Well, you say there was so much at stake. What do you mean by that?
I mean, there's always something at stake when you're putting something out in the world, but it seems like this particular one felt more dangerous to you.
Yes. And at a certain point, I actually I was so desperate that I actually talked to a therapist, you know? And I don't need a therapist, I am, but of course, that's ego.
So I reached out to a therapist and what I learned was that my problem wasn't the book, my problem was my relationship to the book and that I identified myself so much with the success of this book so that if this book didn't succeed, then despite whatever I've done before in the world, my failure or incompetence or lacks would be exposed to the world. So I had to dis-identify from the book. I had to say, okay, I'll do my best. If it fails, I'm still an okay person and worthwhile.”
— Dr. Gabor Mate (Fail Better with David Duchovny)
