You are Valuable

If your work is well done, has integrity and is imbued with love it will most likely reflect exceptional value and longevity. So it is with Blog posts. The following post by Chris Guillebeau is from 2010 but still vital as ever:I’m a big fan of Jim Collins’ work, especially the modern day classic Good to Great.Even if you’re not interested in business, the book is inspiring and practical. Nine years after publication, it’s still kicking ass, and deservedly so.I recently re-read my favorite passages, and I especially liked the introduction Jim used to convey how much the book meant to him before publication.

As I was finishing this manuscript, I went for a run and an odd question popped into my mind: How much would someone have to pay me not to publish Good to Great?It was an interesting thought experiment, given that I’d just spent the previous five years working on the research project and writing this book. Not there isn’t some number that might entice me to bury it, but by the time I crossed the hundred-million-dollar threshold, it was time to head back down the trail. Even that much couldn’t convince me to abandon the project.

One hundred million dollars! Can you imagine creating something you love so much that you wouldn’t part with it for less than that? Wow.Aside from making sure I have enough to live responsibly and have my adventures, I don’t focus a lot on money. But I think Jim’s right: most of us have some kind of walk-away price. It’s good to know what it is, because then you know how valuable your work is—even if it’s something you keep to yourself. More...