Flexibility and Outcome

For the past five years, I have been earnestly working on writing my first solo book. The concept originally started with musings on my walk to my old corporate job. Then I wrote a few essays and ideas. None seemed to take shape. After leaving corporate America, I knew it was the time to make it happen. I would go away for a few days on our boat and write standing in our cabin for hours and hours each day. In an amazingly short period of time, I had a completed manuscript. And it wasn’t very good.

I thought it was great and amazing as I wrote it, but it was closer to a cathartic cleansing for myself versus a piece of substance that could help others. Writers always say it is editing not the initial writing which is difficult. I always thought I would have no problem with this because I have a fair handle on the English language. What I did not realize is this meant content editing not line editing, meaning it is about the structure, framework, and pacing of the piece not a type-o here and there.

On I went through new structures and titles – Gray Matters, Unleashing the Power of Acceptance, Balance and Choice, and on and on. Finally I found the right framework, From Type-A to Type-ME: Daily Habits to Take Back Your Life. For what seemed like the three millionth time, I re-wrote the material. This year I have submitted it once again to publishers and am making plans for self-publishing if that is the route I need to take. The book is finally ready to become a reality.

This entire process has been about flexibility and releasing outcome. If I would have held on to my first concept, I would never have been able to release the powerful book I have now. I released titles, frameworks, lessons, tools, and deadlines. As a recovering Type-A, it was difficult at times to release a path I was on and change direction.

Interestingly the more I held on to “how things had to be” the more pain and stress I felt. Every time I recognized and accepted a need to change – even when it meant scrapping months or years of work – I felt peace and I could see how the shift made things better.

My final shift is in format. As I was nearing the completion of my 70,000 word book, I heard that less than 20% of people who buy a book actually read the whole text. As I already knew that only a small percentage of those who read a book, do the work outlined in a manuscript I realized that the number of people’s lives I could affect with my book was very small. Time for the biggest shift. Time to be flexible. Time to release what I thought was the outcome. At this time I have decided not to publish my book. Instead, I am moving the text, tools, lessons, and stories into a year-long online program. The concept for the book was to help people to incorporate the Type-ME Daily Habits I uncovered into their own lives. The power of this work is in implementation, not just awareness. Although it is difficult to release years and years of work and expected results – my book on Amazon and then hopefully into your hands – I know making the transition to a program is the right way to go. It is the way to reach and affect more people tha
I could ever do through the book alone.

Look at your goals in life. What is moving smoothly for you? Where are you having trouble completing things? Is this perhaps not the right time, way, or means to complete your goals? Where can you be flexible? Where do you need to release your outcome? Share with us your thoughts.