My first words

This is Chatham, Massachusetts–my favorite place in the world. It’s also where I took the first step in what has been an unexpected, challenging, and rewarding journey from barely-passing high school student to author and public speaker.

After opening up about my struggles with anxiety, friends urged me to write a book about the experience. My reaction could be summed up as, “No way” (with some colorful words thrown in). I’m a private person, and opening up one-on-one was hard enough. And while I love building and leading teams, I don’t like to be in the spotlight myself.

But they didn’t let up, and my wife Robbie joined them. I’ve learned through experience that when she digs in, it’s usually because she’s right.

“Ok,” I said, “one chapter.” I figured that if I wrote one chapter, everyone would see it was no good and leave me alone about it. But I hadn’t sat down to write in years. I didn’t really know where or how to begin, though I’m comfortable telling stories to people in person. So I went to a place that makes me comfortable–Chatham–and told stories into my phone.

I went home, typed them up, did some editing, and gave Robbie a few pages to read. She took them to our bedroom. I had the Red Sox game on in the kitchen, and three innings went by, and I couldn’t tell you a single thing that happened. 40 minutes later she came out of our bedroom with tears streaming down her face.

“Brian,” she said, “this explains so much.”

She gave me a big hug and then said something I really wasn’t expecting: “You have to write this book.”

Ugh.

She went on. “People everywhere are talking about mental illness, and sharing your story will help so many.” And I thought I was good at selling…

Still, I don’t have a very academic background, and one of the ways you build a successful business is by hiring strong people where they’re needed. So I hired Steven Porter, president of the Association of Rhode Island Authors and owner of Stillwater Publishing to help me turn my stories into polished prose. It wasn’t easy, but eventually we got my voice onto the page in a way that was both authentic and readable.

And so in 2016, Scared to Death, Do it Anyway was published. It seemed like a long journey from speaking into my phone on the beach to a published book, but little did I realize that was only the beginning.