I Hit the NYT List and Nothing in my Life Changed

“My second book hit the New York Times list and three months later, I was broke and living in my 1969 VW bus with my pit bulls Roxy and Poor Boy.”

So said Mark Ebner when I interviewed him over the weekend. (It’s for an upcoming podcast episode; make sure you subscribe if you don’t want to miss it!)

Homeless—with pit bulls to boot—months after achieving what so many people I meet dream of!

The reality is oh so different than the dream.

The reality, for me, was hitting the list and being so broke that I couldn’t afford the cab fare to the book party.

The reality is my friend who hit the list—and appeared on Oprah numerous times and had a hit movie made out of his book—not knowing what to do with his life once the hoopla of that book died down.

The reality is the mega famous author I know—New York Times bestselling author and household name—who, a few years ago, had to take a job. Picassos on his wall and having to commute to work.

The reality is Mark Ebner telling me, “The best thing I can say about being a New York Times bestselling author is that I’m glad my father was alive for it, because that’s all it paid.”

Of course, a parent’s pride—if you’re lucky enough to have the kind of parent who gets proud—is priceless. I guess?

But, Ebner continued, he never received one royalty check for that book.

Still, this isn’t bad news. The bad news would be if hitting the list was crucial for book success since the chances of it happening are less than .5 percent.

I actually see this as great news because it means that there are all kinds of ways for a book to be successful that don’t in any way involve bestseller lists.

Things like having your ideal client read your book and hire you.

Things like launching a speaking career and getting paid up to $20,000 a gig.

Things like being able to raise prices for your services.

Things like getting hired to teach at Harvard business school.

Things like turning your book into a TEDx talk or a movie.

Things like landing appearances on the Today show and on top podcasts.

Things like starting a non-profit based on your book and raising enough money that you’re able to send dozens of people to rehab.

Things like getting a whole new lease on your life.

I assure you, these results are not theoretical. They’ve happened to people I know.

They can happen to you, too—provided you let go of the vanity metrics that don’t matter and focus on the life-changing ones that do.