“What everyone does wrong with book launches is it's such a selfish moment,”a friend told me yesterday when I asked for some book launch advice. Then he continued, “And it has to be.”
The words stung, because immediately I knew they were true.
As you know, my book The Art of Work launches today. If you've been waiting for it, you can now buy it on Amazon and get the audiobook for free, plus $250 in bonuses. But after so much effort expended on telling you to pre-order the book, it seems silly to spend one more blog post telling you to buy it.
Instead, I'd like to do something different. I'd like to thank all the people who made this, and everything I do, possible.
We all need community
There are three groups you need if you ever want to launch anything:
- A family. My wife has been incredibly supportive throughout this whole process, cheering me on with each obsessive check of the Amazon rank. And my almost-three-year-old has been quick to remind me that no matter how busy you are, there's always time for a lightsaber duel.
- A team. I couldn't have pulled this off on my own. My team, which consists of a wonderful assistant, bedazzled customer service rep, and incredible project manager, have helped me not lose my mind. Our book launch team members have been early adopters and constant encouragers. And my partners have helped the book reach brand-new audiences.
- An audience. It doesn't escape me that the books I write, the stuff I create, and how I make a living is all made possible by people like you who have given me the gift of attention. I try to not take that lightly.
In The Art of Work, I wrote that every story of success is really a story of community, but now I feel like I've lived it. The lessons I've learned both in writing and launching this book are:
- We all need people to remind us we are not doomed by our greatest failure or defined by our greatest success.
- You can only accomplish so much on your own. A race is no fun if you don't have anyone to meet you at the finish line.
- In any undertaking, the work you do is only as significant as the people it impacts. And if you're creating for your own amusement, the enjoyment you get doesn't come close to the satisfaction of making something and seeing it connect with another human being.
For me, there's something healthy about remembering that wherever I am in life, I did not get here alone. So today, we celebrate.
To everyone who pre-ordered the book and made it a success (it's currently a best-seller on Amazon), this is your day. To those who believed in the message and helped it spread, my hat is off to you. And to the amazing people whose stories are featured in the book, I am forever grateful.
Let's celebrate together
As part of the celebration, I want to invite you to the following festivities this week:
- When you get a copy of the book, snap a picture of you with it and upload it to Instagram. Tag me @JeffGoins and use the hashtag #artofworkbook. We'll randomly be giving away prizes to those who participate. If you want bonus points, write out a quote from the book and share it as an image (like this). Every day, we'll pick a winner.
- Order a copy of the book (paperback or eBook) through any retailer and submit your receipt at the book site, and you'll get a free copy of the audiobook plus $250 in other launch bonuses. This launch week exclusive expires at 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, Mar. 28, 2015.
- Register for my online book launch party, where I'll be sharing more about the book, answering any questions you have, and sharing what it takes to find your calling.
If you haven't bought the book and joined our community of dreamers yet (you get instant access to a private group when you order the book), you can pick up a copy of The Art of Work at:
And lots of other places. See what extra bonuses you can get when you order the book this week here.
What it all comes down to
So, are book launches selfish? They certainly can be. But do they have to be? “I think…” my friend continued at the end of our conversation, “love on people. Just show them the love.”
Maybe, as simple as it sounds, that's the answer. How do we catch ourselves in the midst of our own ambition when we're running too hard or too fast in a certain direction? Just love. Yes, I launched a book today. And if you buy it, that's awesome.
But I want to make one thing clear: none of this would have happened without you. I don't always know if I'm doing everything right or feel like I've got it all figured out. But when I'm surround myself with people who love me and remember to love them back, things tend to work out.
There is no better cure for selfishness and no better way to live your life — or, for that matter, launch a book — than to share it with others. Thanks for letting me do that.
Of course, I'd love your support with the book launch this week. But I couldn't pass up a chance to express my gratitude. This day belongs to you as much as it does to me… maybe more.
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What do you think? Share in the comments something you started that initially felt selfish but eventually became much bigger than you.
