Write a Great Ending.

Where do I begin? You are in a slump, and you want to change. Where do you start? At the end, of course. The ending is the best part of winning story. What’s your story; what’s the ending? How much is the story worth to you? Let’s talk about a quarter. It’s only a quarter. How much should you pay for it? It depends how much you need it. Let’s say you are at a parking meter. You step out and need to borrow a quarter. The first person says, “Sure. I have a quarter, but can I keep the difference?” How does that make you feel? You need to pay a dollar for a quarter. Let’s try again. Second try. This person says, “Sure. I don’t have one with me, but if you have a dollar, I’ll run around the corner and get change. My wife works there, and it won’t take me a second. I’ll be right back, and for my trouble, I’d like to keep the difference.” How does that make you feel? Better. In both cases, you paid a dollar for a quarter. Why do you feel better? The only difference is the story. How much is your ending worth? Is it worth working for? I’d bet it is. Write that story. What would a pro look like, act like, sound like? Sell the quarter. So, you now have the ending. What’s next? The character in the story is you, the hero. You will need to go through some trials to be the person you need to become. We know this. It’s every story we have ever seen. Remember, you can’t keep doing what you’ve always done and expect different results. But you don’t need to jump to the end. Play the movie. What’s the next scene? What would you, the hero, do? Improve your skills? Ask for help? Slow down and re-think your approach? Intense focus in one direction will go a long way. Let the story play out.