Interview With Author Tony Jeton Selimi

  

 

1. What inspired you to write this book? In today's fast-paced, uncertain, and competitive world, many people struggle to find purpose and direction in their personal and professional lives. Many end up giving up, abandoning their goals, and giving in to despair and doubts. I have seen first-hand the impact that anxiety, fears, stress, and a lack of clarity, direction, and purpose can have on individuals and organizations. Furthermore, people feel uncertain about which path to take, especially when they know it's a life-changing decision! What choices and decisions we make now as we navigate the challenges presented by life's eight inevitable cycles and processes: transition, regeneration, focus, rebirth, balance, service, unity, and infinity matter for us and the future we collectively are creating. By writing A Path to Excellence, I aim to provide readers with hope and a clear roadmap for achieving success in their personal and professional lives, unlocking their full potential, and achieving their goals. To inspire readers to aim high and persevere when the tough gets going so they can reach greater heights. A Path to Excellence was an essential book for me to write because I was called to offer practical advice and strategies for overcoming these challenges and achieving excellence in all areas of life; thus, each of us can exemplify high human potential. The insights and strategies presented in this book can transform lives and help people take control of their lives and achieve success across all the critical areas of life. Ultimately, my goal in writing A Path to Excellence is to empower and inspire individuals to pursue excellence because it is a key driver of success and fulfillment in both personal and professional endeavors. When we strive for excellence, we are intrinsically inspired to continuously improve ourselves, our relationships, our skills, our service, and our performance.  

2. What exactly is it about and who is it written for? In A Path to Excellence: The Blueprint to Achieving Your Greatest Potential, I explore the steps one can take to become the best version of themselves and offer guidance on cultivating excellence in every aspect of life and overcoming obstacles with determination and grace. The book begins by introducing the concept of excellence, discussing goal achievement strategies, and providing insight into my personal life story. As a minority, I never allowed my identity or limited resources to hold me back, and the advice I share is relevant to anyone seeking to transform their life. Each chapter in this book is crucial to the reader's journey. In the second chapter, I write about the requirements for reaching greater heights, inspiring readers to aim high and persevere. Next, I address the topic of giving up, carefully listing reasons why people abandon their goals and offering solutions to overcome despair. The inclusion of exercises at the end of each discussion allows readers to reflect on their own experiences and growth. Upon completing the book, readers will be equipped with invaluable information to help them excel in various aspects of their lives. This book's clear language and timeless lessons make for a standout read. In addition, the book's organized structure and the breakdown of each topic contribute to its effectiveness. This book goes beyond the standard self-help genre, providing readers with insights into themselves, their surroundings, and the steps needed to climb the ladder of success and excellence. It’s aimed at professionals, entrepreneurs, business leaders and managers, educators, parents, healthcare professionals, coaches, speakers, CEOs, and anyone who wants more from life and themselves.  

3. What do you hope readers will get out of reading your book? I hope readers will understand how to overcome life’s greatest challenges and dedicate themselves to developing excellence in their lives, relationships, and careers. We all have the potential to become excellent at something, but it takes hard work and dedication. My book offers a step-by-step guide on cultivating excellence through eight principles of The Octagon of Excellence and the 8Cs for self-reflection, values-aligned goal setting, action planning, and more. It’s a practical guide that can help anyone unlock their hidden potential and achieve success. It’s the blueprint for creating a solid foundation under which human excellence is built.  

4. How did you decide on your book’s title and cover design? When I published my first book, A Path to Wisdom, I knew I wanted to write A Path to Excellence; as far too many people give in to living an average life despite being born for excellence. In my heart, I knew there would be many more books to write, stories to tell, and people to inspire. Reading many book series, I understood the power of creating continuity for my readers. When I read the first book published in the series Chicken Soup for the Soul by legendary Jack Canfield, I was excited to grab hold of the next book. I wanted to offer my readers a chance to experience a longer story arc than can be achieved in one book. To allow them to become more invested in ideas shared, powerful science-based and tested growth-focused methods, the characters and the world that has been created and to give them something to look forward to. My aim is to allow readers to explore my unique perspective on life, entrepreneurship, healing, personal and professional growth, business, authenticity, and self-discovery. My and my client’s stories I share a focus on themes of body-mind-heart connection, emotional intelligence, human behaviour, loneliness, thriving in the midst of adversity, midlife crisis, growth mindset, identity, purpose, vision beyond oneself, confidence, certainty, productivity and resilience—all of which are topics that many people find relatable and inspiring.

