5 Career Reminders from J.K. Rowling

We're hours away from the official release of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" - and quite honestly - I could care less. I've never read a single Harry Potter sentence, though I do believe, that should I eventually jump on the bandwagon, I'll enjoy the series. One thing I have read has to do with the immense success of J.K. Rowling.

Every career is different, and what works for one person might not work for the next. That being said, let's look at some of the items that have helped Ms. Rowling achieve unparalleled success. After all, she has sold 325 million books in under 10 years!

Use Delays to Your Advantage. It was during a four-hour train delay between Manchester and London that Rowling first put pen to paper about a young boy attending a school of wizardry. This is a reminder that whether you're stuck on a train, jammed in traffic or sitting alone before a meeting - use this "idle" time to your benefit.

Never Accept Rejection. This is a theme that always comes up from people who have achieved success. Perseverance is key. The manuscript for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was rejected not by one or two publishing house - but 12! Did Rowling use a magic wand to keep herself going? Not likely. This is a reminder to believe in yourself and be a true Goonie: never say die.

Hide Your Gender? Publishers did not want Rowling to use her first name (Joanne) for the fear that little boys wouldn't want to read a book by a chick. This is a reminder that to achieve widespread, mainstream success, you must appeal to the masses. Also, it's a reminder to improvise. Rowling only had one given name, so she borrowed the "K" from her favorite grandmother, Kathleen.

Peaks and Valleys. You don't need me to tell you that life ebbs and flows. But in your darkest moments, you must believe that things will once again turn upwards. In the late-90s Rowling was a recently divorced single-mom living on state benefits. Now, she's worth over $1 billion (the first writer to ever accomplish this feat by simply writing!) and one of the wealthiest females in the world (look out Oprah!). This is a reminder that your fortunes can change - and change quickly. Never drown in the mire when you're down or rest on your laurels when you're up.

Play games. Many of us resort to games like Mindsweeper or Solitaire when we're bored out of our minds at work. Rowling, used Mindsweeper to help her quit smoking. Instead of lighting a fag and playing mindlessly, she used the game to replace the urge. She eventually beat the darn thing. This is a reminder that you need to use every tool at your disposal to your advantage to make yourself the person you want to be.

I'm sure that fans of Rowling's can offer so much more than I can. I urge you to add a comment below on what we can learn from this woman who turned a great story into a billion-dollar franchise. Please share!