It has been a year since I started my book. It has been an experience that I would recommend to each of you because I believe there's a book in you -- just as there was in me.

Over the many years I have been writing Goodfriend Insights, I have had a number of people tell me that I should write a book -- the best of Goodfriend Insights, a book on TeamScene® (my Teamwork Competency Model) or something about baseball.

Although each of those were good ideas for a book, none of these were the book in me. So years passed and no book. A couple of ideas, the beginning of outlines but still no book.

But last October I had an idea. I just started writing. No outline. I made a commitment that I would finish the first draft before January 1, 2016. I had a day job -- my consulting business. This would be my night job. The more I wrote, the more fun it became. It wasn't January when I completed the first draft. It was May. Then I let my wife, son and a couple of others read it and give me suggestions. Then I contracted with a freelance professional editor before getting the inside of the book typeset and getting the outside cover designed. Here we are approximately one year later.

I learned that writing this book was just a way to talk about who I am, what I do, and what is important to me. It made the writing easy and fun -- something I would look forward to in the evening.  So who am I, what do I do and what is important to me?

• I am lucky to have great family and friends
• I make a difference for leaders and teams
• I created the TeamScene Model and the Teamwork Sharks®
• I am a cross-functional integrator, business innovator and thought-provoker
• I am a baseball player and sports fan
• I enjoy futuristic movies

I hope you will read my book, Breakthrough Time, and spread the word to others.

Whenever I say to people "There is a book in you," there usually is. We all have a story to tell through our unique life experiences and knowledge. I was in the dugout recently for a baseball game. I told one of my teammates, Randall Swearingen, that I am publishing a book. He surprised me when he told me he published a book as well -- "A Great Teammate: The Legend of Mickey Mantle."

Your greatest obstacle to writing a book is yourself. Don't let the perfect be the enemy of good. There are many self publishing resources -- from books on self publishing, to freelance transcribing, to freelance book editors, to independent publishing sites like CreateSpace.

I hope to hear your stories, now and in the future, about your book. Please feel free to contact me if you want to brainstorm about book ideas or publishing resources.

Thank you to all who have supported me in this process including my wife Pam, my son Sam and so many clients, family and friends.

Mike Goodfriend is a Teamwork Engineer, Leadership Coach, and Meeting Facilitator. Since 1989, Goodfriend & Associates has been helping leaders and leadership teams increase their strategic advantage through achieving higher levels of competitive advantage, teamwork/alignment, leadership competency and excellence/customer satisfaction. Mike Goodfriend can be reached at 713-789-6840 or via email at mikeg@goodfriendconsulting.com.

© Goodfriend & Associates, Inc., 2016