So I get this question a lot…

“Why did you make the jump from how-to writing to fictional storybooks?”

In my podcast interview with Jon Gordon, he shared some great principles and strategies for why he writes the way he does.

Watch this video below to learn more about the new fictional storybooks:

The 12 Pillars of Peak Performance are the 20% of the entire field of Peak Performance that will get you 80% of the benefit.

Learn more about my new fictional storybooks!

Cain Circle Headshot Small Your Peak Performance Coach,

BRIAN CAIN

PODCAST TRANSCRIPTION

Cain: So I get this question a lot from people. Why the jump? Why did you make the jump from writing the how to follow the process and system to Peak Performance book into fictional writing? I get that question a lot. I want to try to answer that question here.

A big part of that inspiration – which you’ve probably heard if you listened to the September podcast I did with John Gordon.

Gordon: I really am about these fables because I realized when I first wrote The Energy Bus that that is a great way to share a message. That is a great way to empower others and to share a story with them that as they read it it becomes their story. We learn best through parables.

Cain: I’ve been a huge fan of John Gordon’s writings from The Energy Bus to The Hard Hat to The Seed and all of his books are all fictional books. What I also like about them is that they share very strong core principles and some strategies that you can use to be your best. As I was going through a lot of the books that I had written – whether it was Toilets, Bricks, Fish hooks and PRIDE, or The Mental Conditioning Manual or any of the Mental Game books specific for sports (Mental Game of Volleyball, Mental Game of Football, etc.) it was all the how to. When you write that way I feel like it kind of boxes you in a little bit in terms of how you can write.

In my interview in the podcast with John Gordon he shared some great ideas and principles and strategies and why he writes the way he does. So I said hey it’s the start that stops most people and if you don’t try it you’ll never know. So I sat down and started to write the 12 Pillars of Peak Performance. It’s a fictional story book about a guy named Matthew Simons who is in his mid 30s. He is sitting on a plane at the Detroit airport and he hears the worst words you can possibly hear from a pilot as he comes on the intercom before the plane takes off.

He says, “Ladies and Gentleman this is your captain speaking. We’re having some mechanical issues and are going to have to return to the terminal.” My heart sank. Another delay. As I sat there I muttered to myself, “You have to be kidding me.” The old man sitting next to me who I thought was sleeping opened his eyes, looked over at me, and said, “I’m sorry what did you say son?”

“Nothing, I was just talking to myself.”

“Well, I thought you were complaining that we were going back to the terminal. I’m just glad we didn’t take off. The last thing you want is for the captain to diagnose a mechanical issue once you have taken off. Then none of us are getting home. Better late and alive than never I always say.”

“That is a great point. I just wish I could get home once on time in my life.”

“Home? Home is where your feet are and right now you are on this plane so you might as well enjoy it because from the looks of it we are going to be here for a while. My name is Ken. My friends call me Coach Kenny. What is yours?”

“I’m Matthew. Matthew Simons.”

“Well Matthew Simons it’s nice to meet you. I’m on my way home too. I like in Southlake, Texas. I was here in Detroit seeing some of my friends.”

“Coach Kenny, did you say you live in Southlake, Texas? So do I. Small world. And did you say your sons are in Detroit?”

“Yes. I work as a sports psychology coach and although the coaches and athletes I’m working with up here are my clients I consider them my friends and teammates and treat them like my sons and daughters. I think of them like that so I can be my best for them. What brings you up here, Matthew Simons?”

Now you might be wondering what happens then. Well when they get back to the terminal Matthew Simons picks up the phone. He calls his wife, Erin, who tells him “I knew this was going to happen, I told you so,” the whole ordeal. He is trying to get a flight and none of the flights are going back until Saturday. He is trying to get a rental car. The rental car facility is sold out and he can’t get back. As he is walking through the terminal not knowing what he is going to do next he hears a voice.

“Matthew. Matthew Simons. Come over here son.”

As I looked to my left there was Coach Kenny sitting at a table inside the airport Fuddruckers with a burger and a Fuddruckers Sweet Cherry Cream Soda.

“Come on in son. We’re going to be here a while. Might as well take a load off and fuel the machine.”

I thought to myself, “What the heck, I am going to be here a while. Might as well sit with the old man and have myself one of the world’s greatest hamburgers.” I went in, sat down, and ordered my favorite Fuddruckers burger – a 2/3rd pound burger with Swiss cheese, mushrooms, grilled onions, and avocados. I got myself a Fuddruckers Sweet Cherry Cream Soda as well and took a big deep breath as I sat back in my chair wondering how I was going to get home.

As the story goes on Coach Kenny and Matthew Simons sit down over a great meal at the world’s greatest hamburgers – Fuddruckers – and Coach Kenny shares the 12 Pillars of Peak Performance for living an optimal life and performing at your best on a daily basis.

Where that story ends is at the hotel lobby because they’re not getting out that night. The airport is sold out, all the flights are sold out, and all cars are sold out because the next day is the Detroit Dominators against the Chicago Bees of the professional football league. Both teams are 8-0. They both haven’t been 8-0 ever and they’re bitter rivals so that game sold out there in Detroit. There is also the Detroit marathon happening on that Friday so everybody is in Detroit. It’s the busiest the city has ever been so they are stuck at the airport.

Matthew Simons wants to thank Coach Kenny for investing the time and sharing the wisdom that he did over that meal at Fuddruckers so they go to the hotel lobby. They go to the hotel to get a room and they find out that the hotel is sold out and all the hotels are sold out within one hour of the airport. As Matthew Simons throws his hands in the air and says “you have to be kidding me again,” he turns around and Coach Kenny is gone.

Then as you maybe know by now we follow up the 12 Pillars of Peak Performance book with the book Training an Elite Mindset and the story continues where Coach Kenny and Matthew Simons get reunited and they get reunited with four Navy SEALS and a guy named Marcus that worked together with Coach Kenny when he was in playing college football. They get t...