T is for Timing

Let’s see … when to publish? How about today?

I know, I’m such a Just Ship It kind of guy. But you know what? Today I ran into someone who bought my book (yes, yes, I know the guy … ) and he asked if I didn’t have the printable version ready yet. No, I didn’t. But you know what? He bought the Kindle version already. Huh, let’s see, how was he able to do that? Oh yeah, because the book exists on Amazon already. How is it there? Because I published it April 1. Now three huge weeks ago. What have I done towards the audio and print versions? Uh, nothing. But you know what? That first version exists, it’s out there, people have it in their (digital) hands. Do you know how good that feels? How important that is? Have you tried it? I can only recommend it.

Timing: Today or Tomorrow?

You don’t have any control over what happens tomorrow.

There was this awful ad when I was a kid that has haunted my mind since. I can’t remember the product, but it was something about procrastinating. My sister even remembers it and we joke about it. This deep male voice said something about how you could always do it, “Tomorrow … tomorrow … tomorrow.” In other words, you’d never do it, of course.

That’s my problem with tomorrow. Who knows what will happen with tomorrow. A doctor friend recommended not saying (to yourself) that you’ll be better today, say that you are better today. In the present tense. It has either already happened or it’s happening. It’s now. It’s not that scary, dark future full of deep TV voices from the past, it’s today and it’s up to you.