I hope you are not reading further, unless you downloaded the ebook ;-)
In this post I talk about:
- Story for the book launch
- The upcoming webinar
- Interviews, Insights and Press
I started writing this book at the beginning of 2015 while I was on holiday in Phuket, Thailand. It was on my To-Do list for this year as a goal that I had always wanted to achieve. I wrote this book out of a passion to leave a legacy, a tool that my children might be able to pick up, and learn 75 valuable lessons from 25 stories that will boost their lives in ways that they could not have done without. You might think that I am nuts to start writing without actually having a plan before starting. I have to admit, you are probably right, but I had a clear goal and that was to publish this book within one year, by the end of 2015, and I have achieved that goal.
Looking back, the first couple of chapters were easy to write, as I was really motivated when I got started. As with anything, after a while it became a routine and the excitement dropped off. I began thinking that I should change the title of the book to “10 Stories I would tell my Younger Self”. I kept coming up with excuses why ten stories would be enough. But actually, it was just because I wanted to give myself a let-out clause! I am quite a slow writer and if I wrote two pages a day that was good progress. So what was the solution? I went out and told all my close friends that I was going to write 25 stories. So they all knew and I could not cut the number of stories down. Remember, we all have the same struggles - the difference is just how we deal with them. I am not naturally good at this, but I learned how to overcome it, and I have passed them on to you in this book. For my kitesurfing book I had a partner who did the illustrations and publishing, so now it was a whole new ball game finding someone to proof-read, draw the illustrations, design a good cover, and roll out the publishing. Without Bettina none of that would have actually been possible. Even when the book was finished, I wanted to cut the physical part and just leave it as an e-book. But guess what I had done already? I had told everyone that they could read a hard copy, so I had to deliver.
It was an amazing journey throughout this book while travelling through dozens of different countries and three different continents. Sometimes I was flying in Economy Class from Bangkok to Chiang Mai and other times it was on a business class flight from Zurich to Hong Kong. On a trip to Europe I had some melancholy thoughts, and then I wrote the sad chapters. Other times I just came home from a great basketball match or kitesurfing session and wrote the happy chapters. Sometimes I wrote in utter silence, while other times I listened to classical music. Authors say that when you write you find yourself, and I have to admit it is almost like meditation when clicking the keyboard and seeing the words appear on the laptop screen. This is my second book, and even though I am sure it will not be my last, it is especially important to me, as it allowed me to express my deepest life lessons that I would love to pass on to the world.
Many times people read success stories and books that focus mostly on a person’s current achievements, but most people reading the book are still on their initial steps of a long journey. I know how hard it is to go against the odds and even more, your family, friends, or today, social media, who tell you that you won’t make it. You might have already taken the first step on a new venture, but you get stuck with the fear of what these other people think of you, which paralyses you and stops you from raising your voice or letting your light shine, out of fear of what others may think. Remember, it is not about what others think; people will think what they want, irrespective of what you do. Be a person of virtue, and others will buy into you no matter what. There is no other way to overcome that initial fear other than to accept that it exists. I know it is hard, but just like anything else that is hard, it is totally worth it. I re-read many stories over and over again when I have doubts myself.
I want to thank once again all the people who made this book possible, especially: once again my partner Bettina, as without her, this book would have never been possible. Taking care of all those areas related to actually getting the book published, such as sourcing vendors, talking to suppliers, and dealing with the logistics, would have been impossible without her. Gillian Kew for editing and checking the final version, and giving me valuable feedback on the style.Terry Teemley for editing the first draft. Also, I would like to shout out a big thank you to all the podcasters, bloggers and marketers who helped me get the word out, so that people (maybe even you) get to know about this book. And of course all the other people who gave me feedback on the title, cover and layout. There are so many, I cannot name them all here.
We are running a free promo on Sunday 15th and Monday 16th to download the ebook for free - if you haven't done so - DOWNLOAD IT FOR FREE NOW!
If you want to help me spread the word (and I would be super grateful if you did!), then these are 2 things you can do:
- Tell as many people as possible to download the book on Sunday (15th) or Monday (16th) - it is free anyways - so nothing to lose, everything to gain!
- Leave an honest review on Amazon: http://geni.us/25Stories - if you like the book, let me know on there please and why. If you don't like it, do so as well - It is absolutely ok to voice your honest opinion. It will be helpful for future readers (who then have to pay for the book of course).
On Sunday at 9pm HKT or 2pm in Munich or 8am in New York, I will be hosting a webinar with the title: "3 things any college graduate should have learned in college (but probably didn't)" - I share 3 stories out of my book, that cover exactly this topic. If you want to be part of it - here is the Sign Up Link:
I have had many people reviewing the book and already leaving me wonderful feedback on Social Media and also on Amazon. I wanted to link a few very nice interviews and insights here, so feel free to check them out:
GERMAN/DEUTSCH! Mr. Do It Interview:
Kitesurfing Hanglos.nl:
The Enchanting Lawyer:
Bravepreneur:
Six Figure Side Gig:
Let me know any feedback in the comments below or on Social Media.
By the way, if you want to be the first to know about future updates, get on the Update list here: www.25stories.org/
Cheers,
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