Green Beans: Stay Motivated

I keep getting asked this question, "What keeps you so motivated at your projects?"*

*subtext: when you make so little moolah, lone urchin blogger.

Well, the answer to that tonight is a plate of raw green beans, a glass of water and my son scurrying back and forth to the kitchen sink and freezer to "experiment."

But to depersonalize my motivational quirks tricks, here is what keeps me powering forward:

1. Having a concrete goal:  I am doing 100 jobs for 100 bucks. Enough said. I want to stay the same weight, so I can only eat max 2000 calories a day. I cannot afford a huge dental bill, so I brush and floss every night. I will cut a b*ch if she steals my man.  Okay, not the last one. I share.

2. Fear of the alternative:  I do not want to be what I fear is the worst case scenario, professionally. For example, I do not want to work as a cleaning lady EVER AGAIN.  As in, I would rather, gasp, work in an office (this is big for me, the uncaged, work-from-home-when-I-damn-well-please, bird) where my intellect is employed, respected and well-compensated, than to associate myself with dirty toilets and, more importantly, creative failure. I also cannot bear the thought of some other actor selling a million books and having a hit web series when I haven't worked until I cry trying to achieve my goals. I don't want to be the bridesmaid, I want to be the bride, metaphorically speaking. Marriage. *shudder*

3. Desire to not be less successful than those I admire:  If s/he can do it, so can I.

4. Desire to always be creating (ABC):  If I have too much time on my hands, I either A) Think about boys or B) Think about Cellulite. Neither is productive, six days out of seven.

Creativity is such an amazing outlet for me that invigorates my spirit and calms me the fuck down. I want to DO a project, not BE a project. (Tell that to my ex, please.) I also believe that you are what you leave behind, in this life.

5. Passion:  Yeah, yeah, this one is overused in the entrepreneur's handbook, but I am driven because I truly love what I do and enjoy being the master of my own destiny. (and domain.)  I loathe passivity and take an active, engaged, committed approach to my successes (and my failures as teaching moments!).

6. Genuine love of the human experience: We are here to learn, build, grow and love.

7. Lots and lots and lots of green beans. Planned treats help a lot. If I work 5 hours straight, I get to go on a hike to the Salvation Army and score a vintage dress. My working environment is comfortable and smells good, so I can tolerate long hours. I live to work and play.

This green bean is GOING PLACES!  Image via Bay Area Bites blog.

Do what you love and love what you do,


Aimee