Flying Lessons: How I Learned to Soar in Life, Love and Business

As a writer you often have several ideas for books floating around in your imagination. I started writing my new novel Body in the Trunk, which I intend to release next spring at the RT Book Lovers Convention in New Orleans. I've had another book idea floating around, too, and it's officially titled Flying Lessons: How I Learned to Soar in Life, Love and Business. It's a compiled inspirational/self-help book that is designed to teach people through personal stories how to succeed. Now I'm not talking about monetary success. I've had plenty of monetary success, but certainly not at the millionaire level. It's more about what kind of mindset and outlook on life removes barriers and negative thinking that traps people into mediocrity and accepting far less than they deserve. I placed this quote on Facebook yesterday, and I think it states the theme of the book very well:

Never, ever, ever aspire to a life of mediocrity! You are better than average. Always aspire for the stars and then soar!

I know some pretty brilliant and incredible people who under certain circumstances settle for mediocrity -- whether it's in life, love or business. Maybe they've tried to succeed in these areas many times and nothing panned out. Tired, broke or frustrated, they throw in the aspirations and settle for "OK" or what I call in the book "vanilla pudding". I personally feel that settling for vanilla pudding or milk toast isn't very inspiring. The best part of Flying Lessons is that I'm writing it from the point-of-view that we can all soar, but the climb doesn't have to involve material riches. You don't have to become the next Oprah Winfrey to aspire to greatness in whatever you're doing. Not settling for mediocrity in my mind means going for the Gold Standard in whatever you're doing. If you're a great sales person, for example, aspiring for greatness in sales. If you're looking to get married not just marrying the next guy you meet that meets none of your personal needs, but he is willing to marry you. If you open a business it means not being happy that you only paid your bills or that your product works. 

If you're one of my Facebook followers and you've enjoyed some of my inspirational quotes, I think Flying Lessons is going to appeal to you. I will be taking poetic license and sharing personal stories. Each chapter offers a lesson followed by a personal story that reflects how I learned that lesson. The book will be ready for the 2014 book season, and I may release it as only an eBook and do some limited print copies for speaking and back-of-the-room sales.