Today's article, written after Toni Morrison's death in 2019, is from my archives. Toni Morrison, a Nobel and Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist, had clarity as to what was important to her. She remained true to herself and focused, continually practicing her art - her writing - until her death.
“I thought of myself as like the jazz musician — someone who practices and practices and practices in order to be able to invent and to make his art look effortless and graceful” -Toni Morrison
My mornings begin with a scan of several daily news reports. If an article grabs my attention, I pause to read it in its entirety. If not, I quickly move on. This week that pause occurred with the reprint of a 2003 article, “Ghosts in the House: How Toni Morrison fostered a generation of black writers,” posted in The New Yorker’s digital newsletter The Daily.
Toni Morrison, a Nobel and Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist, died on August 5. Every news report I read contained laudatory remarks about the novelist. However, it was this article about her life that grabbed my attention because it forced me to think about me and my life.
It was easy to see how her upbringing, heritage, culture, and beliefs impacted her writing. She was not afraid to bring racism to the forefront or express the importance of being true to yourself. She understood what was important to her, which was her family and her writing, and lived life on her terms.
Although there were several great concepts highlighted in the article, two quotes stood out.
“I know it seems like a lot, but I really only do one thing. I read books. I teach books. I write books. I think about books. It’s one job.” -Toni Morrison
Ms. Morrison was not an overnight sensation. She practiced her art for years before becoming recognized as an extraordinary storyteller. However, outside of her family she had one focus, her writing, and she continually articulated that focus to others. People clearly understand what mattered to her and what she did-she wrote. It was her dedication to editing copy and writing early in her career that caught the attention of the editor at Random House. It was her ability to turn words about the black community’s struggles into engaging stories that captured the attention of Oprah Winfrey.
The second quote ties to an interview question that Morrison received about winning the Nobel Prize in 1993.
“I have never competed with other people. It just never occurred to me. I have to sort of work it up to understand what people are talking about when they complain about what this person did or that person shouldn’t do… I only compete with myself, with my standards.” -Toni Morrison
Morrison was comfortable with herself and who she was. She didn’t try to compete with others, just herself. She built on who she was by leveraging her upbringing as a black woman raised within a black community and a white society. With the help of words, she transcended the negativity around her and articulated her beliefs, relating not only to the black community but to the community at large. Her writing style, liked by some and hated by others, has left an impact on the world resulting in her becoming known as one of the best black writers of the time. (Although continually referred to as one of the best black writers, I believe she is one of the best writers and prefer to refer to her as such.)
Morrison was successful because she understood who she was and what matter to her. She built on her life experiences and expertise by using her ability to write real and complicated but captivating stories. She had clarity as to her Focus, what she wanted to do and who she wanted to serve, and pursued her focus with vigor and passion.
Morrison was not a consultant but she did the first thing I recommend to consultants - have clarity as to your focus. There is no mistake that Morrison was crystal clear as to her focus. She had clarity and did one thing: she wrote about what mattered to her. She practiced her “love” becoming better overtime and overtime she stood out.
Ghosts in the House was not written to be a thought-provoking piece. However, it forced me to revisit me and ask myself if I’m being true to myself. It also had me contemplate why my focus is what it is - a good concept to periodically evaluate.
Whether you are new to consulting or have been a consultant for years, periodically revisit you. Think about who you are and what matters to you; what are your strengths and core values; evaluate your experiences and expertise; and understand what you have to offer that captures the attention of other people.
Two questions for you.
- As you establish or improve your consulting business (or whatever you are doing in life), are you being true to you?
- Are you remaining focused and practicing that one thing for which you want to be known?
___________________
Until next week,
Laura
If you have a question, drop me an email at laura@lauraburford.com or grab time on my calendar to talk.
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