I called her the next day and asked her if that was all she really wanted. Here was an opportunity to expand her work in the world in a huge way: as a WEALTHY Woman Coach, as a radio host and as co-founder of Own it, Sister! Instead of just a few chapters, what if she could have a first draft of her entire book?
Sarah quickly saw the potential, “Okay, I’m in. 8 Weeks. A first draft.” Later that week, Sarah e-mailed me to say that she planned to write a full first draft but not of her memoir–of a workbook she could use in teleseminars and workshops with potential clients and current coaching clients. This book would serve much more as a tool to grow her business and support the work of her current clients as well.
Eight weeks after our conversation, Sarah completed the program with a first draft in hand. She taught a workshop the following Saturday using her new workbook. (Just a couple of months earlier that book didn’t even exist!). Participants loved her class and wanted to continue with a 6 week follow up class.
I asked Sarah, if she had to share three secrets to creating a book in eight weeks, what would they be? Here’s what she said:
1. Allow yourself to receive coaching and support that calls you to commit to a goal that is more thrilling than anything you would have created on your own, and that keeps you showing up weekly on the calls and being accountable to yourself. In my case, opening to Lisa’s coaching and support — and the support of classmates — helped me to expand my goal and stay accountable.
2. Invite in and receive the guidance of your muse, your inner creative resource and writing ally, who will totally assist you to work with your fears, blocks and resistance to the goal you’ve created. At one point, I didn’t know how to proceed with the structure of the exercises in my workbook. I asked and received a very clear image of a garden. Out of that simple guidance, the book developed into an Almanac to “cultivate your Sacred Wealth Garden.” Not sure I would have thought of that on my own.
3. Set up a daily/weekly schedule that reflects your commitment to getting the book done. For me, I had to be willing to get up at 4:30 every morning so that I could have 2 hours of uninterrupted (by kids, work, phone calls, etc.) time to focus and write. Those daily 2 hours were the demonstration of my commitment to “get ‘er done!”
So… what might you accomplish in 8 Weeks? Challenge yourself!
