How I Launched a Book Through Disbelief

It’s really not about me, is it?

So... uh, yeah. My book, Leadership and Masculinity - Embracing New Strength, broke into the Top Ten in Men's Health in less than 24 hours. It also holds some #1 and #2 spots in HR & Personal Management in the UK and Canada. 

The last three days have been the most unbelievable hours since Kelly said "Yes" to my marriage proposal eight years ago. I feel giddy, confused, proud, a little resistant, and scared. And so, so grateful for all the support and interest. 

I notice my underlying personal disbelief (Imposter Syndrome, anyone?) and am humble enough to dismiss it. This project is suddenly bigger than my fleeting feelings or self-protective patterns. Hundreds- if not thousands - of people are part of this project now. People from all around the world are showing their support for healthy masculinity and more engaged, inclusive, sustainable leadership by pre-ordering the book, sharing the link with others, and cheering loudly on social media. It no longer matters whether I feel worthy or safe enough to release and promote this book… it already belongs to others. 

The book never really belonged to me. I am not some wildly original auteur; my role was to curate and articulate a series of connections between the collaborative leadership I learned in the outdoor education world, the ethics of nonviolence and inclusion, the sense of possible liberation offered to men by feminism, and the person-centered organizational research from the last 30 years. The writing also carries with it the hopes and needs of the women, BiPOC, LGBTQI, and youth who I’ve worked with and learned from. 

This humility doesn’t detract from my wild excitement to see this book read by thousands of people. I am 110% certain that this project brings value into this confused and fractured world. It paints a very clear picture for why so many men and so many leaders feel trapped, stuck, overwhelmed, and angry AND provides a set of simple (but not necessarily easy) steps for getting out of the old traps an onto a new path. 

I envision a growing community of male leaders who embrace the New Strength of shared wins, shared power, shared spaces, and shared vulnerability. And I envision how they will work with female and nonbinary leaders to transform this world into one that is safer, more just, and more sustainable for everyone! Let's do this.

Call to Action
If you want to be a part of this movement while keeping the book high in the rankings (so more people see and read it) do a quick pre-order today. It’s only 99 cents until May 2nd.  https://amzn.to/3khIirx 

If you’re not convinced yet that you want to be a part of this project to support transformative leaders, go ahead and download a free chapter and see if it resonates with you. https://info.charlesmatheus.com/leadership