Morrie was an individual who scheduled every part of his day. He did everything in a certain order, from the time he got up until he went to bed. He knew everything that would happen ahead of time, which made his day run smoothly. If anything disrupted his flow at any point, his day was “ruined.”

When he first married his wife, Sheila, she went along with everything he did. Over time, she became interested in starting her own home business. She found a young entrepreneur who shared information, helpful mindset changes and encouraging words. After her husband returned from work, had eaten dinner and settled in front of the TV, his wife excitedly shared with him all that she had discovered over the course of a few days.

This was a change Morrie had not anticipated. He demeaned her idea and started picking it apart. He said all the concepts were overwhelming and deterred her from following her heart–or even talking to him about it.

At the core of this message was Morrie’s desire to keep everything the same. When they heard rumors that jobs like his were being eliminated across the state,  In anticipation of that eventuality, Sheila took a job outside the home to tide them over. However, this was another unexpected change for Morrie.

He voiced that he didn’t like her new friends, her boss or her job. Then he complained that didn’t like her old friends either. Now that she was working, she spent less time on the interests she’d loved and pursued before.

Morrie dictated when she could and couldn’t engage in them and for what length of time. She worked within those parameters for a while, evaluating where she spent her time. When she opted to sacrifice watching TV to devote more time to her hobbies, Morrie hit the roof. As a result of this change, Morrie became short tempered and controlling. Sheila suggested marriage counseling.

Sheila was curious and growing, able to anticipate change and make adjustments. Because Morrie was unwilling or unable to relinquish his stranglehold on the status quo, their marriage eventually ended. He went back to his predictable routine (and lost his job), and she became a successful entrepreneur.

What does this mean for you?

Many people are unsettled by change. However, to survive and thrive requires adapting. Change forces us to grow and develop. It can make us more creative, open exciting new opportunities and expand our horizons. The more we accept change, the easier it is for us to adjust. Not all change is unwelcome. But if too much change occurs in a short period of time, it can feel overwhelming. In those cases, it’s advisable to get assistance and gain new coping skills.

Morrie seemed unaware that he was projecting his expectations onto Sheila’s ideas. Just because he didn’t want to follow a certain path doesn’t mean he should discourage Sheila. Had he been able to encourage her to live up to her fullest potential, they would probably have had a very different outcome.

If an author has ideas for many books, I can partner with them through the ghostwriting process. By showing them what can be applied to future books, they’re not only encouraged, they’re empowered!

An example would be if a new author comes to me with a manuscript. I can’t expect them to know what it took me years to learn. I gain nothing by marking up their work with red corrections (Yes, I’ve heard of that happening). Even if their work isn’t up to industry standards, I want to encourage them to work with me so that together we can make their second draft a marketable literary property worthy of the attention it deserves in the marketplace.

If you want to see if working with me on your book is a good fit, click here to snag your free 30-minute consultation. We’ll talk through your idea and I’m happy to answer any questions you have.