The Scariest Thing I’ve Ever Done…..

Telling my story is the scariest thing I’ve ever done. If you know me, you’d think it would be getting up in front of a crowd. But, no. It was several nights sitting on my couch writing down my story. Let me start at the beginning.

Howard Partridge, a business coach and the owner of Phenomenal Products, Inc., asked several business owners participating in his inner circle coaching program if they would like to contribute to his next book. I was lucky to be one of those business owners and I jumped at the chance. I sat down and I hammered out 20 plus pages in just a few hours. I was excited! “I totally got this!” I thought to myself. “Writing is EASY!” I put the manuscript aside and got busy on real work…..

A couple weeks later, I came back to the manuscript and read it cover to cover. I was left completely and utterly cold. There was nothing of ME in what I wrote. I wasn’t moved, I wasn’t inspired and I certainly wasn’t excited. After a small (MAJOR) panic attack I deleted the file and decide to start over from scratch. EEK!

Here’s what I love about my favorite books, be they fiction or non-fiction, they MOVE me. They make me think. They make me dream. They make me ask questions. And, they ALWAYS beg to be shared. My original manuscript did none of these things. It was a one-dimensional representation of the me I thought people would want to see. Nothing more, nothing less.

It took me days, tears, and potfuls of coffee to finally complete a manuscript that scared the crap out of me. It scared me because it was the REAL me. It was vulnerable. It was a story of failures. It was quirky. It was sad. It was honest. And worst of all? I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER WHO IS GOING TO READ IT! Anyone can learn how I failed to lead. Anyone can learn about my crazy childhood. Anyone…..

How did I stop being so scared? I haven’t. Not in the least. What I have done is decide if my story helps one person on their journey to becoming the best version of themselves move just a bit further down that path, then it’s worth it. That is what will make it a “best seller” in my book (pun intended). One life touched.
PS – the book comes out THIS Friday, January 27th on Amazon. Just breathe Shaneh, just breathe……