One out of the many soul-searching exercises that had a very real impact on my life was writing a eulogy —creating what I would hope someone would say about me shortly after I had died. By thinking ahead, it allowed me to then look back at what I would have hoped at that point in my life to have accomplished and what I would hope others would think and say about me. I realized, for the first time, that money, outside of making enough to live comfortably, and material possessions meant absolutely nothing to me. I also learned that building a large empire or even having a company of my own was not necessarily what I wanted, even though I knew that I loved entrepreneurship and small business. What came out of this exercise was my desire to help others, and specifically, help as many small businesses help and serve their customers and employees.
It may seem like a something that of minimal impact, but writing for entrepreneurs and businesses is the best way (so far) I’ve found to live out this purpose. Through ghostwriting, I can put my passion, knowledge, and hard work towards helping the personal and business brands of others grow so that they can impact more people to a greater extent. In other words, ghostwriting is my way of getting the most out of someone else’s ability to influence others through their words.
For example, one of my clients is a niche entrepreneur in the maritime industry who took over the family business after her father passed away several years ago. Through her hard work, she’s been able to learn the business, create a name for herself, and expand the business in several ways. She has a great story to tell and much to gain from spreading her message, but like any entrepreneur, her time is divided among countless different priorities in the business and she has little time available to blog, come up with article ideas, and undertake other marketing efforts.
Since we began working together a little over a year ago, we’ve written over seventy articles together, including half a dozen articles for The Huffington Post, a speech that has been given to entrepreneurs at a national summit, guides, and more to promote her business and its products. Because of our work, she’s had podcast interviews, been featured in Forbes, and as mentioned, had the opportunity to speak at events. Even if my role in her success and her ability to spread her message has been minimal, it’s an amazing feeling to use your own passion and skills to impact someone else’s passion and skills. Ghostwriting has allowed me to do that.
What helps you live out your passion in life? Please comment below.