You’re scrolling through your newsfeed on Facebook when you see a friend’s post. She has just published a book. Damnit! What a great title! Why didn’t I think of that title? You have mixed emotions. You’re happy for her, but a little sad and a little scared. You’re pretty impressed–man, how did she get that out SO FAST?–and yet you have the strange feeling of being robbed. Like she stole your thunder. Why didn’t I write that book?
You fumble to click the link and scan through the Amazon page.
You realize you’re envious. You want what she has. You want to do what she did!
What this beautiful person did was take action. She created something. She wrote what she knew and then she shared it with the world.
She leaned into discomfort.
And you didn’t.
Does it feels like Everybody Else is getting their book done and you’re stuck on the table of contents? The only difference between “Them” and you is action.
But where do you start?
Start where you are. Start any damn place. Take one action towards writing your book right this second.
Close your eyes. See yourself a year from now. Hear the ring at the doorbell. It’s UPS and they have just delivered an ordinary brown cardboard box. It’s heavy, large. You jump with glee and thank the delivery driver profusely. You run to find a knife, scissors, a pen…ANYTHING to get this box open. You rip it open furiously, you can’t get into it fast enough. And there laying in all its glory is YOUR BOOK.
Picture the title.
See your name.
Bask in the beauty of the front image.
Pick up your book.
Feel the weight of the book in your hands.
See yourself calling your closest friend and bleating out with excitement that the very first copy of your book is in your hands right now. Picture all the selfies you are going to take with your book, imagine posting it on social media. Visualize mailing copies to your friends and family. Picture your parents calling you to say they got your book in the mail! This time it’s YOUR turn to brag. You are so proud. All your hard work has paid off.
Now open your eyes.
Go right now and open a folder on your computer and title it “My book”. Hit save and go get drunk with your friends.
You have started writing your book. That is a place to start. And tomorrow is another day.
Keep doing the visualization every day for a week and taking one small action towards writing your book.
Any small action is better than no action. And remember, done is better than perfect.
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