Thin people practice early intervention.
Stephen Gullo, Ph.D (author of THE THIN COMMANDMENTS) is quoted in Lori Parch's article extensively. You can see his book here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1579548989/ He says there are very few people who are "naturally" thin. Thin people are just ordinary people with sets of checks and balances in place, a series of strategies for staying thin. "They have to (do this), because thin people DO gain weight. But they take action with the numbers on the scale creep up or their pants become hard to button."
Successful people practice early intervention, too.
If you've ever read the delightful little book WHO MOVED MY CHEESE?
by Spencer Johnson http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0399144463/ you'll get this principle.
When things change, and the old ways aren't working, you gotta get going and try something new.
This may mean leaving a show that used to work, a product that used to be your best seller, a strategy that used to make sense--but isn't working for you anymore.
And when you're doing the same ol' thing everyone else is doing, even if it's working for THEM and it ain't workin' for YOU, you gotta do something else.
Maybe local shows work for your cohorts. But if they don't work for YOU, you either gotta change your product or change your shows.
Finally, thin people know that when they're tired, discouraged, depressed, lonely or angry, food is not the answer. Especially junk food.
What is our "junk food"?
When I think of the things that feed us that aren't good for us, I think of these "junk things":
Junk action: Group griping: A show isn't going well, so what do we do? We gather in the aisles and complain. Sometimes we even glare at the few customers who HAVE shown up.
Better: You've already paid for the show, and you're already there. You can't control the crowds, so what CAN you control? You can think what you could do better next time. Better lighting? A more sophisticated display? More pre-show publicity? An ad? New work? Bigger images/graphics in your booth? A different show? A different marketing strategy altogether??
Junk emotion: Jealousy/envy: We begrudge the success of others. We whine how others (usually undeserving others) catch all the breaks.
Better: Enjoy their success. It means it's possible and attainable. And if THEY can do it, YOU can do it. See what they do, professionally, to put themselves in the path of success. Do they have great work? (Can yours be better?) Do they have great slides? (Maybe you should quit doing your own photography...?) Have they put in the time? (Maybe in 10 more years, YOU'LL be that good, too!) Do they take on opportunities and challenges? (Maybe if YOU had entered that exhibit....?) Do they network? (Maybe you should quit group griping...?)
Junk emotion: Getting angry. Or defensive.
Better: Finding out whether the source is a credible one. If so, look at your buttons, not the button-pusher. If not, move on.
Junk action: Being scared of making mistakes. Spending too much effort on research and soul-searching. Trying to get it perfect the first time.
Better: Just do it. Try doing SOMETHING--then make it better.
Which reminds me. I gotta get back to work!
So skip the "junk food", get back on track, and trust your process. Do what works for YOU to keep you on the path to success.
