Have you ever heard someone refer to your “six”? It refers to the six people who will carry your casket at your funeral.

Kind of morbid, isn’t it? But it’s important because it reminds us that we will all die someday. We all have an expiration date on our lives.

I want you to think about the six people in your life who would indeed carry your casket. How often do you speak to them? How close would you say these friends are to you?

If you have a hard time answering those questions, maybe it’s worth reconsidering how much time and energy you invest into those friendships.

I get it. We’re all busy with writing and other creative pursuits and commitments. But it’s not the only aspect of your life. You have family, friends, community, health, and other commitments. Writing is only one part of a bigger picture.

Don’t neglect your most important friendships and relationships to pursue your art or build a platform. Fans and readers and listeners can be fickle. They will only stick around as long as you give them something of value. But friendships are forever. Those are the people who stick with you through thick and thin. So make sure you’re investing time in those relationships and not spending all your time and energy on your writing.

Daily Question: Can you name your six?

The post Who Are Your Six? appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

This is the second entry in our mini-series on dealing with rejection.

It’s happened to all of us. You had your heart set on an opportunity and it falls through. Maybe it’s a writing job, a podcast guest appearance, a collaboration, or another type of opportunity. You thought it was going to happen but now it isn’t.

As the 1960s group, The Monkees, famously sang, “Tomorrow’s Gonna Be Another Day.” Yes, rejection can be disappointing, but you have the chance today to connect with almost anyone on the planet directly. So don’t wait around for an opportunity to come knocking on YOUR door. Take the initiative and make opportunities happen. They are all around you, every single day.

The place to start is not by asking, but by giving. Start today with someone you can help, someone you can give to. When you take the focus off yourself and what you need, pretty soon the opportunities will start showing up in weird and unexpected ways. This is the very best way to take the focus off your disappointments today and start investing in tomorrow.

Daily Question: What is a way you can give or invest in someone today?

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