Inspiration Journal by Donna Downey



I've been busy reading blogs and talking to some friends in my industry. While I'm happy for the success of others and make it a point to let them know that, it sometimes makes me feel like I'm not doing enough.

You ever get that feeling?



You see others in your industry that aren't just doing their job (writing, painting, design, etc.) but they're going above and beyond positioning themselves as industry experts. And it's quite impressive.

But it got me to thinking, do I have to do that in order to be a great writer?

Nope.

And neither do you.



While attending workshops and setting up speaking engagements is a great way to carve out your path in your respective creative industry, it's not the only way to be great at what you do. Some of us are good at what we do, and it's enough.

Not to say that getting press coverage or running a workshop isn't great. In fact, these are surefire way to position yourself as an expert in your industry. I'm just saying that it's not necessary. Why? Because some of us aren't natural-born leaders, nor do we have to be. Some of us have the gift to help others in their careers, and some of us work better focusing on our own efforts.

So how do you know if you should be pushing further? Simple...do you think you should be? Would you like to be a leader in your industry? If so, consider speaking or starting a blog on your industry. If that doesn't sound like fun, I wouldn't push it--the people who are successful as industry experts enjoy what they do. If you don't like that sort of thing, there's nothing wrong focusing your efforts elsewhere.

So, that's the end of this rant. But I'm always eager to see what you have to say. For now, I just wanted to say that whatever you do, you are enough.