The world is full of self help books.

My wife went through some old boxes of books the other day. They had different philosophies, one was called "Everything comes from the tummy" (from a french translation), "Le Secret" (of course the popular french version), "You can Heal your Life", are a few titles that came to discussion.

She informed me that my book was a self help book too. I asked, how can that be. It is a humor book, with a protagonist who defies the insurmountable challenges that are all around him, and eventually reaches a pinnacle where he alone is there in an effort to try to save the world from a near catastrophic event!

It spun through my mind, as one of the posts that I placed here "You are the economy", and how it keeps rising to the top in my most read blog section. I asked myself, why is that blog rising to the top. Simple words, simple directions, yet all true. And all good news, when you can direct an individual or people to focus their energies, then anything can happen. Just like the main character in my series.

My "Supermarket Guy", a self help book?  Well, it certainly rings true for many people in starting at a basement position and then suddenly rising to the top.

The mainstay of my character, is how he looks ahead without being overly pessimistic. At times, it does look as if he is about to give up, but some support from family and friends, and yes, even enemies, help him to get things accomplished in a strange fashion or other.

Success is all about meeting a special contact, being at the right place at the right time, or just finding the way yourself. Sometimes it comes easy, sometimes it comes hard. Patience is a testament to some, a thing bypassed by others. The main character in my series, has all these three things happen to him, in one volume or another.

1. The special contact can open doors, and rush your project. Maybe a famous singer picks up your work. Maybe you are discovered somewhere at a mall, by a modeling agency. Life is so strange at times, that you just never know where or when you will click with that special contact. It is good to be prepared, and to be ready. Watch out for imitations, who just want to take your idea or special work for a ride.   While performing in a New York City nightclub, Whitney Houston was discovered by a representative from Arista Records, and became an household name for soulful ballads.

2. Luck, is an event that has magnetism. Something that draws readers to your project, no matter what it is. In my stories, this element is most certainly there. The situations he gets into, the passions and other feelings, lead him into exposure. Maybe you could call it destiny, fate, or just a plain random event. Maybe your book, music, or work coincides with something happening in the world out there today. It could boost your sales, just because a competitor has had bad luck.  Charlize Theoron was in a Bank Teller line, frustrated over them not cashing her check, when a talent agent discovered her. he handed her his card. Right place, right time.

3. Doing it yourself, is the hardest way but sometimes the easiest, if you are really focused and intense on what you do. I think about professional sports athletes, who really have to do it mostly by themselves to get to make a team. Doing it yourself, practicing every day. A musician, who keeps hammering out the tunes until something clicks. I think of the song "Royals" by Lorde. She never thought it would be a hit. But, you just never know.

Much of these three elements belong to each other, or could possibly overlap, but they all can be separated as well, depending on the situations.

My book does involve a few of these elements. But, the greatest story that probably comes out of the series is how the protagonists super ego does not lead him in wanting to possess what his competitors so dishonestly tried to gain.

Till next time... self help, anyone?

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