I'm typing this at 5:34 a.m. because I could barely sleep last night.

Jefferson Fisher's book, The Next Conversation, officially releases today.

What began with him recording less-than-a-minute videos from his SUV in 2022 has exploded into 12 million followers across his platforms, a top-rated podcast, a school of communication, and now, finally, a book.

Due to my work on Atomic Habits, I was brought into the project as a book coach in early 2024. At one point, Jefferson and I knew we weren't going to meet our deadline, so I drove to his office in Southeast Texas. We sequestered ourselves in a meeting room for a week, and he knocked out the book.

Here's what I learned in that time, both from Jefferson personally and from the content he was placing into the manuscript.

1. I overapologize. Jefferson verbally (and kindly) called me out on how often I said "sorry" about inconsequential matters. As he says in this video, "When you overapologize, you are draining your power." And this laser: "Your self-worth is not tied to how little of an inconvenience you can be."
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2. I carry stress in my shoulders. There's a part in the book about how to do a body scan. This isn't new to many, but it was new to me. When I first tried it, I realized how much tension builds in my shoulders (maybe because I'm always typing). Whenever I do a scan now, my shoulders are always my first suspect.
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3. Simple words convey power. If you've heard Jefferson for even five seconds, you know how powerful his words are. He knows that the key to strong, clear communication is simplicity. This comes across throughout his book. In fact, a current client of mine who read an advanced reader copy said she read it in one sitting while on a plane because it was that engrossing and easy to read—exactly what we strove for.
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4. There's always time for kindness and generosity. During my week at his office, I overheard Jefferson offering business advice to another business owner in his same building. She'd asked him a specific question. They spoke for a while, then he recommended a book. A few hours later, as we were about to eat lunch, the business owner popped into the room. Jefferson said, "I ordered that book for you." She was effusive with thanks. Jefferson had a manuscript on his mind, a business to run, and thriving social media channels to feed. Yet he made time for her.

Jefferson recently appeared on Good Morning America. Gio Benitez introduced him and The Next Conversation by saying, "It's like every page is an aha moment."

So was working with him.

P.S. Hear more about the book (plus a nice shout-out) in this just-released episode of his podcast:

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