Earlier this month my book, 21 Days to Live Life Stronger, was published. It felt like a massive achievement and something I had wanted to complete for some time.
I had three reasons for wanting to write the book, but it was only really when I had a much bigger ‘Why’ to finish the book, that it got completed.
And what I discovered is that when we have a bigger why, the how and when becomes so much easier; and procrastination disappears.
I had 3 reasons for writing the book; firstly I had wanted to write this book for at least a year. Through my coaching and online programmes, I have been helping women overcome the challenges that they uniquely experience at mid-life (for more on this, click this link for my free ebook: Top Ten Challenges for Women at Midlife), but I wanted a way of reaching more people and to do it in a way that was inexpensive and easy to access.
Now, whilst this was a very good reason, it just wasn’t enough to give me sufficient motivation to actually get the book finished. I found myself making excuses, filling my time with other things and never really committing to finishing the book.
I needed something more. I needed an even bigger reason to motivate myself to getting the job done.
This bigger 'Why', and my second reason for writing the book, came about during a conversation in February 2023 with a good friend of mine, Julie Rose. Julie told me she was embarking on the London to Paris bike ride, again, in June, just 4 months away.
This might seem ambitious for anyone, after all it is 348 miles over 4 days, but this is particularly remarkable for Julie, who was diagnosed with Stage 4 Thyroid Cancer in October 2020. The diagnosis and early days of treatment was bleak and full of fear for Julie. At the time she had 3 children under 15, and as a single mum faced with a terminal diagnosis she struggled to comprehend a future for herself or her family.
Despite this, and through her own tenacity she was able to get a referral to the Royal Marsden Cancer Hospital and was given an opportunity on a clinical trial which so far, has transformed the outlook for her. How long this will be the case is anyone’s guess right now, but Julie is a brave and courageous woman who has dedicated her life to helping other people find answers and treatments to their own cancer diagnoses.
This brings me to my third reason for writing 21 Days to Live Life Stronger was to raise money for Julie’s fund-raiser for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity at the same time as she was riding the London to Paris bike ride. I wanted to do something to raise money and cycling is just not my thing, so I thought about what my skills and strengths are, and came up with the idea to actually finish the book and donate the proceeds of the first 348 books (to match the miles covered in the challenge).
So, having a much bigger reason to actually finish the book, gave me the motivation that I needed.
I know lots of people suffer from procrastination, particularly when up against a deadline, but here’s my challenge for you. Find a bigger why.
Find the reason outside of yourself that will enable you to do great things. Because we all have it within ourselves to do remarkable things. How often have you put things off, or said to yourself that you ‘can’t do it’?
My book, 21 Days to Live Life Stronger, guides the reader through a 21 Day plan to help develop emotional resilience and improve mental health. I firmly believe that when we feel psychologically strong we are better able to make positive choices, improve our relationships and simply be able to Live Life Stronger.
And when we Live Life Stronger we do remarkable things.
So, if you are interested in improving your emotional wellbeing, are curious about self development and would like the warm glow of giving to a very worthwhile cause, then don’t hesitate to purchase the book on the link below. It will take you straight to Amazon, but you can follow me on social media for regular updates on the amount raised and where it is being spent.
