Mom & Dad Are Fighting Again

Kevin and I originally called Growing Up Fast “Mom and Dad are fighting again” and that working title prompted a lot of discussion amongst our friends.

“Why would you ever consider calling your book that?”

“Are you trying to make sure that you don't sell any copies?”

Not necessarily the response you want from those closest to you…right?

We ultimately changed it to Growing Up Fast, which we both like, but I wanted to share a bit of backstory about the original title along with an excerpt from the book as well.

We were drawn Mom And Dad Are Fighting and it’s underlying metaphor because both Kevin and I felt that nearly anyone could relate to the idea that discord is tough to deal with. And it’s a lot more than just practically difficult…it’s personal and emotional. It can rattle you to your core.

Work IS personal and it IS emotional and so often business books gloss over just that. We've both grown passionate about agile processes because they provide a powerful toolkit to navigate just about everything that your professional life can throw at you (practically and emotionally).

While agile principles like believing in face-to-face communication, focusing on simplicity and building a personal ecosystem that helps you navigate change help you professionally they transcend the work world.

What we hope you find in Growing Up Fast is a story that you can relate to. We hope it inspires you and we hope you learn something from it. We certainly loved the process of getting it ready for you.

——————————————————————————

Mom and Dad are fighting again.

That’s what is happening in the world, especially in the world of business.

Dad with his bottom-line schemes, his stories with the boys down at the club, his belief that nothing would happen without his individual ego.

Mom with her rules and forecasting, her compass for what should happen next, her belief that nothing will happen without a solid plan.

Dad’s reminiscence of past victories, shrouded with a credo that past performance is no indication of future performance.

Mom’s obsession with an ideal future, mixed with the faith that fairness and equality can remain ever-fixed marks against a sea of decay.

They both want control, and they have control in different ways.

This book is about their brilliant overgrown kid who takes apart toaster ovens and still lives at home above the garage.

The kid who is both halves and neither of them, whose life is passing by in waiting to act.

A wunderkind on ice.

“It’s all risk and reward in the free market. Only the strong survive.”
There you go again, Dad.

“Why don’t you write down your goals. Things will work out. It takes a village.”
There you go again, Mom.