Eliot Peper is the first author for the newly-launched FGPress, the publishing house that will introduce my new book, Sleep Your Way to the Top, to the world in April! He is also my first guest blogger, and I am thrilled with the topic he tackles: commitment. Enjoy the post that follows and please check out Eliot's fabulous new book, Uncommon Stock. - Jane

“I’ve always wanted to write a book, but…” is a sentence I’ve heard a lot lately. My first novel, Uncommon Stock, debuted last week in the top ten in its category on Amazon thanks to an outpouring of support from friends and readers. Many of those very same friends have dreamed of writing books themselves. Why haven’t they written one yet? I dreamed of writing a book

"I've always wanted to..."

for years before finally actually writing one. What took me so long? What was the trigger that actually got me started? “I’ve always wanted to travel the world, but…” is a sentence I heard a lot last year. My fiance and I took eight months off to climb the Himalaya in Nepal, trek the Ethiopian highlands, and explore the tea estates of Sri Lanka. Friends followed our adventures on our blogs and messaged us about their globe trotting dreams. Why haven’t they packed their bags and flown to Indonesia? We thought about doing long term travel for years before take off. Why didn’t we leave earlier? How did we do it? I’ve poured a lot of thought into this. At the end of the day it comes down to one thing: the power of commitment. In November 2012, Andrea and I decided that we were just going to leave our jobs behind and go, come hell or high water. We shook hands. Decision made, we set about getting the logistics organized, planning the trip, and buying tickets. We also had to diplomatically share the news with our employers. We were blown away. Everyone was incredibly supportive. Friends gave us recommendations. Andrea’s company even gave her an unexpected leave-of-absence. All the cards fell into place. A month before I had decided to write my first novel. One day I thought, “Well, I’ve got to start sometime.” I opened up Microsoft Word and started typing. Nine months later my first draft was complete. A year-and-a-half later Uncommon Stock is finally in front of readers. Day one was the hardest part. Once my fingers started hitting the keys, everything else flowed from there. Anyone can travel the world. It’s not as expensive as you think. We even built a financial model for doing it that you can access here. It won’t ruin your career. I had two job offers within two week of wheels down at LAX. It will refresh, rejuvenate, and inspire you. Don’t plateau, don’t get

"Well I've got to start sometime."

stuck at a local maximum. Taking serious time off-grid to explore the world will change your life in ways you could never imagine a priori. Anyone can write a book. If you’re reading this post, you probably have a computer. I’m guessing it has a word processor. If not, you can buy a notebook and a pen for about $3. It will frustrate you, tear at your soul, and drive you crazy. But, at the end of the day, you’ll have something that you poured yourself into crafting. You’ll be able to say, “I’ve always thought about writing a book, so I did.” To achieve your dreams, all you need to do is commit. -Eliot Peper