I've been blogging about the freak factor for more than three years. During that time, I've also written The Freak Factor manifesto, spoken to audiences all over the world and created a freak factor DVD, CD and quiz.
Additionally, I have worked with two different agents and was contacted directly by an editor at John Wiley & Sons. Unfortunately, the book was rejected by all of the major, and most of the minor, publishers in the US.
Actually, they didn't reject the book; they rejected me. They loved the book idea but said that I didn't have enough of a "platform," which means that no one really knows who I am.
Despite these rejections, I decided that the book still needed to be written. So I'll be self-publishing it through CreateSpace. I don't have an exact release date yet, but I'm hoping it will be available by March 1st.
Because you've been reading my blog, you've read portions of the book already. But I wanted to give you the first look at the table of contents.
0. overview - finding your freak factor
your job is killing you . . . deforming beliefs . . . recovering from our education . . . negative psychology . . . self-destruction books . . . the problem with most people . . . 7 reasons to be different . . . 7 ways to find your freak factor
1. awareness - what's your problem?
unique . . . positive . . . obsession . . . natural . . . strength . . . weakness . . . 20 questions to help you discover your strengths and weaknesses
2. acceptance - apparent weaknesses are strengths in disguise
negativity bias . . . fundamental attribution error . . . a love (and hate) story . . . reframing . . . the kmart fallacy . . . the myth of self-control . . . preserving the tilt
3. appreciation - we succeed because of our weaknesses, not in spite of them
disorganization . . . dyslexia . . . addiction . . . mental illness . . . amputation . . . executives and inmates . . . limitations are liberating . . . freak profile: allan bacon
4. amplification - exaggerate your weaknesses, don't elminate them
the best are unreasonable . . . freak profile: amber osborne . . . freak profile: joe heuer . . . too much or not enough? . . . the best are the worst . . . the best are obsessed . . . freak profile: nance rosen . . . outrageous rewards . . . rejects . . . hate mail . . . dead leaders . . . freak profile: roxy allen
5. alignment - don't try to fit in; find the right fit
the elephant man . . . a sundial in the shade . . . the rudolph principle . . . 4 elements of fit . . . 7 ways to find the right work . . . career ideas for freaks
6. avoidance - move out of situations that highlight your weaknesses
permanent procrastination . . . be lazy . . . do less . . . the stop-doing list . . . pruning . . . saying no . . . be a quitter
7. affiliation - find people who are strong where you are weak
don't do it yourself . . . outsourcing . . . dirty jobs . . . symbiosis . . . imperfect people . . . choose your audience . . . freak profile: jennifer schuchmann
I'll keep you posted on the status of the book. Right now I'm working on the final edits, deciding on the cover design and formatting the interior of the book. Once I send it to CreateSpace, they will create a proof copy and mail it to me. After I approve the proof, the book will be available on Amazon and CreateSpace and at my live seminars.
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