The infinity symbol is often associated with timelessness, limitlessness, and endless potential. In the context of excellence, the infinity symbol on the book’s cover represents the idea that excellence is a continuous journey with many stages rather than a destination and that there is always room for growth and improvement. The number eight is also significant in many cultures and belief systems and is associated with success, abundance, and achievement in numerology. The number eight is considered lucky in Chinese culture because it resembles the Chinese character for "prosperity.” Additionally, the eight cycles of life refer to the idea that life is a series of stages or phases, each with its challenges and opportunities for growth.

The rainbow colors on the cover relate to personal development in several ways. Each rainbow color has a unique energy and symbolism that can be applied to excellence. They provide a framework for understanding and working with different aspects of the self. By tapping into the symbolism and energy of each color, individuals can cultivate a deeper understanding of themselves and their personal and professional development journey.

5. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers – other than run!?

If you are writing to make quick money, stop right now. But if you are writing because you have a deeper calling to use what you have learned and mastered to educate, inspire, and solve other people’s problems, add value, and make a significant change in the world, then keep going and never give up when the tough gets going. Writing can be difficult and often lonely, but with dedication and perseverance, you will eventually succeed. Keep writing, keep editing, and don't let setbacks discourage you. Believe in yourself and your work, even when it feels like no one else does.  

6. What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading? One of the biggest trends in the book world is digital publishing and artificial intelligence. The rise of e-readers and tablets has made it easier than ever for authors to self-publish their work and make it available worldwide. This trend has been especially beneficial for independent authors, who can now bypass traditional publishing houses and get their books out to the public more quickly and easily than before. Another big trend is audiobooks, which are becoming increasingly popular as people look for ways to fit reading into their busy lives. Audiobooks also provide a convenient way for listeners to enjoy books while doing other activities, such as driving or exercising. We are seeing an increased focus on diversity in both books published and the characters featured within them. Finally, artificial intelligence (AI) will transform the book publishing world in ways we could never imagine. Authors can leverage AI tools to write books, create copy, and market their books to the world. Furthermore, not far in the distant future, we will have sentient AI that can read to us any book we want, or as I share in my TEDx Talk, Technological Armageddon, we are heading into the world where we will be able to link our human brain with AI and give us the ability to upload and download our entire mind into the cloud. As society becomes more aware of issues like far-right or far-left extremism, racism, sexism, homophobia, xenophobia, environment, etc., publishers have taken steps towards creating stories that reflect these experiences to represent all members of our community better. Overall, I believe that the book publishing industry is heading towards a future where technology plays an even bigger role in how people access literature - whether through digital formats such as e-books or audio recordings or artificial intelligence- while also continuing its efforts towards greater inclusion across genres, topics and characters represented in literature today.  

7. Were there experiences in your personal life or career that came in handy when writing this book?  Yes. As a teenager, I faced bullying, was forced to fight in a civil war I deep down despised, and faced homelessness. In my twenties, I worked three to five jobs to fund my higher education and university degree. My career in technology, working with people at every level of private and public organizations, starting and growing my own business, and delivering over 35,000 coaching, mentoring and training hours have been incredibly useful when writing A Path to Excellence. In my role as an award-winning author, speaker, coach and consultant, I had the opportunity to observe best practices in personal and professional growth and development, which informed my perspective on how individuals and businesses can be successful. Additionally, my experience as a senior executive in technology allowed me to understand the challenges high-achieving clients, leaders and businesses face when it comes to creating a positive learning environment for all involved. These experiences and reading thousands of books and assisting my clients to generate over a billion in revenue and improving employee and leadership mental performance helped shape much of what is written in A Path to Excellence.  

