Do What I Know To Do
I know what to do.
I’ve known what to do.
But people tell me that what they know is better than what I know and since I don’t know what I don’t know then I let what they know distract me.
And then I end up in their game playing by a bunch of rules THEY determined and I’m so far off course I’m not even sure what course I should be on.
All because I didn’t do what I know do to.
#QuoteoftheDay
I can’t let anyone or anything sway me from what I know to do!
– Kathryn Lang
Doing It My Way
In 2011, I published my first book, Practical Proverbs. It started as an eBook that sprang up from my blog posts. I wrote words from my heart and shared them with others.
Nothing driven by algorithms or marketing dictates.
Just one heart to another.
I remember it was during the tornado recovery of 2011 because our internet was out. I had worked out a deal with the local office supply store to use their wifi connection (since I was in there almost every day anyway). I drove up there after hours, sat in their parking lot, and uploaded my first manuscript.
That first book sold over 10,000 copies, which may not seem like a lot to most people, but it was huge for me.
I started connecting with more people in the industry, and they explained to me the right way to get things done. Since I didn’t know what I didn’t know, I listened.
Had I know then that most “successful traditionally printed books” actually sold fewer copies than my first book had, I might have listened with a grain of salt.
But I didn’t know, so I didn’t filter.
The more I listened to what THEY had to say, the more I veered off my path. And the more I veered, the more I listened to what THEY had to say. It turns out there are a LOT of THEYs out there, all with differing rules to play along with.
Relearning To Do What I Know To Do
Fast forward over a decade, and our publishing company just released the first book from Gene Hendrix. He doesn’t have a presence online (although we’ve built him a website and social platforms that are just getting started), and yet within the first day, his book is listed by Amazon as the #1 New Release in Christian Faith books. All he did was tell some folks that he had been sharing with for the last few decades, and they are telling folks.
Hearts sharing with hearts sharing with hearts.
He did it his way.
And that reminded me of my first step and how quickly I allowed others to be the dictator of my next step. Once I chose that path, I lost my way.
How Do You Keep Doing?
My social media feed blew up with the sharing of a book that was set in my hometown. The author didn’t grow up with the people that were sharing. The author didn’t see them at church each week.
These were the same people I had shared my latest book with and not a one of my social “friends” was sharing my book.
I felt sorry for myself. Why did they support him but they didn’t support me?
During our study group, one of the leaders announced the accomplishment of a friend of theirs. “I would appreciate you supporting him.”
This was the same man I had shared my latest study with and he never told anyone.
I felt sorry for myself. Why did he support that friend and not me?
Those were only a few of the ways that I have seen the world not care about my journey. And the more I encountered the world’s lack of concern, the more I struggled to lean into my unique design.
If they don’t care, why should I?
And then I got an email from someone that I barely knew. She shared how the words I had shared made all the difference in her day.
And then I saw a man willing to do things his way and making progress in doing it. His courage fed my courage.
When you are struggling to believe in doing what you know to do, look for inspiration to feed your determination.
Feeding The Determination To Do What I Know To Do
Seek others
When others are doing what they know to do, then I can find the courage to do what I know to do.
Ignore the limitations
When I take one step in my way, then I begin to feed the courage to see beyond their limits and take one more step.
Remember successes
Write down those times when things went the way you needed when you did it your way. Keep a record of successes so you have a reminder when those “feel sorry for myself” moments show up.
Do What You Know To Do
I had to accept the truth that the world doesn’t care about what I know to do. The world doesn’t want what I want. The world doesn’t encourage me to live out my unique design. The world demands conformity to its rules and limitations.
I can stay lost in doing what the world has said to do, or I can choose to keep doing things my way.
Today, I choose my way. Not Gene’s way. Not even the way of that person I was in 2011. It will be my way because my way is the only way that is right for me.
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Who or what is swaying your actions?
