Ever since I started talking about writing and publishing my book, people have been asking me, “who is your audience?”  Those in the communication and marketing worlds have asked it a little differently, “who is your target market?”  I have given this question considerable thought, as the success of marketing hinges on answering it well.

The good news and bad news is that the audience for The Can Do Chronicles is “everyone”!

On many levels, this is not just good news but GREAT NEWS because it really is a book that everyone can relate to. Gratitude + Hope = CAN DO. Not many books can say that they have such a universal message. For example: there’s CAN DO for married couples, for job seekers, for ministry folks, for corporate project teams and for people dealing with illnesses (theirs or others), to name just a few. And, every bit as valuable, there is CAN DO for people who just need a little inspiration to help build a better life.

The bad news is that it makes marketing a bit tricky!  Dear World… Hi Everyone…hmm… a bit overwhelming, if now a bit pretentious!  That is where having a blog comes in handy. Starting in tomorrow’s blog, I will spend time focusing on several specific audiences with their own CAN DO messages and applications. I am going to start with CAN DO for nonprofit organizations, a topic most dear to my heart. And timely, with the impact of reduced funding and now the government shut down. Several folks have suggested I start with Congress. I have replied, using an old military saying  that is also used often in the nonprofit sector: the difficult we do immediately; the impossible takes a little longer.

I want to end this blog on a more serious note. In the book, I shared my personal ten beliefs that form the core of CAN DO and have become an anchor of hope in my life. The first of these beliefs has great universal application for the “everyone” audience.

The core of CAN DO is an honest and realistic “attitude of gratitude.”

Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul. Henry Ward Beecher 

Gratitude to gratitude always gives birth – Sophocles

Gratitude is at the very center of how we learn and grow. Even in our darkest moments, each of us can find one thing to be grateful for. The sunrise. A friend, new or old. A grandchild. Hot coffee. Cold milk. A favorite song. A special memory.  In the world of CAN DO, gratitude is the most important ingredient in taking the “but” out of “yes, but.”   That is why it is the first belief on my list.

I am grateful for the opportunity to share my CAN DO message with so many wonderful people, ones I already know and ones that I have yet to meet.

Have a great week!