Tag: Success

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Let’s Talk About Courage (Pt. 2)

December 17, 2011 jcladyluv

“One isn’t necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can’t be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest.”

~Maya Angelou

I think that creative people are very special. I say this not just because I am a creative person and that I surround myself with nothing but people who are also immersed in their own creativity. I say this because being someone who’s life’s purpose centers around the creative arts is not really something that one can learn or that can even be taught if it is not ingrained somewhere deep inside of them. Take a singer for instance. You can give someone vocal lessons and the techniques and coaching that they may need to make their voice better and stronger, but if that natural talent and ability was never there in the first place, if it did not live deep inside of them, then it would never be able to be taught.

There’s something else that lives inside of a person who is creative at heart, courage. I think that being a creative person takes massive amounts of courage; the courage to withstand rejection, the courage to be patient and never give up while waiting for your turn, the courage to step out there and take the risk of being rejected to begin with, the courage to sacrifice comfort ability to serve your purpose no matter how crazy your loved ones may think you are.

It takes courage to be your true self even if it is not what is expected of you or what is perceived as something that will be a more immediate success. So today’s message is for all of you out there who are fulfilling your creative aspirations and enduring people looking at you or questioning your choices as if you’ve lost all of your senses. Keep wearing that badge of courage because in the end it will pay off and you will be glad that you remained true to yourself. Until tomorrow…“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the resistance to give in to that fear.” (Mark Twain)

Jimmetta Carpenter

Writer/Editor

The Diary: Succession of Lies (Now Available)

Writing as “Jaycee Durant”

http://www.facebook.com/people/Jimmetta-Carpenter/1069480310

http://www.passionatewriterpublishing.com/thediary.htm

A Brief Note For the Day

December 14, 2011 jcladyluv

Okay I am going to be really brief today. I really wanted to talk about success today but after the suicides I did in the gym this morning, followed by the hour on the treadmill, and coupled with the weights on top of that, my body is completely tired. But I didn’t want to let the day go by without posting anything at all so I found this wonderful quote that I wanted to share with you all. Hope it speaks to you like it spoke to me.

“If you wish success in life, make perseverance your bosom friend, experience your wise counselor, caution your elder brother, and hope your guardian angel.”
~Jospeph Addison

Until tomorrow…Be blessed!

Jimmetta Carpenter

Writer/Editor

The Diary: Succession of Lies (Now Available)

Writing as “Jaycee Durant”

http://www.facebook.com/people/Jimmetta-Carpenter/1069480310

http://www.passionatewriterpublishing.com/thediary.htm

No Shortcuts

December 13, 2011 jcladyluv

We all seek something meaningful out of life. We have a sense of purpose that is sometimes beyond all rationality. And when it seems like it will take forever for us to reach that destination that we are striving to get to, we all sometimes wish that we could just wake up one day and be there, right where we feel we need to be in life. Unfortunately life does not work that way. Or maybe it’s fortunate for us that it doesn’t.

I was watching my soap opera today (Young and the Restless) and something was said on there that really struck a chord with me. What good is reaching your destination without having the experience of getting there? What good is it, it means nothing, and you learn nothing? I never thought of it like that.

If I were to just wake up one day and have it all handed to me, everything that I want in this life, without having the struggle of actually getting to those proud and joyful moments, then would it mean as much? Without all of the blood, sweat, and tears put into making my dreams come true, would they mean as much and would I work just as hard to hold onto them? I can say that I would but I don’t know that.

Sometimes it is the struggle of the journey that makes the end result worth every bit of hardship that you went through. Sometimes there are no shortcuts in life, and I am discovering (though it took me a while to realize) that taking the long way to your destination can sometimes be the best thing you could ever do to satisfy your purpose. Until tomorrow…Don’t always go looking for the shorter way around things.

Jimmetta Carpenter

Writer/Editor

The Diary: Succession of Lies (Now Available)

Writing as “Jaycee Durant”

http://www.facebook.com/people/Jimmetta-Carpenter/1069480310

http://www.passionatewriterpublishing.com/thediary.htm

While I’m Planning, God is Laughing (a lot)

December 9, 2011 jcladyluv

Writers are supposed to be established by a certain age right? By the age of thirty-one you would expect them to be published, either with articles in national magazines or a book on the shelves of every bookstore. If not that then they would certainly be working in a magazine or a newspaper getting first hand experience in their craft and getting the chance to use it on a daily basis. If you’re lucky you would have some five or six figure book deal that ends up being turned into a phenomenal movie and you’ve finally made it to the bestsellers list.

Yes I always thought that at this age (31) that I would be already inNew York, working for some national magazine, or a publishing company as an editor with my own book deals in the work simultaneously. But as you all know, life (and God) often times has very different plans for you that you didn’t anticipate. You know they say when we plan, God laughs. Well he must have been having a really good laugh with me for the last few years now. I am certainly not where I would like to be within my career but perhaps I am where I need to be and wherever God has planned for me to be.

