Let's GO!

“People suck at following advice. Even the most effective people in the world are often terrible at it.” - Tim Ferris blog post, February 2024. 

He goes on:

“There are at least two reasons:

1. Most people have an insufficient reason for action. The pain isn’t painful enough. It’s a nice-to-have, not a must-have. There has been no “Harajuku Moment.”
2. There are no reminders. No consistent tracking = no awareness = no behavioral change. Consistent tracking, even if you have no knowledge of fat-loss or exercise, will often beat advice from world-class trainers.”

I’m a big fan of the work of Tim Ferriss. I enjoy both his blog and his podcast. And I really loved this blog post because it speaks to two of the major barriers people face when they decide to write a book.

Point 1. Nice-to-have vs. must-have

This is why, even for me – a 2x New York Times bestselling coauthor – it has taken me so long to commit to writing my own book. I wrote a memoir but didn’t get it published… because I didn’t have to and it felt uncomfortable to share the really personal stuff. I have had ideas for several other nonfiction books, but I haven’t seen them through until now… because I always prioritized something else – family, travel, my actual paid job. How could I make time for a project that might or might not ever yield financial returns?

What finally spurred me into action was the idea that a book really is a must-have for me. It’s foolish to be selling myself as a Book Guru and the CEO of Your Bestselling Book when I don’t have a book out there under my own name! 

And the moment I saw my book as a must-have, I somehow “found” the time to write it – in spite of being arguably busier with raising children, running a startup and managing life (with Kiran, of course) than I’ve ever been! 

How did that happen? This way:

Point 2. Consistent tracking 

I adopted James Clear’s recommendation in Atomic Habits. I set aside time after putting the kids to bed because I knew I could be consistent. Then I began writing 5 minutes a day. That’s it. So simple. So easy.  

I also started tracking those 5 minutes, writing it down on my smartphone. If I don’t do it, I feel bad – but I let it go every once in a while. The truth is, though, that most nights I write well beyond 5 minutes. 

Habit formation is critical!

WRITING TIP OF THE WEEK: Take Action

Commit, really commit, to taking action in one area of your life. It might be writing your book, it might be improving your diet, exercising more, getting out of the house more, making a new friend, dating… 

Whatever it is:

1. Figure out how to turn that goal from a nice-to-have into a must have. For example, read the scientific research showing how making friends, losing weight, or even healing old wounds through writing will make you stronger, healthier and live longer.
2. Develop a tracking system and commit to a 5-minute a day daily habit. I like rewards, such as allowing myself to watch 30 minutes of a show after I’ve done my writing for the evening. 
3. Now make it happen!

I’m here for you! Let me know what your goal is and what your plan is for attaining it by hitting Reply to this email.

Aloha,

MeiMei

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

You don’t rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems. Consistency in small steps wins over intensity. Form your goals around your identity.

~James Clear, Atomic Habits 

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When Alice was 31 years young, a cancer diagnosis threatened to take away her ability to become a Mama. She took bold steps to make sure she could become a parent by preserving her fertility, picking out an anonymous sperm donor and freezing her fertilized eggs (embryos). Six years later, her miracle son Dante was born.

Since her first appointment at the fertility clinic, Alice has dedicated her life to ensuring every woman can become a parent in any capacity—through natural conception, third party reproduction, IVF, fostering or adoption–with her nonprofit and entrepreneurial efforts.

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