Best Lessons From L. Ron Hubbard’s Career
You have a lot to say about the controversial L. Ron Hubbard, founder of Scientology and prolific writer, but there is no denying that he has accomplished a lot during his time at this level of existence. Here’s what you can learn from Hubbard’s life without any auditing.
Don’t be a perfectionist: run with your idea before you know what you are doing
In his pre-Scientology years, Hubbard cut his teeth writing pulp fiction, creating countless fiction, sci-fi and adventure stories for just a penny a word. As Lawrence Wright describes in his book Going Clear , writing for Hubbard was more a physical act of endurance than a mental test. In an interview with Wright, a former member of the Sea Org (the Marine arm of Scientology), Hubbard’s writing process was described as “First draft, final draft, walk out the door.”
Hubbard was undoubtedly a prolific man. He is listed in the 2006 Guinness Book of Records for the number of published works by a single author – 1028. Hubbard has not been a perfectionist for years – he put words on a page and posted. While the quality of Hubbard’s writing is debatable, there is a lot to say to get started, not wait. Too much perfectionism leads to more procrastination and decreases your productivity.
Live as if you are the hero of your own story
According to the church version of Hubbard’s life before Scientology, he was a heroic world traveler, fought bravely in wars, explored ancient civilizations, and more. I would certainly heed the advice of such an experienced person in life. And in fact, he did live a rather varied life, but Hubbard often expanded his fantasies into his own experiences, embellishing stories based on partial truths that made him look like a wise hero. He claimed, for example, that in 1943 he destroyed Japanese submarines off the coast of Oregon . He did drop 37 depth charges, but officials decided that there was never any evidence of the presence of submarines in the area, and Hubbard was later removed from command.
You certainly shouldn’t make false claims about your experiences, but shameless self-promotion isn’t bad , and living like you’re the hero of a story can be a fun way to motivate yourself. It is very important to present yourself in a positive light and take control of your image.
Lawrence Wright goes on to describe Hubbard’s growing “personality cult” that formed as he pursued failed filmmaking projects at sea:
“Hubbard has shown an impressive ability to encourage others to join him in this apparently shaky venture. Throughout his life, he attracted people, especially young people, to romantic, ill-conceived projects, often at sea, where he was out of the reach of technology servers. He began to reinvent himself as a charismatic leader. […] He had an incorrigible ability to hover above evidence and learn from his experiences what others called irrational and even bizarre. Hubbard habitually and perhaps unconsciously filled this gap – between reality and his interpretation of it – mythology. “
We’re not saying you should be cheating on people, but if Hubbard knew a thing or two, a good self-image could go a long way in helping you – whether it’s just phrasing your LinkedIn profile to highlight your strengths, or avoiding those unflattering details on social media. networks. In the Google era, it is more important than ever to take control of your history and public identity .
Find your niche and monetize!
L. Ron Hubbards’ book, Dianetics, sold half a million copies in its first year and remained on the New York Times bestseller list for 28 weeks . Apparently Hubbard has found an audience for some kind of self-help (I know this would probably pique my interest if I hadn’t been aware of its context).
Scientology was a kind of rebranding of Dianetics after the initial enthusiasm for Dianetics waned and lecture and lesson fees slowly and surely increased the treasury of Hubbard and the church. Simply put, he found a unique perspective on how to help people improve their lives – while charging a fee for it. The exact wording of Hubbard’s notorious quotevaries depending on the source , but he is known to have said, “It’s impossible to get rich writing science fiction. If you want to get rich, start a religion. “
In doing your own work, whether you are a freelance writer or full-time office worker, you need to define what makes you unique, what you are good at, and where you can add value that will truly be in demand . If you are one of a thousand who does the same, people will not come looking for you. Hubbard knew he had the unique ability to tell exciting stories and captivate people with his charm on the fly, and he ran with it – admittedly, to the extreme – but in doing so, he found a wide audience and effectively monetized his niche. To a lesser extent, we should all strive to do the same in our own work.
Contradictions aside, our fascination with Scientology is testament to L. Ron Hubbard’s strange charisma and endless ambition. You don’t need to believe his space ghost stories to learn from his hard work.