For a long time I dreamed of seeing my book at #1 on Amazon; of more readers finding my books and transforming their lives, because the books is at #1 and actually has a chance at being shown to potential readers.
Problem was, I had no idea HOW I was going to make this happen. I didn’t know anyone who’d done it. And I had never done it before, so the steps were unknown to me.
So because I didn’t know HOW I was going to get my book to #1 on Amazon, I didn’t allow myself to want it. I just pretended that I didn’t care and that it didn’t really matter to me.
I even recall making fun of authors who called themselves “best selling authors” just from hitting #1 on Amazon. (And now I do it–ha!)
The point being, I did everything I could think of to downplay the fact that I really wanted to hit #1 on Amazon. Just because I didn’t know HOW to do it.
Thankfully this year, I finally accepted the lesson that was given to me over and over again for years… the HOW is NOT up to you.
What that means: HOW you do something isn’t what matters. It’s DOING SOMETHING that matters.
My Story
In February I came across an author who has published 47 eBooks–46 of which were best sellers on Amazon. It finally made me realize that if she could do it that many times, I could do it at least once.
Suddenly my fear of not knowing HOW I was going to do it shifted to a belief that I could do it.
At that point, the specifics of HOW didn’t really matter, because I was finally to a place where I not only wanted it, but I believed I could have it. It finally felt possible for me to be #1 on Amazon.
So I started writing in my journal every day that, “I am a best selling author” and “I am #1 on Amazon.” And then I started talking about wanting to hit #1. I even told my accountability buddy about it.
And then I made a decision: I would hit #1 on Amazon in 2016.
(Still at this point had no idea HOW I’d do it.)
Not long after, I got an email about a tool called Bestseller Ranking Pro. Out of no way, a HOW had shown up.
I could use this tool to find the right category to put my book in, so people can actually find it. And that will help me get to #1. Boom! I bought the software.
After looking through the BRP categories and info, I decided I was going to write an eBook about the structure of love stories. The “craft” category was a good fit for this book.
I wasn’t totally thrilled with that book idea, but it was an idea to get me started. Thankfully, right after that I got another idea–what if I took the 30-day challenge I just did to help me revamp my writing habits and turned it into an eBook?
That idea really inspired me, so I decided to put that book together and publish it first, and then go back and write the structure of love stories one.
The more practical side of me also had a thought: if I’m going to hit #1, I need to write and publish more books.
So I announced that I was going to write and publish 9 books in 2016. And then I got inspired to invite people to watch me as I wrote and published these books and turned one of them into a best seller.
(Still no real idea HOW I’d do this. Just some nudges and ideas.)
I published “Align Your Writing Habits to Success” in May and two days after it went live it hit #1 on Amazon. (And then my book, “The 15-Minute Writer”hit #1 in multiple categories two months after!)
I had achieved the goal of hitting #1 and being a best selling author on Amazon.
Looking back, I never had any idea HOW I’d do it. I just took whatever actions I could think of.
And that’s the whole point.
It’s NOT about the specific actions that you take. You can take actions that seem random and if you’re still moving in the direction of your desired outcome, the right HOW will eventually show up and you’ll get there.
My story is the perfect example–I was planning on a totally different book hitting #1 by me using the BRP tool and writing a book for a specific category; and a book I never even expected to have hit #1 did, multiple times. (Pretty much shuts up the “you need to know HOW” argument, right?)
How I achieved a #1 best seller on Amazon didn’t happen because of any one thing I did. It happened because of ALL the things I did–this year and all the years leading up to this one.
The HOW that gets you to your desired end result can only be found by creating momentum. And you create momentum by taking action–any actions–that move you in the direction you want to go.
The actions can be simple, easy things and still be powerful enough for the Universe to meet you half-way.
Because the Universe doesn’t care what actions you take. Big or small. Super risky or playing it safe. It just cares that you’re DOING SOMETHING. (Although the bigger, bolder actions always pay off more than staying in your comfort zone.)
Want to become a published author? Write a book. Show up every day and put words on the page. Learn the steps in the self-publishing process. Do your research.
The specific HOW that gets you to the desired end result of being a published author will show up as a result of you doing all those other things.
What you don’t want to do is decide you want something and then sit on your ass thinking it’s just going to show up one day. ‘Cause it doesn’t work like that, sorry.
10 Steps to Making Shit Happen
If you’re been feeling stuck or frozen because you don’t know HOW you’re going to achieve something, or because you’re overwhelmed by HOW much there is to learn and know and do… I’m gonna simplify it for you in 10 basic steps:
- Take a deep breath and relax–it’s not that serious.
- Remind yourself that you’re in the right place, exactly where you are right now.
- Write down your desired end result (one or more).
- For each end result you want, make a list of all the things you can think of right now that you could do to move in that direction. It doesn’t matter if the steps are out of order, totally random, or make no practical sense; just write everything down that comes to you.
- Choose one of the steps/actions you listed and do it right now.
- When that action is done, do the next one. (Whichever one pops out to you as the one to do next.)
- Repeat steps 5-6.
- Add any new inspired actions and ideas to the list as you go.
- Act on as many of the actions and ideas from your list as you can.
- Trust that any specific HOW you need to get you to that final end result will show up as a result of you doing steps 5-9.
And there you have it–get the hell out of the HOWS and stay focused on the end result.
Share With Us
What have YOU been holding off or playing small on because you don’t know HOW you’ll make it happen? Share in the comments!
