Comments on: Get Off Your Ass

By: David Dittell

David Dittell — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 07:33:55 +0000

Naomi,

As a writer, and someone who’s always around writers, this is something that a lot of people just don’t get (yet). I write every day. Of course, this makes Dave the Blogger less productive, but, you know, priorities.

I am absolutely, jaw-droppingly amazed when I see another writer speak, and somebody asks them if they really write every day.

Uh, hello?

Garbagemen collect garbage nearly every day. Doctors doctor things nearly every day. Cooks cook.

If you want to be a writer, you have to write. If you want to be a blogger, you have to blog. If you want to be a marketing guru, then damn it, market something. Whatever it is, work toward it, even in baby steps, and eventually you’ll get there.

By: Getting Down to BizNess » Blog Archive » The Universe is Trying to Tell Me Something

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 20:34:55 +0000

[...] Naomi told me this earlier this week, but I reread her post again, and basically she is telling me again – “It doesn’t matter what you do. Just get off your a$$ and do it.” [...]

By: Tim

Tim — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 17:36:48 +0000

I’m in the process of transitioning from a full time job, to freelance, to running my own full fledged small design/development agency. Hopefully before the year is over I can be one of the 1,000!

By: Do you have the Fire to succeed? | Direct Help from Business Developers

Do you have the Fire to succeed? | Direct Help from Business Developers — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 03:57:03 +0000

[...] one of her recent posts was titled “Get Off Your Ass“, which pretty clearly cuts to the advice that even if you’re feeling overwhelmed, even [...]

By: Do you have the Fire to succeed? | Aspiring Business

Do you have the Fire to succeed? | Aspiring Business — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 23:21:10 +0000

[...] one of her recent posts was titled “Get Off Your Ass“, which pretty clearly cuts to the advice that even if you’re feeling overwhelmed, even [...]

By: Dan Miranda

Dan Miranda — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 20:54:22 +0000

Thanks for clearing that up, it’s greatly appreciated. Because of this article and the one Skellie did recently, I took the incentive and starting getting to know some people who have commented on my blog once or twice. I think it could really help out in the long run, upping subscription rates and stats, but also help me make real connections with other people on the web. Thanks again Naomi!

By: Naomi Dunford

Naomi Dunford — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 14:49:08 +0000

@ Dan — I think Sven did a great job of saying what I meant to say for me, but I do have one additional point.

Most people consider emailing a total stranger with the intent to make an eventual business or networking connection to be something work related. And a little bit yucky. And scary. And sort of pointless. I mean, if you have to do it for a whole year then you may as well start Monday instead of today, right?

But when I get an email from Writer Dad, it’s not a boring work thing. It’s a delight to see him in my inbox. It doesn’t feel like work or scariness anymore, so it gets counted in the “fun parts of my day” time and not the “fuck, I can’t believe I have to email this person who’s never heard of me in their life” time.

Over the course of a year, keeping connected with those you like and admire can become very much like a part time job. But I figure, if I put in four hours creating and selling great stuff and four hours connecting with great people and three minutes emailing someone new, well, that’s a whole lot better workday than working for corporate.

Thanks for asking. I’m sure a lot of people had that question as well, so I appreciate you speaking up.

By: Dan Miranda

Dan Miranda — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 05:03:27 +0000

Now that’s actually an excellent point Sven. Once you get the ball rolling it will start getting easier. You just think that bloggers need to actually interact with their readers and once they start, they’ll never go back. Got you. Appreciate reply to my comment so quickly. :)

By: Sven Schöne

Sven Schöne — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 21:50:19 +0000

@Naomi: It’s always intriguing to me how people sometimes need a simpler perspective to get off their asses. Three minutes a day sounds easy as cake so after reading this we all are going to get things done probably in much the same way as before but with a different (more motivated) mindset.

Now, here’s the $1.000.000 question: Why does our brain always need these kinds of cheats? Very annoying! Next question: How can we overcome these limitations on a deeper (or higher?) level?

@Dan: Positive reaction that stems from your action is one of the key-strategies of motivation: If you get emails back from people who are interested in what you are saying it WILL give you more than enough incentive to answer them.

By: Dan Miranda

Dan Miranda — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 17:55:29 +0000

Some things you say make no sense: Although you say it’s only three minutes a day, it will eventually start to become more than three minutes a day when you have 120 emails to respond to.

The premise behind your article does make sense though. Get off your ass and do work. ;)