Why This Was Hard for Me to Write
/Perhaps it’s the fact that Thanksgiving is right around the corner, but I struggled to write this week’s newsletter. After a great, but intense, few months since the debut of my new website and newsletter, I know I’m feeling a few of the after-effects that often follow a launch.
If you’re serious about making your mark as a thought leader, I’m betting you’ve experienced this fatigue as well. Someday, in the not-so-distant future – 3 to 6 months after the launch of your next book, program or website – you’ll have another one of these days (or weeks) when all you’ll want to do is grab a glass of wine (or chocolate) and binge-watch your favorite show.
It’s a Marathon, Not a Sprint
Regardless of your message, audience or business model, launches and intense phases are an inevitable - and valuable - part of the journey. While you certainly don’t want to miss out on the opportunities that surface in direct response to announcing your new book, certification program, workshop or website, this level of intensity is not sustainable.
Launches aside, it’s also easy to succumb to the constant internal pressure and sense of urgency to do “more, more, MORE,” which can also lead to burnout, especially if you forget to wear your CEO hat. When this happens, your motivation can take a nose dive, and your reactive decision to take “one week off” can turn into weeks or even months of inactivity.
Just like an exercise routine, proactively sharing your ideas and work doesn’t always feel exciting. Some days, you may not feel connected to your message or your audience and, as a result, may feel less than thrilled about delivering that webinar, writing your next chapter or reaching out to an industry partner to support your work.
Consistency or Quality or Both?
At first glance, it may seem that consistency is the entire solution. After all, it’s a powerful antidote to burnout and also one of the most important strategies you need to make a lasting impact. However, consistency is only part of the equation. Athletes know all too well that consistency without quality won’t win the game or produce the results you want.
Although I would have preferred to start my holiday this week, I wrote this newsletter because I had made a commitment to myself and to you to share this 10-part series (inspired by my new keynote for the Greenleaf Author Summit). I also knew that I had to do more than just sit down and write in order to produce a quality article. That’s why I took time to reflect on why this 7th principle is so timely and relevant for thought leaders like you and me. Once I did, I found the inspiration and fuel I needed to create a finished product that I felt was worth sharing.
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