I was reading a magazine interview with Walter Mosley and what I never knew about him was that he didn’t even start writing until he was 34 years old and wasn’t first published until he was about 38 years old. Now he is 59 with 34 books published (so far). This gave me hope. There is still time for me to make the mark on the literary and media world like I want and perhaps God’s plan for me included a long lengthy journey of good old fashion struggle on my way to success (probably along with a lesson in patience—cause I really need to work on that). I am hopeful that my journey will be worth it in the end and confident that I will carry out exactly the plan that God has tailor made for me, at the precise time he plans for it to be carried out. Until tomorrow…Don’t give up hope, his plan IS your plan too!

Jimmetta Carpenter

Writer/Editor

The Diary: Succession of Lies (Now Available)

Writing as “Jaycee Durant”

http://www.facebook.com/people/Jimmetta-Carpenter/1069480310

http://www.passionatewriterpublishing.com/thediary.htm

Hidden on Purpose

December 5, 2011December 5, 2011 jcladyluv

“The greatest thing about being hidden is that you can be underestimated.”

~Tyler Perry

I admit that I am guilty of watching (probably what most writers would consider) way too much T.V. I am a soap opera junky and I love movies (mostly suspense and drama), and yes I love my drama TV shows as well, such as Law and Order SVU and Unforgettable and many others. I know the saying is that if you want to carve out more time to write and be an all around better writer then you need to cut out the unnecessary time wasters, which most would (arguably) consider television to be one of them. But I have my reasons for watching so much television.

I watch it not so much for the entertainment value (okay I will admit soap operas are entertaining to me) but from the standpoint of a writer. I watch with the knowledge that I would love to write for a lot of these shows and quite frankly in terms of soap operas I think that being a lifetime watcher of a lot of them I would be a great asset as a writer because they change writers so often I think that the new writers don’t research the show and its history very well. Some of the inconsistencies are really just ridiculous.

I sit back and look at some of these shows and movies thinking I could write stuff like that, hell I can write some things better than that. And then I find myself being a tad bit (okay maybe a lot) envious. I wonder, why is my talent going unnoticed? Why are there so-called writers (you know the ones, those with good story but bad writing technique) who are making millions of dollars off a book, and then movie when I not only have good stories but I can actually convey them well in written form. Why am I going unnoticed?

Every time I get this feeling of envy (which I know that it is wrong to be even somewhat envious of others successes) I remind myself of something I came across on Tyler Perry’s website in his inspirational corner. He does these motivational segments via video and sends out emails of them every so often. There was one particular video segment that made me see things a little differently. He spoke about a friend of his who also wondered why his talents and his hard work continued to go unnoticed and he couldn’t seem to get to where he was trying to get to. That he would get close but then it just wouldn’t pan out somehow.

Tyler’s words of wisdom to his friend, was that maybe he was being hidden on purpose. He told him that it just wasn’t his time to be seen yet. He said “sometimes in life, God wants your story to be such a miracle that she shuts down every avenue, so that you can only go to him for the answer.” He pointed out that there is an appointed time for everything and that everything that is supposed to happen in your life will happen.

The best thing that he said that really stuck with me was that “if you walk in the path that you are supposed to at this point in time, then at the right time, God will reveal you, your talents, and everything you’ve done to the world.” So when I am sitting back and wondering what all of my hard work and good writing is for when it continues to go unnoticed, I just have to keep thinking to myself, it’s not my time to be seen yet.

I am going to continue to walk in the path in which I am supposed to walk, carrying out the purpose that God put me on this earth for, knowing that when God feels it is my time to be seen then I will shine the brightest that I could ever possibly shine. Of course I have to keep reminding myself of this constantly when I am feeling a little envious of those writers who are already where I feel I should be right now. I suppose I should just feel pure joy for those who are shining and being seen right now because they are paving the way for me to be seen when it is my time and when it is my time I will certainly be ready. Until tomorrow…Get ready, your time is coming too!

Jimmetta Carpenter

Writer/Editor

The Diary: Succession of Lies (Now Available)

Writing as “Jaycee Durant”

http://www.facebook.com/people/Jimmetta-Carpenter/1069480310

http://www.passionatewriterpublishing.com/thediary.htm

The Importance of Finishing

December 1, 2011 jcladyluv

“Winning isn’t always finishing first. Sometimes winning is just finishing.”

