Murphy’s Law

I hate to tell you, but I’ve got a bit of bad news.

Everything you do comes back to you.

According to Murphy’s Law, everything that can go wrong will.  Murphy’s law, sure out to get you.

I don’t believe that.  I do believe that you reap what you sow, what goes around comes around.

Everything you do comes back to you.

You decide, good or bad.

In my senior year of High School I learned a valuable lesson.

I was a straight A-student.  Okay, almost straight A – there was that art project that accounted for 50% of my grade that Walter Jenkins messed up for me, resulting in a dreaded B, but, close enough.

I’m sure that had to do with my love for reading.

Read a lot, learn a lot.

I received the Carol R. Schirmer award for Excellence in Secretarial Skills.  I didn’t know whom she was, I was just happy to win an award.

Shortly after graduation, I got a letter from Mrs. Schirmer.  She worked for the Board of Education and was a former student at the High School I attended.  She started the award as an incentive for young people to pursue Secretarial skills.

Inside the envelope, was a check for $50.

Got it all together, don’t you?

With the $50, I went to my local Rite-Aid and purchased a thank you card.  I wrote a note stating how much I appreciated the award and expressed my heartfelt thanks for the check.

Everything you do comes back to you.

About a week later, I got another letter from Mrs. Schirmer.

Guess what?

No one had EVER said thank you for the award before.

Everything you do comes back to you.

Included in the letter was ANOTHER check for $50!

I was flabbergasted!  Who receives an award and doesn’t say thanks?

But, it wasn’t just because I said thanks.

It was because I had WRITTEN my thanks in my own words!

Everything you do comes back to you.

I write a letter for everything now.

I’ve written to the President of Sprint, Best Buy, Media Corporations, Judges, Attorneys, The Governor of my state – I write more often than I call.

And I’ve ALWAYS gotten a response.  Even when I didn’t expect it.

Like the time I sent an e-mail to the President of BET and got a phone call from him in response.

People don’t write letters anymore.  So when you do, folks pay attention.  They feel special.

Everything you do comes back to you.

A few years ago, I attended the American Screenwriters Association Conference.  I met some incredible people and learned valuable lessons.

I came back from LA with renewed ambition and determination to apply myself.

I sent an e-mail addressing all of those who impacted me.

“Ellen Sandler: 
Congrats on your play!  You created an overwhelming desire for me to work in television.  After reading your book, I was more determined to look at my time at MTV as an opportunity to “step my toe” into the world of television, and not just a way to get a screenplay read.

David Trottier: 
Your book has been my “other bible” for years.  To meet you and speak with you personally encouraged me to continue to invest in the learning process of the craft – I will always be grateful for your teaching and carry them with me always.  Your newsletters are so timely and greatly appreciated, and provide much needed encouragement for me to ‘keep writing’!

David Coleman: You are so much more than “the dating doctor”.  Your seminar on relationships confirmed much of what I already knew, however, I started to really invest more time in developing relationships with the people I work with and admire.  I no longer look at people as contacts – I don’t have connections – I have relationships and am happy now to count you among my friends!  One of my personal mission statements is to mentor others and to reduce six degrees of separation to two or three!

Andy Cohen: Your pitching session was my last pitch of the conference and by far the most encouraging.  Although I did not have anything that suited your needs, your encouragement to keep developing has been a constant part of my process.  I remember you telling me that my pitching skills were really great, and that gave me the confidence I needed to pursue so many other things, and not be afraid to share my creativity with others.

John Johnson: 
You are PURE GENIUS… 
To put together a one track conference with this group of incredible EXPERTS is nothing less than phenomenal.  The benefits I’ve reaped from my ASA membership and from attending the conference are immeasurable.”

Everything you do comes back to you.

I received a response from everyone.

Including a request for an interview from John E. Johnson, the President of the American Screenwriter’s Association.

They say life is like a circle, everything you do comes back to you.

YOU DECIDE WHAT COMES BACK TO YOU!

And it doesn’t have to be bad at all!