98: Karen Lopez McWilliams Shares the Secret of Winning Big in Life

I first met Karen Lopez McWilliams in the lobby of a Hilton Hotel in Southlake, Texas. It was late June 2015 and she arrived with all the materials she'd agreed to bring for our two day strategy session together on her passion project: big post-it paper, colored markers, legal pads, pens. For the next 48 hours, we hashed out the game plan she would use to create her book, The Ones Who Believed: True Inspirational Stories Honoring Everyday People Who Took a Chance, Shaped a Life and Made a Difference. All those proverbial Xs and Os made sense and showed us something incredible was unfolding before us. At that point I did not yet know my role in the project would extend beyond the planning stage into the subsequent 18 months of full-time writing, revising, designing, publishing and ultimate launching and promoting the book right alongside Karen. What I did know was she had an incredible concept on her hands that no one else had explored the way she wanted to. Writing a book is no easy feat and it takes a team of committed visionaries to make it come to life. This is why the Acknowledgement section in most books is quite dense. Many hands go into producing a book of substance. OWB was no different. Comprised of 25 true stories, it flips on its head the conventional approach to exploring success, with storytellers honoring the one(s) who believed in them to showcase their personal triumphs and breakthroughs rather than simply telling their own story. By making the honoree the central character of each tale, each story encourages readers to remember and reflect about their own one(s) who believed in them and then pass on their gratitude for the wisdom and positive impact they experienced because someone took a chance on them without any expectation of gain. How many times have we watched athletes upon winning the big game make mention of special people who believed in them? How many Oscar winners make a point of sharing with the world the names of those special ones whose belief made their accomplishment possible? If ever a time in human history was right for a book like The Ones Who Believed, now is that time. More than ever we need to find a way to connect with each other and build something great together. OWB is one way of doing that. When we're willing to hit the pause button on our busy lives and take the time to honor someone else with sincere and genuine gratitude, nothing short of miracles can happen. Get a copy of The Ones Who Believed here Connect with Mary Lou and PYP on Twitter Instagram Facebook