Originally posted on Facebook HERE
Another beautiful summer day here in Wisconsin. Getting close to finishing out the fifth year of these “Looking Out My Back Window” posts and that means the next collection of 52 posts in book form will come out later this year. Every year as I get close to the end of another year I question why I even do it at all, and I’m a little amazed that I’ve stuck with it this long. Nobody reads those books. And when I say nobody – I mean very, very few people buy and/or read any of my books. But the “blog” books… there are four editions out already – total books sold all four editions? I’d say certainly under 25. Last book? Under 5 sold would be my guess. It’s a lot of time and effort that falls on mainly deaf ears. I have almost 5000 Facebook friends, most of these posts get 20-60 “likes”. 60 “likes” is 1.2% of my friends list. Those are the posts that got the most attention. So, why do it at all if it reaches such a small amount of people? I just feel driven to do it. I think publicly posting and getting the feedback from the people who do read these posts every week is good for me. I like that there will also be a record left behind long after I’m gone, even if nobody else cares. Aren’t creative outlets really like that for the most part? We do them to free our own souls. Music, too, for me. I was lucky enough to be able to play music for a living for most of my life. I’m on many recordings and they will also be around long after I’m gone. I love my current band The Fusion Project – but since it’s an all original, all instrumental band it’s not really a genre that tends to create a huge following, either. Takes a ton of time and effort to write and record an entire album when we all have lives, families and jobs as well. But we do it for ourselves. Everyone needs that creative outlet. For me, it’s writing and music. My wife Laurie is great at painting – I think she’s way better than she will ever give herself credit for, but for her it’s an activity she loves. Does it matter if anyone else likes it, then? I happen to love her work and have several of her pieces on the walls in my office. Several of our family members and friends have asked for pieces she’s done. When it comes to being creative, you put your heart and soul into something because deep inside you you’re being called to do it. It doesn’t matter if you’re any good at it if you love doing it. It doesn’t matter if anyone else likes it if you love doing it. What DOES matter is that you do it in spite of your ego telling you all that other crap matters, because it doesn’t. So, I’m getting ready to publish “Looking Out My Back Window, volume 5” soon. Maybe nobody will buy it. If I really cared about those numbers, I’d do a better job of marketing. I watch as other friends write books and do a crazy great job of getting the word out – but I don’t have the time, or the desire to do that. When I go back and read the ”blog” books, I love them. They’re my personal favorites, actually. That’s all that matters. So watch for the new book and get ready for year 6, because I still feel called to do this. And when you feel a calling that comes from your heart you need to follow it ❤️
