What would you pay for your dream?

I got an interesting email today. It was from my Ebay watch list.

There is currently an Ebay auction going on [the auction number is 300214603704 if you're interested] with the top prize being your story read and critiqued by and Editor. If he likes it [and wants to buy it], you get an agent and editor.

It is for a great cause [helping out a fellow author] and it is a great opportunity.

But I wondered as I read it, what am I willing to pay for my dream? Am I willing to give up an evening of sitcom reruns? Am I willing to give up some sleep?

Many of the people I admire had to sacrifice to get to where they are. In fact, when I was talking to a writer on the verge of publication a few months back I told her she sounded tired. She said "Sometimes sacrifices have to be made".

That 6 word sentence has echoed in my mind from that time to now. I realize reaching our dreams means putting in the effort to learn. That is nothing new. When I work with people through my coaching program we spend a good amount of time talking about what we should do.

But I really think we also need to think about the price we're willing to pay to reach our goals. I've allowed myself to be refocused these last few weeks. I have been pulled in so many directions that I haven't really been able to FOCUS [Focus On Course Until Successful as I read in a Robert Kiyosaki book]

In college I had a one track mind, every termI wanted to see my cumulative GPA go up. At the end of my 1st quarter of college I'd earned an A, A-, and B+. Someone who was always making fun of me said "Well, Tiffany, you'll see that [my cumulative GPA] go down every term from now on." Then she laughed at me. Grr, I hated when people made fun of me for being "brainy". I hated it double when they were telling me that while predicting my demise.

OHHH she made me so mad that I decided I'd make it go UP every quarter. Not only that, but I'd do it taking only upper level [300-400 level] courses and honors classes. I was NOT going to be dictated to.

And when I graduated college my cumulative GPA was a 3.9. I only got 3 more B+ my entire college career and NEVER anything lower.

I paid a high price to prove someone wrong. I spent long hours studying. I had no life outside work and school. My husband dropped me off at the University at 7am and many nights picked me up at 10pm. I didn't take time to eat in the cafeteria, opting to live on PB&J or the raw potatoes that I microwaved in the Student Union. I paid a huge price in time. And was rewarded.

But now I have people who see potential in my writing. I've gone a long way towards proving myself as a writing career coach. I have people who have learned from my courses and who have grown as writers through my mentorship. I even have editors and agents who call me a colleague [a designation I would have fainted at just 3 years ago]. What am I doing to prove them RIGHT? What am I paying for my dream NOW?

I thought I'd share with you what I'm personally doing now. Maybe you'll get some ideas to grow as a writer. [Those of you in the One Month of Purpose contest will recognize some of these.]

1. Writing a to-do list every Sunday.
2. Listening to books on tape as I do housework and while in the car.
3. Reading a minimum of 30 minutes each night.
4. Working on my fiction daily
5. Developing new products and improving existing products as part of my writing career coach course
6. Building up other writers at every opportunity.
7. Honestly answering questions and not giving "half answers" in order to protect my marketing strategy. If excellent business people hadn't been honest with me, I wouldn't be where I am today. I strive to do the same for others.
8. Give up ONE thing I'd like to do in order to focus on my writing.
9 Spend more time with my kids [they have such great imaginations. And they're SO cute!!]

So, what are you paying for your dream? Or are you making excuses about why you CAN'T do anything. I know sacrifices have to be made, and you need to decide which ones YOU are going to make [no fair taking time away from your kids to work and still spending an hour playing computer solitaire or watching the latest episode of "The Biggest Loser" or "Deal or No Deal"].

And if you'd like to jump ahead of the line, the auction closes 4/15 [yep tomorrow] at 9am pacific time. The bidding right now is just over $200. Good luck!

I've got to go. I have writing to do.

Your coach for the journey, Tiffany Colter