The Long Game
As many of you already know, this week I became a published author. Publishing a book has been a dream of mine, but I kept it to myself for so many years. When I finally mustered the courage to admit to someone that I had this lofty goal, it took another 10 years after that to finally start pursuing it. I think what put me off for so long was the overwhelming feeling of playing the long game. It wasn't until Spring of 2018 when I decided to actually start writing with a book in mind.
At the time I didn't even know what I wanted to write, but I just knew that if I was going to achieve this dream I had to start somewhere. I remember googling "how long does it take to publish a book" and learning that the whole process from start to finish would be at least 18 months. I knew for myself - someone who was working 60+ hour weeks, volunteering regularly, and did not have endless funds (meaning I would have to save up strategically to self-publish) - it would take far longer than that. I remember reading that and already feeling defeated.
How on earth could I start a goal knowing it would be several years before I reached the finish line? I wanted to give up before I even got started.
During a Forbes interview, Dorie Clark, author of The Long Game, talked about one of the secret ingredients to succeed at long-term goals:
"You have to operate on faith alone for a while. That's very hard for a lot of people, and it is tough if you are not part of a community that's supporting you or you don't have a coach who is encouraging you."
This week I sent text messages to a handful of close friends and family to tell them that my book was available on Amazon. I honestly hadn't even thought too hard about whether or not it was a good idea to share it so soon. I should probably have had a more thought out marketing strategy (or any strategy, for that matter) but in the moment I wanted to share it with my community because you all have been a key part of my success. I know for certain that I would not have gotten here without you.
It was my husband Andrew who encouraged me to just start writing: don't get lost in the details right now, just write. At the time I was mourning the loss of my brother, and so I started with journal entries to myself. Later, I started the blog MourningRun (which is now apparently a domain owned by a band) and wrote on that for about a year and a half. Through that time friends and family would send me emails, encouraging me in my writing and telling me how my words impacted them. Later, when I ended that blog and started KristenBHubler.com with only myself on the email list, you all joined. For the past year and a half so many of you regularly respond to the Sunday Starter each week, telling me how the post inspired you. I can't tell you how much those meant to me and how they have kept me going when I started to doubt myself.
The long game is hard, and we often don't start because we don't know enough about what we're doing to even know where to begin; we become paralyzed by the bright white glare of the blank page. So let me give you a new place to begin. Forget about whatever goal you want, and first make sure you have a great community. Surround yourself with people that will cheer you on and when they tell you that you can do it, believe them, thank them, and support them right back. That is the type of support that gets you to the end of the game.
What was amazing about this week, is that just 24 hours after my book was released so many of you purchased it that I am on Amazon's Hot New Releases list. No one has even read it yet, so this win has nothing to do with anything in the book and everything to do with the amazing community I have. Thank you for cheering me on with your words and actions. I hope The Impossible Box inspires you to play the long game and gives you the tips and strategies you need to make it to the end.
