In Extraordinary Golf, Fred Shoemaker describes a study comparing the golf swings of top professional golfers with the swings of average golfers that provides some useful lessons about doing, effort, and effortlessness. The study shows three different rows of golfers, detailing their various golf swings. In the top row is a professional golfer. In the second row is an average golfer hitting a golf ball. In the third row is an average golfer swinging when there is no ball. The study found that when an average golfer is not trying to hit a golf ball, his or her swing more closely resembles the swing of a professional golfer. When an average golfer is actually hitting a golf ball, his or her swing changes for the worse.

As I was preparing to address an audience about my new book Less, a young professional woman, one of the event organizers, asked me how I market my book. I responded that I do two things: 1) Strategize and work my strategy. My strategy includes developing good marketing materials, a public relations plan, blogging and social media strategy, radio and print strategy. Thus far I’ve done about a dozen book readings around the San Francisco Bay Area and about 25 radio and online interviews. The book Less has been reviewed in a variety of places. I’m about to launch a blog tour. I’m writing articles for spiritual magazine and for business magazines. (An article about Less will be featured in the Fall 2009 Tricycle Magazine.) I’ve been working closely with my PR person at my publisher, New World Library. They’ve provided tremendous support. My social media plan includes Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, etc…

And,

2) I let go of all expectations and comparisons.