I’ve been very intentional about how I refer to the expectations of my book.
I had a “release”, not a “launch”.
The book has a 10 year mission. I will evaluate its impact and success only after 10 years.
I’ve asked readers to share the book with the people in their lives that will benefit from reading it. I’m giving the book the space it needs to let that happen.
Because we live in a world of metrics and numbers, I decided I should have some sort of sales goal. And then I decided to break the rules.
My book has a sales goal of: 1.
Once my book made its first sale, it was a commercial product. Someone agreed to its value and used their money to buy it. (Shout out to Frolic 100 member Michael for being that person!)
Whether it sells a million after that doesn’t really make a difference to me. It’s a published book commercially available.
I created the book I wished someone had given me. I am extremely proud of it. It’s a literal representation of me overcoming the greatest crisis of my life. I was “complete” the moment the book went for sale and was released to the world. I know it will help the people it will help, in a way that nothing else could, because it is my story. Everything now is gravy.
Just as I’ve learned to stop comparing the money I make to other people, I will not compare my book sales.
I created a game that I won the moment I decided to play it. Write and publish a book. That game was completed with the first sale. There’s nothing more I need to do.
I feel liberated from the pressures of nothing ever being enough. As I write this, I can see this is literally in complete contrast to last week’s article. I simply noticed something, paid attention to it, and here I am with a solution and I can feel the peace it has given me.
I often find people are inspired with new thinking simply by being in the room with me. I invite you to allow that possibility now for you. Imagine I was with you as you ponder a challenge in your life; what advice do I have for you at this moment that’s the most important thing you could hear?
