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The one motto you should have on a loop in your head.
Ready, Fire, Aim is not a typo. It’s instead a guide to how to lead your best life as a creative type. What does it mean exactly? Well, it came to mind earlier this week when I read this from Neil Strauss, the Rolling Stone writer and multi-time NYT best-selling author:
While cleaning my office recently, I found an old letter written to my childhood nanny, who was a second mom to me. I wrote it at the very beginning of my career, when I was living in New York.
I told her how I sold a car I bought for $700, because I could no longer afford the insurance. And how I had to find a roommate so I could afford my rent. Then I spoke about where I was in my dream to be a professional writer:
“I finally got to do some articles for Rolling Stone. In fact, last week I got to interview one of the first bands I ever liked (after the Beatles) — the Who. I talked to Roger Daltrey in person (he’s shorter than me) and Pete Townshend on the phone (his nose is bigger than mine)…
I also wrote my first article for — gulp — The New York Times. I’ll find out this Sunday whether they ran it or not. I hope they did. I feel really weird about writing for these places, like I’m underqualified or too unprofessional.
I’m always really nervous on the phone with my editors. I feel like it’s a mistake that…
