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Unlearning How To Write A Book

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I have a perfect record of solid D+’s in English littered throughout my high school career. Reading and writing have never been my strong points. I’m a weak speller, terrible at grammar, and struggle to sit down at a desk for much longer than an hour without anxiously wanting to stand up and move around.

Crafting perfect prose was never a burning ambition of mine. Yet, when opportunity knocked, I answered and applied the practice I do every time such situations arise: I say “Yes!” and give it a try. Worst case, I discover that whatever it is, it’s not for me. Best case, something magical and beyond my expectations happens.

Chances are, you may only know me as an author. My latest book, Unlearn: Let Go of Past Success to Achieve Extraordinary Results, will be published by McGraw-Hill. I’m particularly excited about this book because it has provided me with a unique opportunity to dive deeply into the idea that unlearning is the fundamental key to leadership, and ultimately, individual and organizational success.

I’ve found it fascinating the number of people who have asked me exactly how I accomplished this feat. How did I attract the attention of a publisher? How did I manage to run an international consultancy practice, maintaining personal commitments and protecting family experiences while finding time to write a book? How did I muster the discipline to put fingertips to keyboard each day and physically write the book?

It wasn’t easy. But I did it, and you can too.

In this brief piece, I’ll outline for you my own writing journey, which required me to unlearn what I thought I knew about writing books.

If you have any questions about the writing or publishing process I haven’t addressed, please feel free to reach out and ask. And please share your own experiences too. I’m happy to provide any additional insights I can to help you, and others write that one book that’s in us all.