Great Work Versus Good Work, What are you doing?

Busywork and infocr-p are two of the biggest enemies to you doing the work you’re here to do.

While I wield my powers for good in the infocr_p arena, my friend and colleague (also of the super power variety) Michael Bungay Stanier, is launching his new book today:

Do More Great Work: Stop the busywork and start the work that matters.

If you’ve been following me on Twitter you’ll have noticed him checking his Amazon ranking from the TEDActive Blogger’s Alley – see photo.

But wait a second… if his book is launching TODAY why would he be checking his Amazon ranking… last week?

Because…in true ‘walk the talk’ fashion…Michael’s book has ALREADY hit best-seller status in multiple places, a week before his launch.

That’s cool, in my book. (Ahem.)

I admire this book greatly, for its content, which includes:

- 15 “maps”, exercises to help you find, start and sustain your own “Great Work”

- Original guest contributions from people like Seth Godin, Zen Habits’ Leo Babauta, The Art of Non-Conformity’s Chris Guillebeau, and others

- Real Coaching tips scattered throughout. (Not pretend coaching tips, mind you. You know the ones that are just plain boring questions with the word ‘Coaching’ at the top of the page. Which makes sense of course because Michael was once voted Canadian Coach of the Year.)

- A full list of additional resources, including some free online resources.

But of course, there is another level.

This book is a great example of more than great content.  From it you can learn:

-   How to generate attention for something that started as outside the ‘mainstream’ conversation. Gain attention for something new. (Not an easy thing.)

-   How to create useful and appealing exercises people will actual do. When someone bought a book from Michael at the TED.com conference, she immediately flipped to the cool exercise pages and started filling them in. She said she ‘didn’t care’ about the rest of it necessarily, although it was nice, but Michael’s strength is in helping the reader integrate the learning.

Most of all, and I will say more about this later, but this book is an example of something you may not realize:

This book started as a little online document. It morphed into a self-published book. It then found a home at a publishing house where it now proudly resides.

‘Do More Great Work’ represents the best of all publishing worlds, and is the result of a doggedly creative mind.

Today is a great day to purchase it if you are so moved, and doing so gets you some carefully selected, non-overwhelming gifts.

Go here to order – a perfectly giveable, readable, useable and enjoyable book.

Congratulations to you Michael!

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