~Manuel Diotte

Earlier today I was reflecting on how good I felt about completing National Novel Writing Month yesterday (50,002 words) and I began to think about the fact that if I finished everything as strong and with as much determination and staying power as I did those 50,000 words I might be further along in my journey to being successful. Looking at my list of what I was supposed to accomplish in this entire year I ran over the things I started and just didn’t finish. For whatever reason, be it frustration of it not working fast enough (I admit I need to work on my patience), or just pure self-doubt that I wasn’t good enough to have the success I was trying to carve out. There is something to be said for finishing what you start and not giving up halfway through the mission.

I was listening to the news earlier this morning and they were discussing the whole Herman Cain controversy and there were claims that he was “reassessing” his campaign, which of course people automatically took as him contemplating dropping out of the race. Now before I say this I want to make it clear that I am not a Herman Cain fan, neither of his politics nor how he chooses to govern his personal life, however, having said that, if he is in fact considering dropping out of the race, I do NOT think that he should. Yes he is struggling right now on so many fronts but no person is perfect and the person running for the President of theUnited Statesis not going to be an exception. He started something, and I believe that he should finish what he started. If he doesn’t I am almost certain he will forever wonder what would have been and what could have been if he had just finished.

Now no one likes to lose or have that feeling of defeat. But isn’t it defeat if you have a continuous pattern of starting these grand missions and then never finishing them and seeing them through? I have a notebook full of a lot of things that I got really excited about and jotted down all of these notes and ideas for projects and how I was going to put those ideas and plans into action and then I would hit a snag and it would seem impossible to envision me being able to complete that project. I got it in my head that because I hit that snag, there was no use wasting time on an idea that could never really go anywhere. I just wouldn’t finish.

When I look back on several moments of my life that is where the majority of my mistakes have been. That I didn’t finish. Here’s what I’ve learned from all of those unfinished mistakes. It doesn’t matter if you’ve started something if it never gets completed and put into action. Even if you finish and find it not to be a success, at least you’ve finished. This month I will be making my lists for what I want to accomplish next year. I can tell you that no matter what, I intend to finish whatever it is I start from now on. No more unfinished business for me.

Until next time…Always, Always, Always, finish!

Jimmetta Carpenter

Writer/Editor

The Diary: Succession of Lies (Now Available)

Writing as “Jaycee Durant”

http://www.facebook.com/people/Jimmetta-Carpenter/1069480310

http://www.passionatewriterpublishing.com/thediary.htm

If It’s What You Love To Do, Stay Hungry and Stay Foolish

October 17, 2011 jcladyluv

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”

~Steve Jobs

When Steve Jobs died on October 5 he left behind so much more than just his extensive contribution to the technological world. In my opinion, what’s worth far more than his Apple Company is the determination that it took for him to reach his level of success and the words that he expressed in his 2005 commencement speech at StanfordUniversity. I must admit that I had not actually took the time to watch the speech until after his death but there was so much that I got out of those fifteen minutes. One thing he said that stuck with me was to not let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice.

Another memorable thing that I took away from his speech was his last four words; Stay hungry, stay foolish. It seemed to be words that he lived by until his dying day and I found these words to be both intriguing and inspiring. When you stay hungry you never really lose sight of what is at stake for your dreams. You stay focused and steady. You stay driven and determined. You never settle if you have not gotten to where it is you want to be. When you allow yourself to stay foolish you give yourself permission to have the courage to do the things that everybody else might think of as stupid or crazy. Those that remain foolish have the ability to ignore the logic that might be telling them that something will be too difficult or impossible to make happen.

In the last few weeks I have been continually told, in so many words, that what I want for my life is not going to happen and that I am wasting my time with it. I should just go make a career out of working behind a desk and be content with that because it’s a good living. They say writing is not practical, writing will never make me rich or even provide enough money to live off, writing is a great hobby but it’s not realistically possible to make it, especially in the current economy. Well I say to hell with anyone who tells me that doing what I love to do, what I was born to do, is a waste of my time. It’s who I am and it’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.

It’s not as if I just woke up a year or two ago and said hey, I think I want to be a writer now. I have known since I was six years old that this was what my purpose in life was and I have never, in 25 years, wavered from that belief. Honestly, at this point I’ve put in so much time and sacrificed so much in the effort of making this work that I can’t go back now. Sure I’m not where I would like to be within my career at this point, nor where I thought I would be, but I know it’s coming because I know it’s meant for me.

So many times I hear about or see people who have spent their lives doing something that is practical and might have garnered them success but it wasn’t what they wanted for themselves. It wasn’t the way that they wanted to achieve their success and they weren’t very happy. They spent their lives living up to others’ standards and other people’s ideas of normal and practical. They lived a life, but it wasn’t theirs.

