When I decided to write a book, I told everyone it would be out in five months.
That was two years ago.
Here's the timeline of the journey so far...
2021:
July: my mentor forces me to write a book to meet cool people to coach.
Aug: I reach out to everyone in my circle to find creators and entrepreneurs to interview.
Sept: I realize I don't want to coach any interviewees; I just love talking to creators about what they've built.
Dec: Raiders of the Lost Podcast agree to an interview—first "big name" people in the book; I get more confident and reach out to bigger creators.
2022:
Feb: I interview Derek Sivers, the author and TED speaker who made me interested in entrepreneurship.
Mar: I use stickk.com to keep a writing habit; if I miss a day then I pay $100.
Apr: I interview the founder who wrote the article that inspired me to be an entrepreneur; she introduces me to the host of one of my favorite podcasts.
May: I interview my favorite YouTuber Eric Rosen—a chess streamer and the reason I play in chess tournaments; probably the highlight of my career.
June: I get rejected by my first publishing company.
Aug: interviewing creators inspires me to start a podcast where I talk to YouTubers.
Dec: I do my final interview with two besties who run a climate tech studio.
2023:
Jan: I begin writing my own solo chapters—one to three pages (equivalent to blog posts) of my own insights, stories, and tips on creativity.
Feb: I decide to self-publish.
Mar: I move to Argentina; the book takes a backseat as I focus on the podcast, my coaching business, and my travels.
May: I put the podcast on hold to focus on getting the book done and improving my business.
July: I decide to quit doing the podcast about YouTube and pivot toward content about what I know best: coaching.
I move to Colombia on September 8th.
The goal between now and then is to finish the first draft. Then I'll give it to a copy editor (spelling/grammar/punctuation) and a developmental editor (structure/sequencing).
While in Colombia, my main focus will be on editing and sharpening the book. It'll be as easy and fun to read as possible. I'll also use the Hemingway app to edit the book down to a 3rd-5th grade reading level.
Then in late October, I'm moving to Brazil with my girlfriend so I can meet her friends and experience her home country. During my time there, I'll self-publish the book on Amazon.
Finally, in mid-December, she and I will come back to the United States for a month. Aside from the holidays and family time, my efforts will be entirely set on promoting the book.
I'll reach out to every single person in my Facebook friends list, email list, and contacts. Not to spam, but to share what I'm confident will be an insanely valuable resource.
I'll also try to partner with some of the creators I interviewed. If they love the book, I'll ask them to share it with their audiences. There might be some affiliate possibilities. We'll see.
At some point last year, I was angry with myself that the book was taking so long.
People asked for it. I got distracted by shiny objects. I emailed interviewees ensuring them I'm not a snake oil salesman.
But as I write these final chapters, I'm grateful it's taken me longer than expected.
I've learned and experienced so much in these last two years. I interviewed some of my biggest role models. I've become buddies with several of them.
I have stories to tell. Tons of mistakes to share so others don't make them. Lessons to give only because I gave myself time to learn them.
Alex Hormozi said, "You can spend two months writing a book, and spend the rest of your life marketing it. Or you can spend two years writing a book and let it market itself forever."
I have no idea if Do The Thing! will be good enough to market itself for years to come. But I do know that I've thoroughly enjoyed writing and rereading it.
Whether it makes $10 or $100k, I can only hope it helps one aspiring creator do what they want to do.
To those who bought pre-sale copies: thank you for your patience. I promise it'll be worth it.
Just a little bit longer.
(If you want to secure a half-off signed copy, click below.)