I just wrapped up a project that has taken a lot of my time and focus — a ghostwritten book manuscript. As I wrapped it up this week, I started thinking about what’s on the horizon for me.
Specifically, I’ve been thinking about how I can use the next few months to level up my work. How can I push myself to explore new industries, be a better thought partner for my clients, and keep learning new things? How can I make sure I keep growing, improving, and enjoying my work?
So I’m sharing my brainstorm with you. Here’s how I’ve been leveling up lately, and the goals I’m setting for the next part of the year. I hope you’ll find a spark of inspiration you can use to level up your thinking and your thought leadership work.
Build a tight community of sounding boards.
This is my #1 piece of advice to anyone who is developing their ideas. Gather your sounding boards — the people who you can think out loud with, float ideas past, and who will challenge your thinking.
In the past year, building a tight network of friends who do similar work has given me an outlet to develop my ideas, air my grievances, and push myself to think in creative new ways.
If you don’t have a trusted sounding board, try talking to someone you trust who doesn’t know much about your work. Or join a community of people who are interested in the same topics, or are at a similar point in their careers. Or reach out to a peer in your industry who you respect and ask if you could plan regular informal chats.
My sounding boards have been a lifeline for me. I am motivated to keep looking for opportunities to get to know people who will inspire and push me.
Jump between formats.
Sometimes people scratch their heads when I casually mention I ghostwrite books, produce podcasts, and do strategy (sometimes all on the same day). But being “format-agnostic” has been key to keeping my creative energy and to delivering interesting work, month after month.
For me, it keeps my work from becoming formulaic or boring, and keeps me stretching, learning, and pushing myself creatively.
This spring and summer, I’m eager to think in new ways about how my clients can use books, audiobooks, social media, creative podcast formats, and events (because it seems like meeting in person is back?!) to start conversations.
Read everything.
I will always credit my lifelong voracious reading for my career as a writer — and for my happiness! I have always been a reader, and in the rare moment that I realize I don’t have a new book on deck waiting for me, I feel actual panic.
As a kid, reading opened my imagination and helped me develop empathy. They showed me how to think about other people and their inner lives. As an adult, reading has the same effect, with the added bonus of giving me new ideas and helping me make new connections in my work.
A couple of books I’ve enjoyed lately:
Fiction: “The End of Men” by Christina Sweeney-Baird.
If you can handle pandemic fiction and you’ve already read “Station Eleven,” go get this book right now.
Non-fiction: “Write Useful Books” by Rob Fitzpatrick
I know this one is meta, but if you think you’ll ever want to write a business book, this is very helpful. I love the chapter “Improve your book before you’ve written it” about how to structure a book and test its material before you start writing.
Thanks for reading! This is an abridged version of my email newsletter, which I send every other Friday. Sign up (look for the form in the sidebar, over there –>) to get ideas for writers and thinkers, plus what I’m reading and what made me laugh this week.
