7.
WORK WITH RESISTANCE

When he received his first book publishing contract, author and entrepreneur Nick Williams, whose story appeared earlier (see page 122), struggled with a strong inner voice of resistance. This voice was telling him that he was not up to the job of writing, that he would not be successful at the task. Yet at the same time he recognized another, weaker, voice that said: “You were born to write, you can do this.”

Nick left the envelope with the contract offer open and took time to “be” with his resistance. But instead of listening to this voice of resistance, he became curious and started to question it. He went into silence and touched deeply into what it was that he was afraid of. He took the time to listen to his heart and reconnect with the dreams and desires of the eight-year-old child who’d asked for writing pens for Christmas: “I don’t know that souls can scream, but I felt as if my soul was screaming at me, ‘Write the bloody book! It’s part of your calling, and what you are here for!’” Nick recalls.

After a few days he said a prayer and signed the contract. The resistance was still there, but during that period of reflection, Nick connected with his calling. He learned how to be with his resistance without allowing it to take him over.

In that moment of commitment of signing the contract, a door to inspiration opened for him. Nick started writing between three and 13 hours a day for the next three months. He handed in two carrier bags of manuscript, on time, in January 1999.

The book came out in September 1999 and become a best-seller.

Nick reflects: “I have learned that the unknown need not be so scary because it is always pregnant with opportunity and possibility. Venture your heart – take the risk to discover who you truly are and the difference you can make.”

Nick also learned that sometimes we need to give up all hope of being ready and confident enough to take on the really big things in our lives. Success for him came from starting before he felt ready and unfurling his wings as he went along. As he became aware of his greatest fears and moved in that direction to confront them, he discovered that most good things exist just on the other side of the resistance.