Why Walking Away from My Book Deal Was the Best Decision I’ve Ever Made
For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be an author. Not just someone who writes—but someone who publishes books that matter. Books that shift perspectives, spark action, and create real change in people’s lives.
So, in 2019, when I landed a book deal, I thought, This is it. This is my dream coming true.
But almost immediately, something felt… off.
I was trying to write the book they wanted—the one I thought would make the publisher happy, the one that would fit neatly into what they believed the market needed. But every word felt forced, every chapter felt hollow.
Soon every email with the editor was wrestling match. I tried to adjust to her expectations but it just wasn’t working.
What I didn’t know at the time was that this book deal—the very thing I had wanted for so long—was actually a test.
🤨 A test of my commitment to my Great Work.
🤨 A test of my willingness to hold strong to what I believed.
🤨 A test of whether I had the courage to walk away from a sure thing in order to pursue a true thing.
Walking away from that book deal felt like the end.
But really, it was just the beginning.
Lesson 1: We Can Have What We Want
When I was eight years old, I dreamed of being an author. I pictured my book on shelves, imagined people reading it, and envisioned the impact my words could have.
And then, decades later, it happened. I signed a contract. I had a book deal.
It’s easy to look back and say, “Well, it didn’t work out,” but that’s not the whole truth.
The truth is: I wanted a book deal, and I got a book deal.
That matters.
Even though it didn’t turn out the way I had hoped, it proved something to me: My vision, even the “craziest” part, was possible.
So is yours!
And if it were possible once, it would be possible again—on our terms.
Lesson 2: See Challenges as the Test, Not the Stop Sign
I tried so hard to write their book. The one the publisher wanted. The one I thought would make everyone happy.
But the deeper I got, the more I realized: I don’t like this book. They don’t like this book. And even if I finish it, it won’t be a book I believe in.
And that was when I had to make a decision:
Do I stick with something that no longer feels right, just because it’s a “sure thing”?
Or do I take the terrifying leap and walk away, trusting that something better is waiting?
At the time, walking away felt like failure.
It felt like I was giving up on my lifelong dream.
In hindsight, though, I see it clearly:
That book deal wasn’t my Great Work—it was a test of my Great Work.
🤩 Could I be the kind of champion my Great Work needed?
💪 Could I hold strong to what I believed?
🌈 Could I trust that something better was waiting for me?
The answer, as it turns out, was yes.
Lesson 3: The Magic of Alignment
When I let go of the book deal, something amazing happened.
I sat down to write my book—the book that had been calling my name all along. And suddenly, it was as if the river of ideas rose up to greet me.
Words poured out.
Concepts clicked into place.
Writing felt exciting again.
That book became Great Work—and it resonated with readers in a way I never could have imagined.
Because it was true.
Because I had passed the test.
Lesson 4: It’s Time for an Update
Now, 3 years later, I’m thrilled to share that a brand-new edition of Great Work is coming out on June 10th!
This second edition includes an all-new chapter on something that has only become clearer to me over time:
The magic of community and how it can unleash our Great Work.
Because while Great Work starts as an internal calling, it truly comes to life when we surround ourselves with people who believe in it, challenge us, and help us bring it into the world. Behind every breakthrough is a conversation that sparked a new idea, a mentor who offered guidance at the perfect moment, or a SQUAD of like-minded people who refused to let us give up on our vision.
I’m certainly aware that the Great Work, the Journal, Community and Series— none of it!— wouldn’t have made it out into the world without my community.
Your Great Work Is Worth It—Even During the Hard Parts
Also, none of this would have been possible if I hadn’t walked away from what I thought was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
So, if you’re in the thick of it—questioning, struggling, wondering if you should take the easy path or the true path—I want to remind you of this:
Your Great Work is always worth it.
😭 Even when it’s hard.
🔚 Even when it feels like an ending.
🙈 Even when you can’t see what’s next.
Trust the process.
Stay in the river.
And know that something better is waiting for you on the other side.
Join me IRL for Support and Community
While you wait for the second edition of Great Work to land on your doorstep, do you want help unleashing your Great Work?
Join me for my live, monthly class: The Great Work Series!
These live classes dive deeply into critical skills and common roadblocks to Great Work. Plus, they put you in a community of people who absolutely believe in your Great Work.
There’s nothing else like it.