8. How would you describe your writing style? Which writers or books is your writing similar to? My writing style can be described as authentic, descriptive, emotive, engaging, and analytical. I try to capture the essence of a subject or event in my writing by providing vivid descriptions, metaphors, and real client and personal examples, exploring its origins, implications and meanings while looking at it from various angles, especially science, spirituality, psychology, physiology, epistemology, stoicism, religion, etc. My writing has been compared to authors such as Carl Young, Tony Robbins, Jack Canfield, Dr John Demartini, and Louise Hay,  for its deep study, science-based arguments, philosophy, technology, and strong use of metaphors, imagery and symbolism. It is also similar to writers like Jhumpa Lahiri for its introspective nature and attention to detail. 

9. What challenges did you overcome in the writing of this book? My biggest challenge in writing A Path to Excellence was finding the right balance between providing practical advice and inspiring readers to take action. I wanted to provide useful tips and strategies that people could use to improve their personal and professional lives but also create a sense of motivation and excitement about achieving excellence. To do this, I included stories from my life and from successful individuals and clients who had achieved great things, as well as real-world examples of how they applied their knowledge and skills in order to reach their goals. Additionally, I worked hard to ensure that the book provided an engaging read while still being informative and helpful.  

10. If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours?

The book is designed to provide readers with the necessary tools to strengthen their leadership management skills while inviting them to engage in a personal inquiry process to identify areas for growth and development. As the reader embarks on this journey of self-discovery, the book creates a safe and empowering space for meditation, reflection, and re-evaluation of mental models and paradigms that may be hindering personal or professional growth. The book's flexible format and design make it an invaluable reference guide, enabling readers to adapt it to their specific needs and schedule. The chapters can be read in sequential order or randomly, depending on the reader's preferences or the emerging themes of the day.  

The book's main focus is empowering readers to apply the tools and techniques in their daily lives, enabling them to solve everyday problems while activating deep mechanisms that allow for a transformative change in their decision-making processes. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to unlock their full potential and create a better version of themselves. My subtle and clear narration style and the realistic examples presented make the book easy to understand and apply. While reaching one's full potential is an arduous process that requires commitment and hard work, I clarify that it is not impossible. A Path to Excellence is a comprehensive guide to achieving success in any field. It provides readers with an understanding of the skills and practices needed for personal and professional development, as well as practical techniques for overcoming obstacles, an eight-step method, values-based goal setting and action planning.

By following the steps outlined in this book, readers can identify their strengths and weaknesses, break through limiting beliefs, overcome the fear of failure, develop a positive attitude towards life and work hard towards achieving their goals. With its clear guidance on creating successful habits and staying inspired along the way, A Path to Excellence can help anyone reach their full potential.

About The Author: As an Internationally Award-Winning Author, Speaker, Transformational Life and Business Coach, and Strategist specializing in Human Behavior, Leadership Development, and Maximizing Business and Human Potential, Tony J. Selimi globally assists people from all professions and businesses from all market sectors engaged in high-stress performance, productivity, and purpose missions to turn their challenges, frustrations, and pains in stepping stones, map out a clear vision, mission, purpose and create personal, professional, financial and business breakthroughs and a detailed plan and strategy for achieving their greatest aspirations. He authored A Path to Wisdom, #Loneliness, The Unfakeable Code®, and A Path to Excellence and is an executive producer of ‘The Truth About Reading,’ co-creator of the 'Living My Illusion’ award-winning life coaching documentary, creator of Into Your Divinity Documentary Series, and pioneered several trademarked methodologies in human development. He's been featured on BBC, SKY, ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX, reaching over 100 million people. for ore info, see: https://tonyselimi.com

 

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About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on Twitter @theprexpert. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2023. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This award-winning blog has generated over 3.3 million pageviews. With 4,400+ posts over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and two jobs at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America, and has spoken at ASJA, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. He has been featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald. For more information, please consult: www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum.