Mitch Lewis has a remarkable story, a story he has chosen to share through a book. Like so many others, Lewis felt as though he was “stuck” in his middle age. He evaluated his day-to-day life, from his position as an executive at a tech company to his family; looking back at that stuck feeling, Lewis says, “I got to be a certain age in my life, and I found that I was both happy and unhappy, so I decided to make changes.” The “creeping sense of complacency, apathy, and lethargy” he experienced may sound familiar to many—it is easy to feel stuck in a rut, whether in a professional or personal capacity. However, most people do not react to this feeling as Lewis did—running seven grueling marathons and climbing the seven highest summits on all seven continents.
There is something incredibly compelling about Lewis’ story. Perhaps because we can all relate to that desire to achieve more in our lives, or perhaps because Lewis, as a self-professed “middle-aged, out-of-shape, ordinary guy,” succeeded so thoroughly in revolutionizing his lifestyle and body, his story inspires. Realizing this, Lewis works to share his experiences by shaping them into principles and lessons that translate into the corporate environment. “In addition to my so-called day job which also extends into the evening, my night job is working to enable other people to achieve greatness. I do this by speaking at different engagements on the subject of motivation and leadership, aimed at individuals, groups and corporations,” Lewis says.
Lewis shares his experiences of mountain-climbing, running, and philanthropic work on his website, ClimbingAndRunning.com. However, Lewis decided to up the ante and publish a book, Climbing Your Personal Everest: A Journey of Self-Discovery and Leadership. Not only did Lewis see a book as an effective way to share his unique story, he also saw it as a marketing tactic for his speaking work. “Eventually, over time, I’d love to extend my speaking platform into leadership development training programs. Authoring a unique, informative book builds up my speaking brand,” Lewis says.
Lewis’s book complements the unique speaking program he has to offer. “I like to cover global experiences, spiritual elements, social networking mixed with humor. Authoring this book goes hand in hand with marketing my line of part-time work as a speaker. The more books I sell, the more I build my brand as a unique professional speaker and I can then give back more to charities I support. The reverse works as well: the more speaking engagements I have, the more books I can sell, the more people I can help.” His Your Personal Everest Foundation looks to help people in disadvantaged countries who demonstrate unique talent in technology, music and art.
In addition to complementing his professional speaking, authoring a book has also proven to be a powerful networking tool in Lewis’ day job. “For people employed in corporate/executive positions, a book can allow them to market themselves to benefit the organization through a better brand. For example, I gave out signed copies of my book to colleagues, partners, and clients, as well as executives in my company to thank and recognize them for their leadership. Many had no idea I had even written a book, and that kind of personal gesture was really impactful. It has helped me build business and stronger relationships in the corporate world.”
Not only does a book allow Lewis to monetize the incredible experiences he has had, it also allows him to share his truly inspirational and moving story with others and hopefully impact their lives the same way it has his.
You can buy Climbing Your Personal Everest: A Journey of Self-Discovery and Leadership here.
