Trust

Frank Capra, the famous director, said, “A hunch is creativity trying to tell you something.”

Hunches, for some people, are the bread and butter of their lives. Detectives, for instance, rely upon hunches more often than not in order to solve crimes. It’s that nagging feeling that claws at the back of your subconscious every time you close your eyes, or it’s the thought that buzzes around in your mind throughout your day. Successful investors rely upon those hunches far more often than they rely upon statistical data or spreadsheets. Any profitable hedge fund manager will tell you that instinct and “feel” will edge out reason and research 99.9% of the time. Yes, the research is there, but how often has a true start-up company been able to prove their worth to a shrewd investor?

As an independent author, I’ve come to rely upon the power of the hunch, and lately I’ve thrown my hat into the ring on a couple of doozies. I’m involved in a very risky project that is currently in the process of being completed. I went into it based upon the hunch that the story (a biography) needed telling. It’s hard for me to trust people; innately I suspect every person I meet of ulterior motives for seeking a close relationship with me. Two conversations with the gentleman at the center of this story convinced me that we’d be friends forever, and I’ve grown to love this man as I would my own siblings.

My second project involves a stranger who is helping me fine-tune my erotic writing in order to craft a manuscript meant for men to read. Again, take into account how hard it is for me to trust anyone. I’m leaping over deep chasms of doubt as I extend my creative soul – all based on a hunch.

Writers are solitary beings; well, most writers are. I am a socially gregarious creature, and I suppose this is why I spend time at the gym or chatting it up online when I really should be working more hours. The truth is that I glean so much inspiration from the outside world that I can’t resist the gravitational pull from humanity. Resistance is futile, people.

Can Artist and Alpha Mix?

Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success. - Dale Carnegie

Some time ago (actually, in January 2012) I began taking the craft of writing seriously. I cast off several old habits in the process and made the conscious choice to dedicate my time to becoming the best writer I could be. I’ve had a few successes, but my failures have been more affecting of my personal drive and dedication than any success could be.

Two books are in the pipeline for traditional publishing, the process still months away from completion. While I was ecstatic when I first received the news of their acceptance for publishing, this “high” wore off quickly. I suppose that’s the downside of being an Alpha-Type A personality. No amount of success is ever good enough and every failure is another opportunity to earn success on another day. A friend recently sent me a link to an article in Psychology Today regarding the Alpha Female. I had one of those “damn, that’s me” revelations as I read through the list of typical personality characteristics.

One thing about being an Alpha: it’s hard to do. To maintain that level of dominance in all areas of her life, an Alpha Female burns so hot that she pushes herself to extremes. In personal relationships, this is catastrophic. In business, this is exploitative. Finding the balance is essential and I regret to inform you that I’m still seeking that perfect chord of harmony between mind and body.

You see, to an Alpha like myself those small successes are like a shot of adrenaline. They jolt through the body and burn off quickly. Failures, however, are like a chronic illness. They’re constantly there...reminding us to work harder, smarter, longer. I engage in what some call an extreme sport, Crossfit. When I try to lift a weight and I fail I must, by intrinsic design, keep trying. The same rule applies when I write. When a publisher turns me down, I go through the manuscript I’ve submitted, often painstakingly, trying to find the one word that got the work chucked.

I sometimes wonder how many of the great artists were Alpha in nature. I think they were, and I’d like to think that I’m in good company.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/alpha-females/201109/are-alpha-females-healthier-their-counterparts