Why my Brains don't Fall Out!

Introduction

I write eBooks for a living. The only reason I can do this is I get retirement pay from the Air Force and have another small source of income. So, writing for a living is an exaggeration. I make $500 to $600 a month selling eBooks. By itself, it wouldn't be much of a living, but hey, I'm almost always in the top 1 or 2% of authors on Amazon. In other words, I'm doing something right.

This is why I'm slow to listen to suggestions.

Unauthoritative suggestions

Is unauthoritative even a word? I don't know, but it means suggestions coming from people who are not yet successful on Amazon to the same extent that I am. 

Do I listen to them? Absolutely, I listen. But I don't always follow. The suggestions I follow come from the example or the words of those who are more successful than I am. There are some things I've noticed.

Successful authors seldom use social media. Oh, they tried a couple years ago, but almost without exception, they have disappeared from Facebook.

People often say I have to advertise. This sounds rude, but I don't HAVE to do anything. I suppose it is rude, but here is where it is coming from. I've tried advertising on Facebook and Adwords. I could not show it had any statistical impact on my business. If anyone can demonstrate a statistical impact for their books I'd be glad to listen.

Although I get a few sales from blogs, it's not enough to justify the time. I blog for fun, not profit.

What I think when someone makes a suggestion

Thanks for the suggestion, and I really appreciate the thought. I'll evaluate the suggestion and either take action or not.

What I'm doing is working

What I'm doing is working, so I will keep doing it. When it stops working, I'll try something else.

"You have a closed mind..."

to which I respond "That's so my brains don't fall out!" Seriously, in Positive Mental Attitude, the Science of Success!  (US market only), Napoleon Hill said self-reliance is one of the most important attributes for success. (Hint to those in the US: This is an advertisement on a blog. Please prove me wrong by clicking on the link and picking up a copy of the book! It's only 99 cents.) 

I like hearing new ideas. I really do! I often read what others say. However, at some point, I make a decision. When I make a decision, I close my mind. An open mind lets in self-doubt, and that can be more destructive than not doing the perfectly right thing.

Conclusion

This post is a bit blunt, but I can't write and I don't care! Besides, at some point we all have to close our minds and get to work.