Every now and then I am reminded of the incredible swings of emotion I experienced when, back in 1997, I first set myself a goal to self-publish – with no prior industry experience ­- a national magazine for people just like me, would-be home-based business owners. (Remember, in 1997 not a lot of people were working from home, but boy, didn’t a lot of us want to!)

I struggled with teetering from sheer excitement and anticipation of such a big audacious goal in my life – to sheer terror. Who the hell was I to think anyone would want to read what I wanted to produce … blah blah blah … you know the drill.

Never had I pushed myself to that point before, always keeping my feet fairly planted on trusted soil. Going public through publishing was a very big deal in so many ways – and learning to deal with those extremes of fear and fancy was the best thing I have ever done. Hard to explain in words.

And then one evening recently at a folk music event in a lovely little restaurant close to home in the western suburbs of Brisbane I focussed in on the lyrics sung by a charming duo, Chloe and Silas.

Chloe & Silas

Their song, ‘Tightrope’, Chloe explained, was about those moments when we want to step out on the wire and go for a new big scary precious dream that has us on fire, and fear is still grabbing at the back of our shirt. This is Chloe’s take on it – much more eloquent than mine:

“One foot on the platform

One foot on the wire

One hand smothers the spark

The other hand fans the fire”

For me, publishing was the fire. Still is.

What is yours?

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As a Book Coach fanning her clients’ desires to write and publish their own career-changing non-fiction books, Bev keeps the fear at bay and widens the tightrope so they love the process and reach even more exhilarating platforms.

Bev is launching a lovely small supportive and stimulating Group Book Coaching Program on 20 July, which runs through to 26 October: is it time for you to step out on the wire too?