The In-Between, my InterView with Author, Jeff Goins

Super stoked y’all to share with you my recent interview with author, Jeff Goins.  Jeff has a GREAT wildly popular blog on writing, ideas & making a difference.

His last book was  …which, will wreck the mess outta you if you let it.  And this next one promises to be a challenge-fest doozy as well which I’m really eager to read or Audible soon.

is now available where all fine books are sold.

Here’s what Jeff had to say in our little chat…

Me: What made you decide to write this book?

Jeff: I wanted to write a book of stories.  It was pretty simple.  My editor says, ‘this is you at your best, telling stories.’  I want the stories to be lessons, the biggest lessons I was learning at the time…how to embrace the slower moments of life.  Answering the question “what if that next big thing hasn’t happened yet?” What happens when you’re not living on the mountain top? Is that time wasted or is there a lesson to learn?  Most of life we are waiting for something else to happen instead of appreciating what’s right in front of us.

Me: Well dang.  Yep. Pretty much.

So.  What type of sacrifice did you have to make to get this book done in the midst of full-time work, family and running a successful blog and then moving towards full-time writing?

Jeff: An unfortunate sacrifice I made in becoming a professional writer is having less time to write.  When it wasn’t a hobby all these other things to do weren’t an issue, now they are.  I used to spend all my free time writing, now I’m a business owner and entrepreneur and I have to work harder to protect that, to recapture my time to actually write.  While doing the book, I blogged less, changed the content…started writing more content that would endure and wasn’t just catchy.  Eventually I quit my job, but I’d worked for over a year to build the business on the side.

Me: It seems like that risk paid off for you.

Jeff: It wasn’t so much of a risk by the time I left but yes it has.

Me: What are you results are you passionate about when you think of your books?

Jeff: I love when people say things like “when you said this it was for me.”  I’m passionate about sharing truth with people.

Me: You are an incredibly accessible writer, is there any intentionality in that?

Jeff: Yeah, I think so.  It comes from my personality which is not dogmatic, which has no agenda.  I wouldn’t want any readers to feel like I’m duping them into to do something.  I want people to feel like there are lots of on-ramps.  As a reader myself, I’m looking for truth.  I want to read things that were written for me. My favorite authors aren’t necessarily people I agree with.  I love business authors and connect those truths to my family life, etc.

Me: How does The In-between address people who are in waiting.  Waiting to be married, waiting to get pregnant, waiting for their marriage to turn around, waiting for employment, waiting, waitin’ on the world to change?

Jeff: When I asked people to give me feedback while the book was in process A LOT of people told me they were waiting for the kids to get out of the house, have their first kid, reconcile with an estranged spouse.  I realized so much of what people were waiting for was relational.  The In-Between is about my realization that when I’m going so fast I’m missing out on the most important things: people.

It’s so easy to miss the relationships that are right in front of you.  I didn’t take advantage of the time my wife was preggo. I have some regret about it how I spent that time. I missed those moments.  I lost that time.  This is one of the lessons of The In-Between, being where you are. You miss an opportunity because you are looking too far down the road.  We look back on those moments with regret. All we have is now.  I never want to be the person who is always waiting for the next thing to happen.  I want to choose to spend this moment well.

Me: What are a few big takeaways from The In-Between?

Jeff:  All I wanted to do was spread an idea: maybe the big moments in life aren’t really big at all.  Maybe the big moments are all the little moments leading up to it.  Maybe the little moments are to be relished and not rushed through.  Maybe we are to enjoy and appreciate where we are right now and be present to those we love the most.  I hope that people will slow down, let go and learn to be grateful.

Me: Thanks so much, Jeff! It was an honor to talk to you today! I’m a big fan.

Jeff: Thanks Grace, you’re my new best friend.  (Totally kidding. He said nothing of the sort).

Please people, go buy Wrecked & The In-Between it’s good, good stuff.  Challenging & life giving…just the way I like a book!