Jun
04
I am on my way to Blog World NYC to speak on Wednesday. My topic is ‘Overcoming Content Procrastination Start to Finish’. I am using the analogy of running races to illustrate ways to be productive and effective in content creation. I thought I would show one of the drawings I am going to have in my presentation.
Confidence
I am feeling confident about my presentation. Luckily I am also NOT feeling confident. What that means is I am being realistic. I know I could fall flat on my face and to lessen that risk I am doing everything I can to prepare properly. Could I still fall flat on my face? Sure. Just as in a race I can train and prepare properly and still have a lousy race. But preparing makes your confidence, though not 100%, higher and more assured than if you are just flying by the seat of your pants.
Some who could see my process of preparation might say I fly by the seat of my pants. But for me and my personality, I think I do pretty good to prepare. Let’s hope so!
Drawing by Marty Coleman, who is about to hit the Big Apple!
Nov
17
I coach a running group here in Tulsa. Many of these runners are running in their first half marathon this coming weekend. They raced 6.55 miles 5 weeks ago, 9.3 miles 3 weeks ago and Sunday they race 13.1 miles.
Six months ago most of them had not run a mile, much less 13. They started training for a 5k with runs that lasted 1 minute followed by 3 minutes of walking. It wore them out. They had little confidence they could do it but they tried anyway. And they did it. And they have continued to do it. That is confidence based on training and experience. It is a well grounded confidence that they have and that I have for them.
They are trained to have multiple goals. They have their optimal goal; their best case scenario. They have the goal they can adapt to; the goal that says everything is not optimal and I am going to adapt WITHOUT judging myself. Then they have the worst case goal; the goal that says nothing at all is going as it is suppose to and I am just going to finish this damn race no matter what. They don’t lose their confidence, they adapt their confidence.
So, what is the difference between true confidence and false confidence? After all, no one can see the future so how can we be confident about anything, whether true or false, right? True confidence is based on training and experience and is willing to adapt. False confidence is based on a wishful desire and is unwilling to adapt.
Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman of The Napkin Dad Daily.
Quote by Anonymous.
Jun
28
>While away from my studio I am posting vintage napkins of 1998-2004.
That is one of the hardest things about growing older, your ignorance
diminishes. In most things that is good. It is good to be more knowledgeable,
more educated, less bound by superstition or childish fears. But in the area
of career and effort, especially of the creative variety, ignorance of what
can’t be done, what shouldn’t be tried, what hasn’t ever worked, can allow
you to attempt the impossible. And that is the only way the impossible is
ever achieved, by attempting it!
So, stay ignorant of your alleged limitations and go for it.
Feb
25
>
It is good to be prepared in case opportunity comes along, that is the well understood maxim. But, it is equally important that you think through how to create opportunities that would not exist otherwise. That might be getting the courage to meet or write those who could help you. It might be seeing a need and filling it in someone’s, or some enterprise’s life. But no matter what direction the opportunity resides in, it takes courage and confidence, above all else, to go in that direction. And courage and confidence do not exist without belief in one’s self and one’s vision and abilities. Do you have that?
