An #Amwriting Journey, from Depression to Publication by Dave Ursillo

Two and a half years ago, I was stuck in a job that I quickly grew to loathe.

I was working as a "body man" to a state officeholder and politician who was running for Governor in my home state of Rhode Island. "Body man" is politico jargon for a right-hand man, personal and executive assistant, advance worker and driver. And to be honest, it's not that the job itself was terrible: it's that it was a terrible fit for me.

And a few months into that working experience -- over which I developed depression and anxiety and slipped into a crisis of identity -- I knew I had to abandon that world of politics.

I wanted the job to change. I wanted the depression to go away. I wanted the identity crisis to disappear. However, I knew, deep down, that I had to change, myself.

After I quit my job, I was pretty aimless and unsure of what direction I would ultimately begin. But I started a blog, and got onto Twitter, and also had an idea for a book. After creating DaveUrsillo.com as an outlet of my writing and beginning to pursue a traditional publishing route by writing a nonfiction book proposal for my book idea, I also found Johanna Harness and the #amwriting hash-tag on Twitter.

Back then, the first days of the #amwriting community were, well, kinda unimpressive. I can still remember it vividly! The chats revolved around Johanna's involvement alone, promoting the idea that writers ought to discuss when they are writing as a form of encouragement to others as well as motivation for themselves.

It is amazing today to see how impressive the #amwriting community on Twitter has grown.

Johanna took the initiative and acted as a leader to form the #amwriting community. She started by herself. She led by example. Others followed suit -- not just because it was an attractive idea, but genuinely helpful, shared positive encouragement amongst a writing community and built constructive friendships and relationships.

But that's the thing about leadership.  When you make a decision to live, breathe, act and speak from a place that resonates purely with your sense of spirit, purpose, and helpfulness to others, you never know what sorts of amazing goodness can ensue.

My new book, Lead Without Followers, is an alternative leadership philosophy that argues just that. Leadership comes from within and is based exclusively upon equal, intrinsically human traits, qualities and emotions -- not based upon follower counts, financial income or job title. That might seem like a radical redefinition of what it means to lead, at least by today's standards.

And that's the point.

If you're a human being, you are already hardwired to be a leader. The explicit and subtle impacts you have upon the lives of everyone around you mean that how you live your life, and carry yourself, and speak and act -- even in ordinary, commonplace, "everyday" interactions -- can forever and indelibly affect the lives of other human beings. That, my friends, is earnest leadership.

And, if for that reason alone, I want you to call yourself a leader. Even if you have to do so without followers. Because what you do, individually and within yourself -- like Johanna has in creating the #amwriting community -- can profoundly change the world.

Lead Without Followers is a three year labor of love that was birthed from the roots of our community, and I'm not sure if it would be here, launching tomorrow(!), without that support.

But based upon your traits and qualities as a writer, you're already a leader in far more ways.

You are ambitious and responsible. You want to share messages with the world that helps them, inspires them, and motivates them. You believe that simple words alone can reach far into the heart and soul of another human being and positively impact them, maybe forever.

Leadership comes from within, and it is maximized by our unique skills, talents and abilities.

Writers, you have an important place in this radical redefinition of leadership as I present it in Lead Without Followers. And, through sheer grit and determination alone, we are together capable of influencing an incredible time of new-found leadership in our world.

Rock on. And keep leading.

- Dave Ursillo

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