“Do one thing everyday that scares you.” – Eleanor Roosevelt.
I know that each and every time I push past my own fear, a little magic happens.
Yet, the advice from this quote isn’t always easy to follow.
And recently, I’ve been feeling stuck.
For the past few years, I’ve been talking about writing a book.
It’s something I know I will do, but there’s always an excuse keeping me from starting.
Here are some of the excuses I made to not get started:
- I don’t have to dedicate to writing EVERY day right now…
- I’m not sure what topic to start with…
- I should start this after this next workshop / event / etc. when I have more time…
- I’m not inspired today…I’ll plan to get started on Monday of next week…
- Next week…I’ll get started next week…
(Any of those sound familiar?)
And the reality of the situation is this:
Even when I DO sit down to work on this, I felt unsure and overwhelmed at how this all would work.
I’ve never written a book before, have no idea how publishing works, or even how to set up the layout and design part of things.
What if I did all of this work, dedicated all of this time, but then couldn’t make it come together into an actual book?
So I put the idea aside for a little while longer.
Then I met up with a good friend who just finished her first draft of her very first book.
I felt envious.
I wondered how she had managed to figure this all out…the planning, the self-discipline, the structure, the publishing…
And guess what she said?
She hired a book coach to guide her through the process.
Wait, what?
A book coach?
Of course!
Why didn’t I think of that?
As a coach myself, I know how important it is to have someone experienced and focused on what you’re trying to achieve to offer guidance, accountability, and tools of the trade.
I work every day to help my clients be their best – both in and out of the courtroom.
And I’ve seen how powerful the results are when lawyers adapt this thriving mindset that fuels their power and passion.
In fact, that’s exactly what I want to write this book about.
So I decided to take a leap and hire my own book coach.
Someone who could take my ideas and help me organize them into a powerful written message.
Someone who could recognize potential in areas I haven’t even fully explored.
And what happened next felt like pure magic…
After one conversation, doors that I hadn’t seen (but that were right in front of me) began to open. We talked about my message and how it would be shared, and she gave me a run down of the ins and outs of publishing based on her 30 years in the industry.
Most excitingly: she made me see that what I wanted was very possible and within reach.
So we began mapping out a detailed, strategic plan of action.
Fast forward 6 weeks:
I have now completed the full outline of my book and am writing every day.
We meet weekly, and I have deadlines and benchmarks to hit each week.
My coach has been pushing me past my need for perfection and instead encourages me to “just write.”
Could I be pushing myself to do this without help?
Of course I could.
But would I?
Probably not.
I think that while having someone to hold you accountable is a big part of having a coach of any kind, the other part that’s really important is the outside perspective and expertise.
I needed someone to take a look at what I’m doing at each step and tell me if it’s brilliant, garbage, or somewhere in between (so that I don’t waste time and energy going down the wrong rabbit hole).
Over the past couple of years, as I transitioned out of my law practice and into my coaching business, I’ve been a coach and guide for many amazing attorneys facing overwhelming stress, burnout and even hopelessness.
Having this experience of being on the other side of the table has been eye opening.
I can sum it all up in one word:
Gratitude.
I’m grateful to be in a place where I get to do what I love each and every day, and that this work involves being that guide for my clients.
And I am so very grateful to have a guide of my own on this new and exciting journey!
