{"id":524,"date":"2012-03-26T19:18:35","date_gmt":"2012-03-26T19:18:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kerryhannon.com\/?p=524"},"modified":"2012-04-29T21:19:05","modified_gmt":"2012-04-29T21:19:05","slug":"book-review-evil-plans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kerryhannon.com\/?p=524","title":{"rendered":"BOOK REVIEW: EVIL PLANS"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Getting laid off was a good thing for ‘Evil Plans’ author Hugh MacLeod<\/h1>\n
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by Kerry Hannon
\n\"\"\u00a0Read Published Article<\/a><\/p>\n

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Buy the book on Amazon.com
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There\u2019s no doubt that Hugh MacLeod, author of\u00a0Evil Plans: Having Fun on the Road to World Domination<\/em>, loves his work. It bounces off every page of his crisp, slim, cartoon-strewn new book.<\/p>\n

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MacLeod is a perfect example of a career changer who has made it on his own terms.<\/p>\n

He began his transition from advertising copywriter to cartoonist, professional blogger and author roughly seven years ago.<\/p>\n

He credits being laid off from his \u201ccrappy, hack advertising job\u201d as the catalyst to get his work life in motion and get him in \u201cthe zone,\u201d where work and love are unified. Today he juggles 10 jobs at any given time, from consulting to drawing cartoons to a little wine business.<\/p>\n

Overextended? That\u2019s how he rolls. \u201cThat\u2019s just how the world of work is evolving,\u201d he writes. \u201cWelcome to the overextended class. You may opt out of it if you want, but over time it\u2019s going to get harder and harder to make ends meet, let alone be successful, if you do.\u201d<\/p>\n

He is opinionated to say the least.<\/p>\n

MacLeod\u2019s pithy prose and personal stories of how he followed his passion and leveraged his online business through niche marketing is a quick romp \u2014 thanks to his artistic doodling.<\/p>\n

He states his message from the start: \u201cThe people who have inspired me the most these last couple of years \u2014 entrepreneurs, writers, artists \u2014 they were driven by the same thing: to get paid doing what they love. And they all found a way to make it happen, without exception.\u201d<\/p>\n

An evil plan, he writes, is really about being able to do both at the same time. He asks: \u201cAre you one of the people who can unify work and love? If not, don\u2019t you think you should be? I mean, after friends and family, what the hell is there?\u201d<\/p>\n

You get the drift. Go forth and shake things up. Life is short and so on. His message is not that new, but his voice is true and aimed in large measure at aspiring entrepreneurs looking for inspiration.<\/p>\n

His tips on what makes a successful blog: You need to write with passion and authority and focus. Don\u2019t write about what you had for breakfast. And, important, speak in your own voice.<\/p>\n

Here are some thoughts from his \u201cHughtrain Manifesto\u201d:<\/p>\n

\u2022We are here to find meaning. We are here to help other people do the same. Everything else is secondary.<\/p>\n

\u2022It\u2019s no longer enough for people to believe that your product does what it says on the label. They want to believe in you and what you do.<\/p>\n

\u2022Believe in something. It really works. Trust me.<\/p>\n

\u2022A blog is a great way to build one\u2019s personal \u201cglobal microbrand.\u201d But it\u2019s not essential.<\/p>\n

\u2022Make art every day. I didn\u2019t wait for the money, I didn\u2019t wait to \u201cbe discovered,\u201d I didn\u2019t wait for approval from others. I just got on with it, every day.<\/p>\n

We all need to have \u201cthat moment\u201d when we stop futzing around and actually start acting like officers in command of our own lives. That moment is when you decide to not cut corners, to not make excuses.<\/p>\n

Eventually you can ease the relentless day-to-day pressure of being a small-time entrepreneur by learning to take the cream off the top, and leave the rest behind.<\/p>\n

The best way to get approval is not to need it.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re grappling with striking out on your own, you might pick up some pointers. At the very least, you\u2019ll cop a grin.<\/p>\n

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