Which Road are You On?

Published: January 8,2011
This was initially published on my now-defunct No Job for Mom blog.

This post was inspired by Ira’s last post, Internet Marketing and Article Writing are a Matter of Inches, where he plainly lays out the two options for internet marketers (and freelance writers). Either you quit or you continue on the road to success. He’s absolutely correct. There will be detours along the way, but you really only have two options.

The Non-Productive Detour

Then I got to thinking. If there are only two roads to take (quit or continue), why do so many folks take the non-productive detour down 3C Drive? I’m sure we’ve all taken that wrong turn once or twice. Some of us realize we made a wrong turn and get off of 3C Drive as soon as we realize we’re on it, while other folks continue further and further down the road derailing their own success and the success of others.

Where is 3C Drive?

3C Drive stands for Complaining, Comparing and Criticizing. I’m sure we all know folks stuck on that road.

Complaining: No matter what happens, the first response of a person on 3C Drive is to complain. If there is a software glitch, a formatting change or even a guideline change, it’s met with a complaint. The further this person travels down the non-productive road, the louder the complaints get. The complaints start to affect those around them.

Comparing: Not happy with their progress (how could they be, they’re traveling down the wrong road), they start comparing their progress to everyone else’s. Their skewed comparison leads them to the conclusion that the other person must be cheating the system, doesn’t have a life, has nothing better to do but write/market all day, and on and on. Instead of admiring and emulating others' success, they are jealous and green with envy.

Criticizing: Man, I know we all have heard this one (The Sourpuss Award comes to mind). They criticize other people for doing what they have Waldo to do. They blame folks for the economic downturn, lowering the freelance writing pay scale, the demise of so many magazine and newspaper companies, global warming and their inability to find Waldo.

Make the U-Turn

I’m not going to play holier than thou, I’ve been known to complain a time or five (like there are dishes in the sink as we speak and I didn’t put them there). I’ve spent my time traveling down 3C Drive. Fortunately, when I realize I’m on the wrong road, I make a U turn and get off of the road as soon as possible.

Ultimately, there is only one road that I want to get on and stay on and that’s the road to success. As Ira mentioned in his post, there may be trouble along the way, but you either “bear down and gain another inch, or quit and go home.”

Which road are you on?

About the Author: I am Felicia A. Williams, a wife, mom, grandma, writer and eternal student.

Last Modified: 29 November 2020