Brandi J. Clark

The Lit Maven has been learning up a storm! But better than that, she has been earning her Great Work MBA.

The most amazing online conference ever! Hosted by Michael Bungay-Stanier, it is for anyone who wants to do Great Work.

What is great work?

I am encouraged that I am approaching the great work of my life. Recently I heard back about an article I submitted.

I am a contender!

I will let you know how that pans out in January.

I have proof I am approaching Great Work! I announced to a colleague about my plans to pursue writing as a serious possibility.

This was the face I got.

and the response:

“YOU CAN’T MAKE MONEY DOING THAT!”
(Note: All writers in the world are screaming…it’s not about the money!)

Was the Lit Maven crushed? 

NO!

Lit Maven …seriously?

No! I am serious. Instead, I was thinking yes!  I must be on the right path for me. 

My friend doesn’t get it. 

But her response to me, made me want to try even harder. Why? Because my journey is towards Great Work, and writing is a huge part of that.

Jonathan Acuff addresses family and friends in his book Start: Punch Fear in the Face, Escape Average and Do Work that Matters 

“How can we carry dreams in our heart for years, maybe even decades, and then expect our friends and family members to understand them perfectly? They won’t. Don’t be surprised by that. Don’t be devastated by that. Don’t think it’s because you’ve failed to explain it the right way. There’s going to be some degree of disconnect. It’s your dream, not theirs. Give them the gift of patience. Give them time to understand your dream.” (p. 181)

Until then, consider signing up for your Great Work MBA.

Katy Perry?  Lit Maven?

Oh yes…My new theme song of course.

I am ready to Roar…how ’bout you?

Until Next Time,
Lit Maven Out!

Tired of another ho-hum work calendar…I decided to get my “zine on” and make my own calendar/appointment book/ notebook.

Here’s What You Need:

• A journal ( blank or lined)
• Magazines
• Index Cards (blank or lined)
• Glue
• Colored Pens/Felts
• Hole puncher
• Scissors
• Pencil/Eraser

1) Purchase a nice journal as you will be using it all year and you want it to look professional. I bought a soft, padded one at Indigo. It even has a threaded bookmark attached.

2)Use index cards to make calendars.  I chose to create a calendar without the weekends.

3) Use colored pens/magazines to fancy it up. I used the hole puncher to make dots for the dates and to make the textured pictures. I cut out letters to spell the months.

4) Glue the calendar into the journal. I will be placing my mine in two places. The first half of the year in the first few pages and in the back last few pages.

5) Include a Table of Contents for the first few pages of the journal. I plan to record notes pertaining to meetings at work and at schools.  I will then write the title of each meeting in the table of contents to cross reference.

Really, that is it!  I plan to glue things in as needed, perhaps words and pictures that pertain to my meetings and ideas.  Updates to follow as the year progresses. 

Educational Uses

I think that students might enjoy this as an alternative to store bought agendas. The versatiltiy is amazing.

So…Ask not what your organizer can do for you but what you can do for your organizer.

Until to Next Time…

Thanks for listening!