How My Local Library Helped Me Get from Jobless and Broke to Six Figures a Year

How My Local Library Helped Me Get from Jobless and Broke to Six Figures a Year In 2008 I had the world I had a good job I loved. I earned a pretty good salary, and was constantly praised What is that old saying about pride going before the fall? Yep, thats exactly what happened. Through no fault of my own, the company I worked for as a high-end retail sales manager went bankrupt. We received no advance notice that they were closing our store. On a Thursday in late June of 2008, it was business as usual. Friday shut down. That was the same year the economy crashed in the United States, creating a perfect storm of financial fear and self-doubt in my life. I sold my car and most of my possessions, so I would have some cash to fall back on in case I didnt find another job right away. To bolster my income as I continued to look for work, I decided to learn about this whole making money online thing. Since I could not even afford a monthly Internet bill, I walked to and from the near I stumbled across a few Internet marketing forums, where I sold articles for as little as $5 or $10. After just over a year of cranking out low-paying work seven days a week, my financial situation slowly began to improve. I persisted. I took online courses and writing classes. That persistence paid off. One of my clients told me I should become a copywriter because my writing converted so well for him. I thanked him, hung up the phone and immediately grabbed my Websters Dictionary. I had no clue what a copywriter was! Almost instantly, I began writing copy instead of content. I realized that copywriting was where I needed to be, and where my natural inclinations and talents belonged. I began offering copywriting services to my clients and cut back on writing content. Fast forward eight long years, and I am on pace to flirt with a six-figure income this year. Whats the take-away from this story? Dont give up when things get tough. Always keep your Big Why in the front of your mind. Ask yourself why you want to earn a living as a writer. Be brutally honest with your answer. Keep asking yourself why, over and over, until you get to the basic motivating factor that drives your writing desires. Was it fun for me, walking in the rain, the cold and the heat, seven days a week to my local library to frequently sit next to some less than desirable people while I taught myself how to make a good living writing online? Of course it wasnt. But it was necessary. Do whatever is necessary to live your dream life. Its not really as hard as you may think. It may take time. It is certainly going to take effort. But the personal empowerment and freedom that the freelance writing lifestyle delivers is worth any cost as long as your Why? is big enough.