these workshops but that she was part of a larger group. I got the 800 number (this was in the 1990s) of Creative Memories. I was only interested in talking about franchising workshops but that call led to speaking twice at CM national conventions and sales of $35,000 of my book Turning Memories Into Memoirs and The Photo Scribe/ How to Photojournal Your Stories. I thought I was in heaven! I attribute this windfall to good luck and pursuing my curiosity.(BTW, in those wonderful days before Amazon killed web bookstore sales, people continued to order books long after I had returned home.)
Denis, I hadn't thought of curiosity as part of this equation, but I think you're exactly right. I think that one can write without curiosity—but not for long. In between the sentences, there has to be a line that pops out that tells you WHY you are pursuing this subject. I like to think of curiosity as embedded in our DNA. Some folks may end up with a larger dose. (No judgment here!)
And then some of us use the itch of curiosity to activate our pencil or pen or our fingers on the keyboard.
Without curiosity, I'm not sure what I'd do.
While I was thinking of entrepreneurial curiosity, you are absolutely right about artistic curiosity. Thanks for pointing it out, it contributes much to my comment.
This provides a lot of hope
Thank you
If it does Axel, I'm taking the rest of the day off!
Thank you for your kind words.
you are very welcome
When I read stories about people like John I know that there is a blessing in between.
Luck to me is a lot of good concentrated
In one package.
This just made my day.
And it made my day to hear this, Yannis. I think you've given me a new definition of luck:
"a lot of good concentrated in one package." (And this works for blessing, too!)
This is a really interesting read. Thank you John.
Jeanette, thank you for that. And you write about something of which I am completely uninformed. Which means I must start reading you!
That is lovely John - do you like horses?
You know, Jeanette, I have virtually no regrets in life. However, if the magic "repeat" button appeared, I would definitely include horses in my life. The very few times I have been with horses, I have been in awe of their majesty, their gentleness, their grace.
You have summed it up beautifully
This makes me really happy. My mother is 71 and has a successful new passion as a jewelry maker. She was a teacher her career. She's English and harbors some of that "don't be a show off" mentality. I do my best to brain wash her to be the American braggart lol.
John thank you for your spirit rousing writing here. 💖🎉
Danusia, I appreciate that compliment. If I can reach "rousing" on a good day, it makes it all worthwhile.
Wonderful article, John. Kristina, thanks for featuring John. Can’t wait to read his book! Congrats on your success and ‘contentment’. Keep moving and creating.
Thank you Tracy, and I do hope you get a chance to read the book. Your Substack name could, literally, be the subtitle.
Ooh! I love that, John. I believe we all have a superpower. It just takes some longer to find and nourish theirs.