Motivational Tid Bits

Just a few thoughts and "tid-bits" to get your fall started right...

> First and foremost, life is never about the mistakes you make, have made, or will make way down the road. It's about the lesson(s) you take from them, and the journey they place you on. If a mistake placed you on the road to destruction, know that while mistakes can't be changed, the actions and/or results in/ of their aftermath can be altered. You write your own storyline. Plan and choose to write a successful one.

> Maximize your potential as an individual. Scan over your dreams, your hopes, and creative desires that you have. Don't let any hidden talents escape, and worse yet don't let any hidden talents sit unused. Your hidden/ unused talent(s) could be the things that bring you forward into a brighter era within your life. Don't be afraid to hone and fine tune your talents either. Everyday should be a day of betterment. Train yourself and your talents if necessary, give them the soil they need to grow.

> Know the different types of motivation and adjust accordingly. There are two general branches - intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation refers to the motivation driven by the interest in, or the enjoyment of the activity itself, rather than external pressures. Extrinsic is just as it would sound - a motivation that is derived from the external environment of an individual. For example; rewards, coercion, threats, prizes, and recognition. While not all extrinsic motivations are bad in nature, try to focus on the things that come more natural, and thus are likely intrinsic to you (internally based).

> Plan out a realistic timeline for your future, whether short-term or long term, and stick to it. This can give you internal motivation to accomplish whatever goals or complete whatever projects you have out there. This can also serve as a source of optimism if you're lacking.

> Always enable those who surround you if you plan to succeed yourself. You cannot have constant success if your growth stymies those around you. Growth should be done in conjunction. Growth amongst your surroundings will lend itself to more growth; whereas you growing yet breeding a stagnant atmosphere around you lends to your eventual upending.

> Remember that your struggles are polishing you up for a better place. Don't get distracted, distraught, or disorderly when things don't work out as they should. Unfortunately, they never do. With anything, expect the unexpected but don't let it bend you out of shape. Maintaining a positive attitude even in chaos usually makes the struggle not so bad, and makes it pass you by just a little faster. Keep your mood together and push forward.

> Comprehend, communicate, achieve, succeed. And as always, live unconquered despite your circumstance, not conquered because of.

- J. Junior II
9/21/2011

"Weathering The Storm" Timeline

As I push forward with my new manuscript project - which will carry the same name as this blog - I was excited to get an update on Weathering The Storm, which will allow me to offer a pretty firm timeline on it's production course.

Currently, WTS is in the copyediting phase, which will last about a month. Afterwhich, it will go through a three month period of conceptual editing. To kick off the new year, a cover will be designed, followed by two months of layout design. As spring nears, the book will be finalized, afterwhich I can begin the preliminary distribution of copies. While WTS won't yet be on the full market, books will be available through me and at any various events I hold (book signings, etc.). The book goes into a 90 day marketing phase, in which I work with the Publisher (Tate) to find my niche, build support, and ready all the markets for the "official release date". This gives Tate time to have copies ready for distribution once sales go mainstream. At the end of those ninety days, the book is officially released, and available in all major markets.

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Here's the timeline in a date format...

Copyediting - currently through the end of September.
Conceptual Edit - Phase I - October
Conceptual Edit - Phase II - November
Conceptual Edit - Phase III - December
Cover Design - January 2012
Layout Design Phase I - February 2012
Layout Design Phase II - March 2012
Book Finalized - on/ around April 15th, 2012 (copies available via me and/or my events such as book signings)
Book Marketing/ Preparation Phase - on/around April 15th, 2012 - July 15th, 2012
BOOK RELEASE DATE - on/ around July 15th, 2012
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These dates are not exactly set in stone, but a general timeline that will flex and flow as the production process moves forward, and give you a general idea of the "what/when" process for WTS. It may seem like a long time off, but I'm sure the time will fly by, especially as WTS nears its "birthday".

In the same time, I have also developed the timeline to complete the manuscript for "Live Unconquered", which will be the follow up to WTS and follow the scheme developed by this blog. I'm working now to draw out a frame for Live Unconquered, which could take a month or so. Afterwhich, I'll start filling the frame with the selected material, and give the manuscript a clear concept and message, all the while serving as a sequel to WTS. I'd like for the whole process to be done by the end of January, 2012. Once the manuscript is complete, I will begin the process of finding and selecting an appropriate/ compatible publisher (more than likely Tate) - and the production process will start all over again.

It'll be a lengthy but rewarding process, and I already can't wait for it to be complete. I'll keep working hard until that day...

JJR II
Keep Living Unconquered
9/8/11

Weathering The Storm Update

As my first book production date begins (less than two weeks away), I thought I would go through some of the first steps that occur for Weathering The Storm to go from manuscript to actual book. It may not as be as easy of a process as you think; it's certainly been more complex and time-consuming than I ever would have guessed. Moreover, as a first time author, this is a completely new process for me so it's not entirely surprising.

