Keep a folder, scrapbook, or cigar box of any praise you receive for a job well done.

who spent three years writing her first book between 5 and 7 AM before heading to work as a third grade schoolteacher. “You have to balance and compromise for art, and there’s dignity in that.”

Look for unlikely places to work on your side project, like in your doctor’s waiting room or on the post office line.

Cynthia Shapiro, author of Corporate Confidential: 50 Secrets Your Company Doesn’t Want You to Know—And What to Do About Them.

community outreach work “really good PR” for her business,

To see where your biggest time hits are, take a written inventory of how you spend your non-working hours for a week or two, a little exercise I call Timesuck Target Practice.

loads of recognition for the organic produce she donates to neighboring schools and agricultural events.

Get on board. Joining a nonprofit board of directors is a giant responsibility.

Before you commit, be sure to Google past and current board members (usually listed on the organization’s website) to look for any red flags.