Let me tell you how this happened: Megan Hyatt Miller is my oldest daughter and the chief operating officer of Michael Hyatt & Company. In the fall of 2013 she said, “Dad, you have a unique approach to goal setting. I think we should interview you about that for Platform University® [my membership website]. We could use it as a master class in January.” I thought it was a good idea, so I agreed.
A few days later, Megan ran the idea by Stu McLaren, my partner in Platform University®. He loved the idea but suggested we turn it into a stand-alone, online course. We all got excited about it, and a few weeks later, we were in Toronto shooting it. Thus was born 5 Days to Your Best Year Ever™.
Since that time, more than thirty thousand students from over one hundred countries have taken the course. Out of its success we created a live event that we host in January in Nashville. I also host a series of face-to-face, quarterly workshops for our most dedicated students. And now, this book.
None of this would have happened if it had not been for the vision, creativity, encouragement, and hard work of Megan and Stu. Thank you both.
My wife, Gail, is a constant source of encouragement. She is never afraid to speak her mind and express her opinion. But she always does it in a way that is loving and kind, something that has become her trademark in dealing with everyone who knows her.
Joel Miller is our chief content officer at Michael Hyatt & Company. He helped me stitch together this manuscript using the raw materials of my course, assorted blog posts, podcasts, and webinars, and my interactions with students both online and off. He worked tirelessly to finish this project in the midst of an unusually busy season in our business. He has truly become my creative partner and collaborator. I am grateful for his ability to analyze, synthesize, and organize my content into final form. I can’t imagine embarking on any creative endeavor without him at my side.
My literary agent, Bryan Norman of Alive Communications, has become an invaluable part of our team. He has been involved in every phase of this project from ideation to publication. He is my trusted advisor for everything related to my publishing pursuits. Not only is he crazy-smart, he is exceedingly responsive and near flawless in his execution. His quick wit and light heart are an added bonus.
I am grateful to my editor, Chad Allen, for his vision, creative input, and patience in working with us on this project. He has been a literary midwife in helping me give birth to it. He is everything I could want in an editor.
I would also like to thank all my friends at Baker Books, including Dwight Baker, Mark Rice, Patti Brinks, Barb Barnes, and Julie Davis. Their approach to publishing is uniquely author friendly. This is our second project together, and we have more to come. I am deeply grateful for our publishing partnership.
My video producer, Dean Rainey, of Rainey Media, also had his fingerprints on this project. He helped shape the initial content of the course and has partnered with us through every iteration of it. His coaching and belief in me have been invaluable.
I especially want to thank the alumni of my 5 Days course, including those who have shared their stories in this book:
You have become more than my students; you are my teachers.
Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my amazing team at Michael Hyatt & Company, both employees and key contractors: Blair Arcaini, Suzanne and Justin Barbour, Jennifer Bogard, Matt and Lauren Brady, Andrew Buckman, Mike Burns, Chad Cannon, Kyle Chowning, Aleshia Curry, James Kelly, Alison Kennedy, Madeline and Shawn Lemon, Emily Lineberger, Jeremy Lott, Kristin McCall, Jeff McCord, Anna McKenzie, John Meese, Rachel Mullins, Suzanne Norman, Charae and Matt Price, Dean Rainey, Mandi Rivieccio, Danielle Rodgers, Christina Sheer, Brandon Triola, Kyle Wyley, and Dave Yonkowiak. You inspire me every day and enable me to do what I do best.