Last week, The Wisdom Collection went live on Amazon. Within 48 hours, it blew the top off the platform in ways that surprised even me—and I’m not easily surprised when it comes to book launches. In fact, I’m kind of jaded.
First, we hit bestseller in a couple of categories. Then #1 bestseller in several. Then we went international bestseller. Then all the way to #1 International Bestseller, which is Amazon’s pinnacle level. The kind of success that makes you double-check the screen to make sure you’re not hallucinating.
But here’s what fascinated me more than watching the sales numbers climb: watching the authors’ reactions to our collective success.
You have to understand, this didn’t happen organically. Don’t think for a second that books magically rocket to bestseller status without a massive, choreographed effort behind them. We were all operating as a team when marketing and promoting this book. Some authors were naturals at this dance. Others looked like Bambi in the headlights.
When the news broke, some of the authors appeared genuinely shocked. Their eyes bugged out and their jaws dropped. When they snapped out of it, they peppered me with questions to ensure veracity. “Wait, are you serious? Like, actually #1?” Then they were on the phone to their mothers—because what’s the point of achieving something incredible if you can’t share the excitement with Mom?
Word of the coup went out in newsletters. It plastered every social media site short of Snapchat. (I don’t know, maybe it was there too, but it disappears so fast, who can tell.) LinkedIn banners were changed overnight to include “#1 International Bestselling Author.”
And yet.
More than a couple of authors reached out to me behind the scenes and expressed fear of being labeled a scam. Like, how dare they call themselves a bestselling author, let alone an international one? The more I thought about it, the more I realized that unless some of us bleed into a cup, any kind of reward like this doesn’t feel valid. Shit, I’ve scaled Denali and I still won’t call myself a real athlete.
Here’s the thing: I’ve never been a team player. Mostly because I’ve always felt like I can do the work faster and better by myself. Classic control freak behavior, if we’re being honest. But what I learned through this project is that working as a unit, having others lift part of the marketing weight—not to mention the writing weight—made the whole thing so much easier.
We got far better results than any of us could have achieved solo. We earned bestseller status as a group. And this book will continue to sell, not just because many of these authors have every intention of leveraging the f*ck out of this opportunity (which is meet, right, and salutary), but because the writing is so damn good.
The authors have just begun to dig into the other chapters in the book, and they can’t believe their good fortune. They suddenly realized that they’re associated with beautiful writers, true professionals. They’re in a book that will be read from cover to cover, and a certain percentage of readers are going to land on their page and wonder how they’ve gotten through life thus far without understanding what the author has chosen to share.
The Wisdom Collection isn’t just another anthology. It’s organized into five distinct sections that take readers on a journey: Personal Transformation & Identity, Relationships & Connection, Decision-Making & Risk, Authentic Leadership & Purpose, and Financial Wellbeing & Security. Each section builds on the last, creating a comprehensive guide to living with intention and wisdom.
The authors in this collection have exposed themselves. They’ve shared their most profound insights about everything from discovering your authentic self to navigating the emotional dimensions of money. These aren’t feel-good platitudes—they’re hard-won wisdom from people who’ve done the work.
Speaking of which, if you’ve been waiting for the paperback version, you need wait no more. The book has just been released in paperback format, so you can hold this #1 International Bestseller in your hands. ( I know! Crazy, right?!)
Sometimes the best things happen when we stop trying to control every variable and trust the process. Sometimes the magic happens when we let other people carry part of the load. And sometimes, if we’re very lucky, we get to be part of something bigger than ourselves—something that actually deserves all the attention it’s getting.
The Wisdom Collection is available now in both digital and paperback formats. Fair warning: once you start reading, you won’t want to put it down. So don’t go blaming me if you miss your dentist appointment.
