It’s funny. Before I had a book published, I’d tell people I was a writer, and people would look at me like, “Yeah, right.” I know they secretly pitied my wife, knowing she must live in abject poverty.
But now that I have a book published, people seem to think I’m famous. They think I’m doing well financially. They even ask for my scrawl of a signature if they buy a copy of my book. It’s weird.
People think that getting a book published makes you something. But the truth is, that means absolutely nothing if nobody buys it. It only means I had the right connections and was easy to work with. Monetarily, I’ll probably make less money per hour of work than I do on any of my other projects. This took far too long to put together for the probable return on investment. Yet this little published book somehow gives me new credibility.
So many people think of success in the wrong terms. They think a record deal means something. A published book means something. A title or degree means something. And yes, those things have true value. But they don’t have as much to do with success as you think. So many of those things are just measures of perseverance and connections.
Stop looking to those things for your success. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to publish a book. With wanting to get a recording contract. With wanting to get a degree or title attached to your name. But if you think those things make you somebody, you’ll never be happy. Those things don’t mean all that much.
Your value is more than what other people say about you. It’s more than outward symbols of success. If you follow the dream God’s placed in your heart, and you give it all you’ve got, you’re a success.
Telling it like it is! Love It!!!
Great post, Jonathan!
I agree, a book don’t make you rich