In Uncategorized, What's Holding You Back?

Back in the 80’s when my father was 69, he wrote a book that sold over a million copies and continues to sell today.  He went on to write equally popular subsequent titles.  His book, The Yeast Connection,was the first popular book to talk about the chronic symptoms people could develop from candida,caused by taking broad spectrum antibiotics, diets high in refined carbohydrates and birth control pills.

The book was an overnight sensation.  In spite of originally self-publishing, my father was approached by Random House and written up in Publishers Weekly – almost unheard of.  He had read a book by Dan Poynter about self-publishing and realized that writing the book was just a small percentage of the work that was required.  So he was tireless in contacting radio shows, TV producers, newspapers, magazines and the like.

He never went anywhere without a big (and I mean really horribly large) button saying: Ask me about The Yeast Connection.  He even hired his grandchildren to walk around malls carrying the book with the title showing.  He never took a trip without having several copies to give to the flight attendants.  He was tireless – not so much to promote the book, but to promote the ideas and knowledge in the book.  And it worked.  He died 16 years ago this year, and for at least 10 years after his death I would get calls from someone desperately seeking Dr. Crook, or Dr. Billy, as he was known to his patients and in our community.

From my father I learned that even later in life writers can be successful.

The other day, I sat in the Dallas airport waiting for my flight to Vancouver and pulled out one of my Advanced Reader Copies for my book: Live Large – The Achiever’s Guide to What’s Next.  Even though I was reading another book, I strategically placed it on top of my computer bag, hoping someone would see it and ask me about it.

I had a chuckle thinking about my father, aware of how much of what we see in our lives influences what we do in our lives.  I was grateful to have his model.

Yet as well known and beloved as he was, he never saw himself as a “big wig”.  Oh no, those were other people, but not him.  Diminish your own work (he showed me), even when others are celebrating it.

We “inherit” lots of wonderful lessons and practices from our parents and others who helped raise us.  However, it’s important to discern which of those lessons really serve us and which to let go.

Thanks to great therapists and a fantastic coach, I let the lesson of diminishing my own work drop away.  I am learning to Live Large in my own life.  One of the reasons I wrote the book was to help others to Live Large as well.

What have you inherited that has helped you get where you are today?  What are you ready to let go of?  What do you want to pass on to others?

Let me know what you discover!

Until next Tuesday,

Elizabeth

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