“Look well to this one day, for it and it alone is life. In the brief course of this day lie all the verities and realities of your existence; the pride of growth, the glory of action, the splendor of beauty. Yesterday is only a dream, and tomorrow is but a vision. Yet each day, well lived, makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and each tomorrow, a vision of hope. Look well, therefore, to this one day, for it and it alone is life.” ― Sanskrit
As I write this Hurricane Milton is set to strike Tampa on Florida’s West coast in less than 12 hours. The path right now cuts through central Florida and Orlando and on to the Atlantic Ocean. It’s a nervous making time because Mother Nature can be so unpredictable. Now they’ve even added a tornado warning. The prep is done, now we wait.
Now, I can either worry or I can be productive and switch my attention back to the present moment. As Eckhart Tolle writes in The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment, it’s important to “Realize deeply that the present moment is all you have. Make the NOW the primary focus of your life.”
My NOW is writing this post. Maybe your NOW is writing your non-fiction book. But you may be having trouble getting started.
You may worry that:
· Your idea isn’t good enough.
· You’re choosing the wrong idea to focus on.
· You can’t write a book that makes sense.
· You can’t write a book that sells.
It’s easy to give into nerves and anxiety. Instead, focus on the present moment.
Ask yourself:
· How could the work that you’re doing right now with clients and patients be material for the best book you can write?
· What’s working day to day? What’s not? Where do you see progress?
· What inspires you about your work?
· What does your intuition tell you is the secret sauce? What combination of modalities? A method or plan?
· Can you look at what you do from a different perspective? For example, I’m a published author but now also look at the written page from another perspective as an editor and book coach. How can a new perspective inspire you to write something great?
What one thing can you do today to move your book forward? Besides pondering these questions, you can:
Take notes when you’re working with clients, and you see patterns of growth. Is one method or plan leading to more positive outcomes? This can help you formulate one plan that works and lead to a marketable book idea.
Start a journal as you brainstorm book ideas and collect pertinent information related to each one.
Use Evernote to keep track of your ideas, clippings and research on how-to write a non-fiction book.
The point is starting. How can you make best use of the Power of Now?
Until Next Time!
Need help on your publication journey?
Contact me when you’re ready if you need:
1. A manuscript evaluation for a big picture, smallest detail overview.
2. A developmental editor to structure your book, and make the text clear, concise, and reader friendly.
3. A book coach to be your guide, cheerleader and support as you write or re-write your book proposal and book.
4. If you’d like a free copy of my PDF: Is it a Book? The Ten Step Roadmap to Writing Your Best Book.
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