The Cooldrink Bottle on My Head…The Truth About Finishing Your Book

At the weekend, my husband and I attended the PSASA – Professional Speakers Association of Southern Africa year-end party. Everyone was asked to bring a hat. Diana Rodrigues Rodrigues, a fellow author, Founder and Resilient Agility developer of the CAPA model, and a laughter coach, had sent me a video showing a creative way to style hair using a cool drink bottle. I fell in love with the idea. It was bold, fun, and exactly what I wanted to try.

I attempted to do it myself.My arms were just too short to secure my hair to the top of the bottle. I struggled. I wrestled with the technique, my patience and the vision. And I will admit, there was nothing funny about it at the time. I was frustrated.

Eventually, I sat down with my husband and explained my vision. With a fresh perspective and a view from the top that I did not have, he built the hairdo for me. Forty minutes later, it was done.

That moment reminded me of the process of writing a book.

Creating the hat was like starting a book. It requires a project plan, a vision and a clear understanding of the steps needed to get from start to finish. We began with a base, experimented with the materials and worked to see how each piece could fit together. We kept the end in mind: a spectacular look for the event, something that would make people say, “Wow.”

In writing a book, it is no different. You start with an idea, full of excitement, convinced that the first draft will transform your career or your brand. But then comes the middle. The marathon. The part where most people stumble.

I am currently writing my fourteenth book, but even I have days when I wrestle with my mindset. Sometimes authors walk away somewhere between page ten and page fifty. Worse, sometimes authors complete the manuscript and then stall at the rewrites. Months of work unravel, just like I dismantled the hairdo in the bathroom later that evening. The cool drink bottle pressed down in just the wrong spot, giving me a headache. The style that had looked so beautiful at the party had to be taken apart. I got some relief physically, yes… but unlike a hairdo, the disappointment of not finishing a book never fully goes away.

You feel the weight of missed opportunities: talks, workshops, videos and influence that could have been built. You think, “I wish I had finished.”

Statistics show this is not unusual:

• Sixty-seven per cent of people never use their gym membership.
• Half of new gym members quit within six months.
• In online courses, only six to ten per cent of participants ever finish.

It is not because people are weak. It is not because they do not care. Following through takes more than excitement. It takes structure, strategy and accountability. It takes a commitment to see the project through, knowing that this is more than a hobby.

Writing a book is a business process. It is an investment in yourself, your credibility and your legacy. It is not cheap, nor should it be. My book coaching is designed for serious professionals, CEOs, entrepreneurs and high-level executives, who are ready to invest in a real outcome. It is a process that transforms ideas into influence, passion into action and manuscripts into long-term assets.

Here is where the fun and the frustration intersect: like the hat, the journey has quirkiness and challenges. I am generally a serious person. But there are moments of humour. Watching myself wrestle with the cool drink bottle made me laugh later. But at the time, it was deeply frustrating. Creating something on your own can feel impossible. It can test your patience, your mindset and your confidence. Writing a book is the same.

You need a roadmap, an understanding of the materials you have, and a clear vision of the end goal. You need someone to give your perspective when your arms… metaphorically speaking… are just too short to reach the top. That is what a book coach provides: accountability, guidance, and the ability to see the light at the end of the forest.

Here is what I help authors do when they want to learn how to write a book that actually gets finished:

• Turn an idea into a clear, actionable project plan.
• Work through mindset blocks that slow down writing and rewrites.
• Build a roadmap from manuscript to published book and beyond.
• Develop supporting assets like websites, talks, workshops and video content.
• Follow through with accountability until the book aligns with your vision and becomes a long-term asset.

Writing a book is not just about words on a page. It is about creating influence, building credibility and leaving a legacy. It is about multiplying your impact, not just experiencing the short-term satisfaction of finishing a manuscript.

They say, on your deathbed, it is not the things you did that you regret. It is the things you did not do. Your book is more than a project. It is your legacy. It is a record of your ideas, your voice, and your impact. But a book only becomes a legacy if you finish it, publish it and leverage it beyond the manuscript. That means taking all the work… the late nights, rewrites and hours of mindset wrestling…and turning it into lasting influence and opportunities.

I know this because I have walked the talk. Writing has transformed my personal brand. It has opened doors, built credibility and positioned me to have influence that I could not have imagined when I started my first book. If you are serious about building your own legacy, about creating influence and impact, then following through is non-negotiable.

As the year comes to a close, ask yourself: Will your book be just another unfinished idea, or will it be a tool that multiplies your reach, authority and income in the year ahead? The difference is in planning the journey from beginning to end. It is in designing the book as an asset, not a one-night hairdo. It is in building the system that turns passion into action, ideas into impact, and manuscripts into multiple opportunities.

If you are ready to stop walking away from your book idea, to finish what you start and to finally leverage your work for long-term impact, I would love to talk to you. We can discuss your book project, your vision and the practical steps to get you across the finish line.

Schedule a free discovery call. Let us work together to make your book not just a dream, but a completed, published, and strategic asset.

Do not let your ideas remain half-finished. Your book is your legacy. This is the time to follow through. This is the time to take action.