Today is the first time I will be showing any of the material from my book to anyone outside my family and my editor. This will be the first of many updates, sneak previews, and leaks of my book that will be showing up in the coming weeks. The book is currently projected to be published in early January of 2014 so get ready, because it will be hitting the Amazon bookstore just after the new year!
First I would like to start with the story behind why I decided to write this book and my mission in pursuing this life long dream.
When I first moved out to Wisconsin to start my first job out of college I found myself facing many of the “real world” challenges that I had heard so bleakly described by other recent college graduates. Repetitive, uninteresting days that pale in comparison to what college once was. I heard many recent grads and long time grads talk about how, “the glory days,” were behind them and saying things like, “it’s all down hill from here.” Although many said it with a laugh or in a joking tone you could feel a sense of sincerity in their voices, almost a belief that maybe in fact the best years of their lives had already passed.
Sitting in my apartment alone one day I was thinking to myself, “Man, I would really like to write a book, a book that would inspire people to change their lives…” then began the incessant stream of buts, essentially me rationalizing and justifying why that dream couldn’t or wouldn’t happen.
I would love to write a book but…
I don’t have time…
How would I get it published…
What would I write about…
How would I sell it…
And the list goes on and on. Finally after reading some inspirational books, spending time on Finerminds.com, watching motivational Youtube speeches, and immersing myself in literature and media that challenged common ways of thinking it finally hit me. “What is stopping me from starting a book right now?”
The “buts” naturally rose up again but I repeated the question and realized, there was nothing stopping me but myself. As is the case many times when someone decides to pursue a dream, usually they are the only one in their own way but they want to blame outside factors or individuals for their lack of success. This was one of my first, biggest steps towards challenging my own preconceived notions about what is “possible” and just going for it. I didn’t know how I would publish it, who would edit it, or any of those things. The important thing was to do what I could, right now, and then figure out the rest as I worked through it.
The first draft of the book was 60 pages then after reaching out to my editor and getting some feedback on an excerpt I sent her, it has climbed to 109 pages total. I sent the latest draft off to her and will be working with her in the coming weeks to edit, format, and create the final version.
On an important note, I wanted to make sure I wasn’t doing this for money. Naturally when I started the process the idea of paying off my student loans and taking a big trip started dancing around my mind but I knew that if I did this for the wrong reasons, the results would not be what I knew they could be. During a conversation with my dad he said, “If you don’t want this to be about money, take money out of the equation… donate it.” I realized that was the way for me to show myself whether or not writing was something I was really passionate about. If I could write a whole novel and enjoy the process knowing it was not all about money, that would be the way to show myself that I truly love writing.
I can very happily say that I now love writing more than ever and that all the money I make in the first three months of book sales will be donated to My Team Triumph. This is the organization that inspired the book and a group I have come to love during my time in Wisconsin. They enable challenged athletes to participate in endurance events (to find out more click the link below)
So that means, everything I make from selling this book for the first 3 months of sales will go to support this incredible organization! Please, tell your family, friends, and complete strangers to buy this book and help My Team Triumph to continue helping them make dreams come true.
The book is currently titled, “The First Step” (subject to change) and details the story of Will, a young man searching for purpose and discovering how to pursue his passions by deciding to run his first ever half marathon with My Team Triumph. This story is meant to motivate and inspire everyone to pursue their dreams, the dreams that deep down in their heart they know will fulfill them, make them jump out of bed with excitement every single day, and allow them to make a difference in others’ lives.
Now, without any further adieu , the first preview of my book…
“On any given day, in any moment we can choose to make a change. We can choose to make ourselves better, to challenge ourselves more, to accept the fact that we can make all our dreams come true if we have the courage to see that as our reality.”
Today was that day for Will. He decided right in that moment that he would stop squandering his potential and would start working even harder every day to make a difference for people and pursue his dreams. He knew that at times that would get difficult, at times it would be challenging, at times he would fail, but ultimately he knew that he would never stop getting up after he fell. This reminded him of something Coach Enderson always used to say,
“You can’t let one missed step, one bad play, or one bad game get in your head. You gotta pick yourself back up when you get knocked flat on your back knowing the next play will be the one where you are gonna change everything and make that big play.”
Every time he fell he knew from here on that he would pick his head up out of the mud, look at the road ahead, get up and take one more step. Another idea popped into his mind for his notebook:
“With every failure you are presented with an opportunity; to accept defeat, or to learn. When you choose to accept defeat and remain the same, you do not grow, you do not prosper, and you let the defeat tear you down. You let the fear of change keep you in the same place you have always been but that you know you don’t want to be at.
When you choose to learn, you never fail. Failure only comes when you decide not to learn from the experiences life presents you with. When you learn to make each setback a lesson; every step you take forward is actually moving you closer and closer to your goal.
Ultimately it is those people who do not fear setbacks and who are willing to continually learn that will find success in everything they do.”
Please leave comments and let me know what you think!
Mom, you continue to inspire me every day, I love you and Dad with all of my heart and will continue to use the lessons you have taught me to make a difference in the lives of others.
I love you,
Brian