I’ve already wasted too much of my limited time on this earth living the way someone else thought I should, doing what was practical all the while longing to follow my heart. I am not going to leave this world feeling like I didn’t at least try to live the life I was meant to live. As Steve Jobs also said in his brilliant speech, “Remembering that you are going to die is the best way to avoid the trap of thinking that you have something to lose…” What good is living if I am not going to go for it all, come hell or high water? I’ve always wondered what it would feel like to really throw caution to the wind and just jump feet first without worrying what will go wrong. I think that I’m going to start finding out. I thank you Steve Jobs for being brave enough to Stay hungry and Stay foolish. Until next time…Imagine all of what you can do if you were just a little more foolish and a lot less logical.

Jimmetta Carpenter

Writer/Editor

The Diary: Succession of Lies (Now Available)

Writing as “Jaycee Durant”

http://www.facebook.com/people/Jimmetta-Carpenter/1069480310

http://www.passionatewriterpublishing.com/thediary.htm

I Regret Not Being Fearless

September 14, 2011 jcladyluv

“Being fearless isn’t being 100% unafraid; it’s being terrified, but you jump in anyway!”

~Taylor Swift

I was watching an interview the other night on Lady GaGa and her rise to fame and her upbringing. I was excited to watch this interview because while I am a fan of her music, I am an even greater fan of her business savvy and her work ethic. She has certainly made a name for herself and her story didn’t start off that much different from other people that have a particular dream growing up. Of course her upbringing was different in terms of the fact that she probably had a lot more things in the pros column than the cons but the struggle to achieve her dream was still there.

What I love and can appreciate most about her is her bravery and her fearlessness. She has never been and still isn’t afraid to do anything when it comes to accomplishing her dreams and she seems to jump head first into everything without ever really looking back. Watching the interview I found myself wishing that I had that same fearlessness and bravery, both as a child growing up and especially now.

So many times I had opportunities when I was younger to maybe go to some poetry event or open mic night and read some of my poetry or even sing (because I could actually sing a lot better when I was younger) but I was too afraid. Afraid to be on stage in front a crowd full of people, afraid that they wouldn’t like my poetry or like my voice, afraid that I somehow would not be good enough and that maybe the talent that I thought I had was all made up in my head and that no one else would share the same thought. I wasted so much time on all of the cons and I missed out on all of the pros, all because I wasn’t fearless enough.

I guess it’s too late to wonder what could’ve and might’ve been if I had just been brave enough to jump head first into any number of the things that I wanted to do. The only thing left to do now is strive to be brave and fearless from this point on. After watching the interview I was wondering aloud to my best friend, was it just simply too late for me to do the things that I really wanted. I mean I’m 31 now and I’m not getting any younger and my dreams aren’t becoming any more attainable as time goes by. She told me (being the voice of reason that she always seems to be) that it’s never too late as long as I still have the ability and the passion to do those things that I want to do.

That voice of fear was in my ear yet again but this time I don’t plan on feeding into it. I’ve wasted too much time already and now it’s time for me to be brave, and yes even fearless. So how brave and fearless are you willing to be for your dreams? Until next time…Be brave, don’t give yourself anything else to regret!

Jimmetta Carpenter

Writer/Editor

The Diary: Succession of Lies (Now Available)

Writing as “Jaycee Durant”

http://www.facebook.com/people/Jimmetta-Carpenter/1069480310

http://www.passionatewriterpublishing.com/thediary.htm

An Ambitious Nature

September 12, 2011 jcladyluv

“If a woman is sufficiently ambitious, determined and gifted – there is practically nothing she can’t do.”

~Helen Lawrenson

I would like to think that I have an ambitious nature. Whether it is a low level of ambition or I am overly ambitious varies depending upon what day it is. I think that might just be my problem. With the things that I want out of this life and what I would like to accomplish as far as my career goals, I can not afford to have too many of days of underachievement where I don’t even reach the standard that I have set for myself.

On my accountability list that I emailed to my best friend last night of the goals that I need to accomplish this week I actually added to the number of things to get done this week. The first week my list had 8 items, the second it had 9, and this week it has 12. The way I see it, the more I expect of myself, the more I am likely to get accomplished.

Now I realize this method might not work every week but I am trying to get myself to that level where I don’t have weeks of underachievement, just weeks where I have tackled all of my ambitions head on and achieved them without fail. Now I am not so unrealistic as to think that every single week I am going to be able to actually check off everything on that list but nothing beats a failure but a try.

My message to those out there that might think that they are being a bit too ambitious (or unrealistic), don’t listen to that voice in your mind that is telling you that. Having higher expectations of yourself enables you to keep yourself on your toes and to raise your own bar. So how high are you willing to set your bar? Leave me a comment and tell me, what are some of the ways you make sure to hold yourself accountable for you goals? Well I guess I better go get started on that long list I have for this week. Until next time…stay on your toes!

Jimmetta Carpenter

Writer/Editor

The Diary: Succession of Lies (Now Available)

Writing as “Jaycee Durant”