The first step Weathering The Storm will enter is a copy-editing phase of production. This process will obviously be completed by my publisher, Tate Publishing. They will work to improve the formatting, style, and accuracy of my manuscript. They don't change the actual text, but make it more clear, correct, concise, complete, and consistent.

Once Tate has completed the copy-editing, they will turn it over to the conceptual editing area of their company. Conceptual editing looks at the overall book and see what's missing from it, what I could do to make it a better project, what needs to be expanded, and what areas I could condense. This stage, in a sense, gets the message I want to portray across in the most understandable manner. In addition, this is also where the appropriate illustrations and graphics are incorporated into my manuscript. If all goes to schedule, this should happen around a month after the copy-editing process begins - so around the beginning of October.

I imagine this will be a busy and exciting time. I cannot wait to see how Weathering The Storm progresses, and everyday that goes by is a day closer to its release date. I will continue to provide updates (and hopefully in the latter stages I can offer previews), and concurrently begin working on the manuscript for the next book in line - Live Unconquered.

Always remember to make the best of your time. Be productive, and have optimism. Life is too short to be a downer - stay positive, stay motivated, and keep living unconquered.

J. Junior II
8/22/2011

Live Unconquered - The Next Project

In the next couple of weeks, my first book - "Weathering The Storm", will hit the editing and production phases. I will be working with Tate Publishing to make this dream become a reality and bring WTS into market. Concurrently, I have began to develop a concept for my next book, which will carry the same name as this blog. I have already started working on this next project, and hope to have the manuscript completed around the time WTS is officially released in early 2012.

Live Unconquered

breakthrough to a brighter day...

The goal for WTS was to bring you through and out of turbulence; Live Unconquered will serve as the follow up and move you forward/ away from the fringes of said turbulence. My goal is for Live Unconquered to be more in depth and hit more specific topics, in addition to giving you the tools and motivation to live undeterred no matter your circumstance.

This will be a busy yet exciting time. I'm a newbie to this whole area, but I am confident that everything will run smoothly. I look forward to working with Tate and creating the best book possible out of "Weathering The Storm", and constructing another viable manuscript with the Live Unconquered theme --> that of continuous growth, development, transformation, reorganization, faith, hope, and motivation.

Of course, I'll give all the details and exact dates as they arise. Thanks to all my supporters, and don't forget to keep living....

UNCONQUERED.
J. Junior II
08/08/11

A Time To Review - Part II

This week, I’ll continue going over posts from the last two months. Rehashing and refreshing is a vital point in the goal to live unconquered. It is easy to become sidetracked; to get completely off-course. It’s not about straying off your path – we are all human and will at some point or another – but getting back on your path in due time without inflicting damage to your life.

New Beginnings - They are important. Sometimes, you will need change and to start over – all environments will stagnant and become routine overtime without it. If you ever feel like you’ve “worn out the welcome mat” – that’s only a sign that it’s time for a fresh start. Don’t fear change – embrace it. I can’t tell you how many times I lamented something being changed – and later found out it was in my benefit…

The Healing Process… - Don’t take two steps forward, only to take three backwards. Let the past go, and turn over a new page. Former chapters need not be a reflection on those yet unwritten. Forgive, which doesn’t mean forget, but letting loose and moving forward. Letting things linger can act as a dead weight on your life, and for many years afterwards. Being unable to let go can also give you an irrational mindset, and lead you into making uneducated, rash, and harmful decisions/ choices. So, stop focusing on yesteryear, because it hurts your planning for the next year.

The Power of Knowledge - It is a key to many doors. It can pave a way out of trials when isn’t a clear path present. It can lead you out of dark and into the light, and deflect detrimental circumstances and situations. It can serve as armor around you if you surround yourself with it. The power from it is infinite if used properly, and there is no task impossible if used with morality. Never end the quest to educate yourself.

Get Out! - If you live in a bad state of affairs, then you need to run from under those clouds as soon as you can. Don’t make excuses, and don’t look for ways to NOT get out. You deny yourself growth and development by sitting in a unfavorable environment. Why live suppressed and defeated, without any goals, hope, knowledge, or faith. Why be in an atmosphere that drains all of your will and strength? You shouldn’t. GET, OUT.

A Tragedy --> A Triumph - Turn your disasters into blessings. Catastrophic events will happen to all of us, and for all their negativity, try to find something positive to take away from them. A horrible event can serve as the seed for something immense. Take a tragedy and create something that is for the good of all. Don’t forget that once your tragedy is a triumph; be sure to assist others to their breakthrough as well.

Beat All The Odds - If you have a negative mindset, you already enter a situation with defeat on your shoulders. Always go into with whatever you do with confidence, a positive and winning mindset, and believing you can achieve – and you can do this without arrogance or pompousness. You can defeat any odd you set your mind to – or at least go out trying. Do not ever concede defeat. You are not truly beaten unless you give up and throw in the towel. Hang in there even when the going is tough, stay motivated; you can accomplish all you set your mind to if you believe you can first.

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Try not to become a man of success but a man of value.
Albert Einstein
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The power of imagination makes us infinite.
John Muir

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Keep Living…
J. Junior II
08-03-2011