12 Sep Journey to New York Times Best Selling Author – How I Climbed the Wrong Mountain…
In an attempt to become a New York Times Best Selling Author…I climbed the wrong mountain…
Yes, I did.
……..And it is important that you read this story so you can learn from my mistakes in attempting to be New York Times Best Selling Author, so that YOU can avoid the suffering I did by ‘climbing the wrong mountain’.
Before we get going, there are no links to click, nothing to buy, nada. Just me coming at you straight from the heart…sharing a personal story.
My Goal Was To Be A New York Times Best Selling Author
Up until about 5-6 years ago, I was just a single mom working a corporate sales job trying to do the best for me and my daughter.
Many of you already know my ‘rock bottom’ story, so you know that I haven’t been in ‘fitness’ my whole life. You know that my real love for nutrition, mindset, and fitness grew out of my overcoming that rock-bottom period of my life.
I started sharing as a way to keep myself accountable. At first it was just a handful of old high school and college friends that were following along, but as I kept sharing and helping people, things continued to grow.
Fast forward a few years and all that giving and sharing turned into over 2+ million people following me on social media.
New York TImes Best Seller Natalie Jill- The image I had all over my office
It was amazing, but what’s next? How could I impact even MORE people?
If only I was a New York Times Best Selling Author
In my mind, the big way to reach more people was to go ‘mainstream’ by writing a book that would be in bookstores across the country, and across the world.
And on top of that, I set the goal that I needed to have the best book out there, and that the NY Times Best Seller list was the measure of that.
So I set out to make the best book I possibly could…one that would touch and help even MORE people.
I dedicated almost all of my time to this book. I had my husband, my team, everybody working on it. I wanted it to be PERFECT!
I wanted each and every recipe to be tested over and over by myself and others. Tasting good was definitely a priority, but they had to be EASY to make as well. Tweaking flavors, and streamlining preparation was key.
It was a process that was over a year in the making, and one of the hardest and most stressful projects I have ever undertaken in my life.
I poured every ounce of my heart and soul into this book. I was focused and chasing the dream of a NYT Best Seller that would validate me, so people would take my book seriously.
But guess what…
It didn’t happen.
I thought I was a failure
I ended up lying on the floor in my closet with tears welling up in my eyes. I was sick to my stomach and depressed that all of the work and effort from myself and my team had gone to waste.
The time, the money, the effort, the travel, the podcasts, the putting myself out there…all for nothing.
Most importantly, I truly believed that I had let you down because it wasn’t a NYT Best Seller. That was where my real frustration and anger was coming from.
I felt I had let YOU down…my loyal fans and followers.
It wasn’t until my long time friend Julie called to check on me a few days later and said “I know you’re down right now, but have you checked the Amazon reviews lately?”
The truth is, I hadn’t.
The Amazon reviews blew me away
But as I started to read the 160+ reviews (at the time), I began to sit up straighter and my spirits were gradually being lifted.
I remember reading a review from Aixa, a mother of 4 that called it “An EAT CLEAN BIBLE! LOOOVE IT!”
Another person said their fibromyalgia pain of 9 years was basically gone.
Countless others lost 5, 6, 7 pounds or more and kept going with it. 
Husbands and kids were loving the recipes that ‘mom’ was making for them.
Lots of people writing paragraphs on how the book had changed their lives.
As I kept reading, I felt the tears welling up in my eyes again…but for a different reason this time.
I realized that I DID IT!! My TEAM did it!!
The book was a success, and it WAS helping people!
New York Times Who??
Seriously, reading those reviews from real people was WAY more important than seeing the book title on a list in the newspaper…or by being named New York Times Best Selling Author.
At that moment that I realized I had been climbing the wrong mountain!
It is YOU, and your SUCCESS that I measure my ability to help bring ‘good’ to this world. That is how it has always been, and how it will remain.
So, the next time you think you need someone or something to validate yourself, PLEASE learn from my mistake.
I completely got sidetracked by a status that if I achieved it, I thought it would validate me and make people love me more and take me (more) seriously.
I’m here to share that YOU are what matters! Go out there and be your best you! Be the best at whatever you choose to be in life!
Focus on climbing THAT mountain, as it is the only one that is truly important and fulfilling.
You got this!
Be Happy… Be Healthy… Be FIT!
– Natalie Jill 🙂
NOTE: Only because so many people have asked, you can read reviews and learn more about the book HERE
