Books

Why I Wrote “Courage Is A Muscle”

When I begin writing the manuscript for what is now Courage Is A Muscle: Using Heart to Power Your Entrepreneurial Dreams, I didn’t have any specific intentions of what I wanted to do with the material once it was completed. I imagined the book would be largely about entrepreneurship but it ended up being more than that. Check out the introduction here.


Getting Started

I consider myself a writer and I write frequently, most of the time using pen and pad. I’ve always sketched, written short stories and poems along with all the creative journaling you can imagine. Since I was a child, I just enjoy the process. But, this particular project ended up being more than just another writing exercise, doodle, or creative blog. This time, the project and the process was completely different. And, the COURAGE journey is still unfolding. Needless to say, it’s been extremely insightful and far from anything I could have ever scripted in my imagination!

It started with an impulse. I just felt the nudge to write several months if not weeks leading up to me finally opening up my laptop and writing the first sentence. It’s funny because I kept getting the nudge to write and would often mention to family members and friends that I wanted to write but never truly got started. I knew I wanted to write something. For whatever reason, I stalled to get started until I begin to remember the inner conversations I had with myself, about my grandma. Within this manuscript, lies several lessons on courage, faith, and the importance of trusting yourself, and also building yourself.

In the Writing

When I started writing I looked forward to rereading all the material I wrote and thinking about why specific information came to mind. As I continued writing, I noticed how the different memories were given new life as I thought of them. I also found myself laughing aloud when I wrote a specific sentence or thought about the episodic adventures of my entrepreneurial journey. 

It’s funny how it’s always later on that we realize the significance of those memorable moments in our lives, whether it be something like a birth of a child, a wedding, or a funeral – how oftentimes these moments serve as reference points for starting over (aka getting our shit together), starting something new, or at least coming to terms where you are in your life – whether you like where you are or not. Writing helped me to rethink and to revisit the different steps of my entrepreneurial journey.

As I looked back on where I started to where I am now I realize that each step was important because it gave me the time and space I needed to grow. In the same way, we grow as we reach the many milestones of life. Now, with this information, I can see my way forward. Recalibrate. Do things differently or don’t do certain things at all. This particular piece of writing is what Courage Is A Muscle ended up being for me.


What I’ve Learned

Even though I didn’t start with a clear intention – other than to share entrepreneurial nuggets with my audience – Courage Is A Muscle also ended up being a bit of a memoir.  In hindsight, I realize how much I had to step outside my own comfort zone to share my experience with others. A bit more exposed and vulnerable; I ended up being okay with that. In the process, I also realized that the vulnerability of sharing much of ourselves with others isn’t as scary as our inner critics make it out to be.

Yes, people judge and criticize but I’ve learned that it’s really none of my business how another person runs their race. I may not like it or agree with it and I don’t have to – I do my best to stay in my lane. I found the more I laid it all out in my writing, the freer I became. It’s like I was able to tap into that encouragement my grandma offered years before — we can do anything we put our minds to.


To Sum It Up

At the end of the day, it takes courage. This book has allowed me to take a huge step in the right direction — outside of my own head. There’s much more I could add to this but I’ll let it here for now. I hope that you’ll enjoy Courage Is A Muscle as much as I enjoyed writing it. 

Courage Is A Muscle: Using Heart To Power Your Entrepreneurial Dreams is now available in Kindle & Paperback on Amazon.

Keetria is an entrepreneur, wellness advocate, and brand strategy coach for creatives & entrepreneurs with 16 years of public relations expertise working with some of the world’s leading brands, startups, media personalities, and entertainers. If you would like to work together, don’t hesitate to reach out!

5 Must Read Books for the Busy Entrepreneur

Reading shouldn’t be something that you give up because you’re an entrepreneur on the go. Sometimes we get so busy that we leave behind hobbies that we feel take up too much time, like going to the movies or reading. You may not be able to squeeze in the romance or spy novels that you used to love, but if you don’t want to lose the spark of love for reading, consider opening the pages of these five books about useful and entrepreneurial topics.

“Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers” – Timothy Ferriss

This book is a long read, but it’s well worth setting aside the time. If you want a crash course on how to be insanely productive, buy this book and read it cover to cover again and again. Strategist and podcaster Tim Ferriss shares the productivity secrets he’s learned during his time interviewing entrepreneurs, and this book contains more than 200 different interviewees from “The Tim Ferriss Show.” Ferriss ensures that all of the insider tips have been applied to his own life, and they’re certainly tried and true.

“Disrupted: My Misadventure in the Start-Up Bubble” – Dan Lyons

A delightfully entertaining read, Dan Lyons has written a book about moving from his job as a journalist to a position at software marketing startup — HubSpot. This hilarious and insightful look at entrepreneurship and the inner workings of a startup company can both bring a smile to your face and make you reconsider where your life is going.

“Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World” – Adam Grant

Our world isn’t dictated by those who keep going down the same old roads over and over again. The roads less traveled are the ones that contain the most beauty, and this is true for entrepreneurs who come up with new ideas. Adam Grant takes readers on a trip through how modern leaders can break the mold and truly explore the world as an innovator and creative, not a follower who sticks to the safer methods.

“The Code of the Extraordinary Mind: 10 Unconventional Laws to Redefine Your Life and Succeed On Your Own Terms”

Founder of MindValley, Vishen Lakhiani knows a lot about life and how the mind works. In his book, Lakhiani flips the script on everywhere we know in his world — life, love, work and more. The book explores how our thought processes are are driven by rules, generational thoughts and old concepts of what success really is. This book isn’t just about changing how you think about business, but also how you think about societal constructs in general.

“Thinking, Fast and Slow” – Daniel Kahneman

This is an “oldie but goodie” volume that any and all entrepreneurs should have on their shelves. Daniel Kahneman’s award winning book explores the two systems that make our minds work — one is fast and emotional, the other is slower and more logical. As a psychologist, Kahneman explores how both of these mind center’s shape our everyday judgements and how they apply to our lives in a entrepreneurial context.