On Being Happy and a Successful Writer at the Same Time
Russell Nohelty
This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice.
What if success didn’t have to cost your sanity?
For years, USA Today bestselling author Russell Nohelty chased the “dream” of massive book sales, bestseller lists, and unlimited creative freedom...
…but achieving it came at the cost of his health, his happiness, and even his love for writing. Now, he's on a mission to make sure nobody else has to make the same devil’s bargain ever again.
In On Being Happy and a Successful Writer at the Same Time, Nohelty draws from hundreds of books on happiness, years of business experience, and the lived reality of chronic illness to lay out a practical, holistic framework that helps writers align their creative work with joy, abundance, and their natural tendencies.
This brutally honest, refreshingly hopeful guide offers a path forward for authors who want to thrive—not just survive.
Inside, you’ll learn how to:
Whether you're just starting out or hitting burnout after years in the trenches, this book will help you realign with what truly matters, so you can stop chasing success and start living it.
Duration - 10h 14m.
Author - Russell Nohelty.
Narrator - Digital Voice Russell Nohelty E.
Published Date - Wednesday, 14 January 2026.
Copyright - © 2025 Russell Nohelty ©.
Location:
United States
Networks:
Russell Nohelty
Digital Voice Russell Nohelty E
The Author Stack
Wannabe Press
English Audiobooks
Findaway Audiobooks
Description:
This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice. What if success didn’t have to cost your sanity? For years, USA Today bestselling author Russell Nohelty chased the “dream” of massive book sales, bestseller lists, and unlimited creative freedom... …but achieving it came at the cost of his health, his happiness, and even his love for writing. Now, he's on a mission to make sure nobody else has to make the same devil’s bargain ever again. In On Being Happy and a Successful Writer at the Same Time, Nohelty draws from hundreds of books on happiness, years of business experience, and the lived reality of chronic illness to lay out a practical, holistic framework that helps writers align their creative work with joy, abundance, and their natural tendencies. This brutally honest, refreshingly hopeful guide offers a path forward for authors who want to thrive—not just survive. Inside, you’ll learn how to: Whether you're just starting out or hitting burnout after years in the trenches, this book will help you realign with what truly matters, so you can stop chasing success and start living it. Duration - 10h 14m. Author - Russell Nohelty. Narrator - Digital Voice Russell Nohelty E. Published Date - Wednesday, 14 January 2026. Copyright - © 2025 Russell Nohelty ©.
Language:
English
On Being Happy and a Successful Writer at the Same Time
Duración:00:00:56
Introduction
Duración:00:05:21
The HAPI Compass framework
Duración:00:16:18
(B)elief
Duración:00:02:32
Thinking quantum
Duración:00:17:21
Success is a trailing indicator…
Duración:00:10:05
Problem-market fit
Duración:00:00:20
What am I missing here?
Duración:00:00:50
Is that even true, though?
Duración:00:02:15
Is this even solving the right problem?
Duración:00:01:46
You can’t brute force success
Duración:00:08:13
The great paradox of writing
Duración:00:00:49
The Power of Audacity
Duración:00:01:25
The Power of Empathy
Duración:00:01:12
Why Marketing Feels So Icky
Duración:00:02:08
Walking the Tightrope
Duración:00:01:50
Sustainable productivity vs. sustainable monetization
Duración:00:10:29
Money to growth parallel
Duración:00:01:38
Growth Phase
Duración:00:02:28
Monetization Phase
Duración:00:01:16
The Balancing Act
Duración:00:03:24
You’re not broken, but your author business might be
Duración:00:01:33
Discovery platform ≠ community platform
Duración:00:01:11
Monetization platform ≠ Product shelf
Duración:00:00:57
Product ≠ Project ≠ Prototype
Duración:00:01:02
Market ≠ Crowd
Duración:00:01:15
Author business diagnostic
Duración:00:01:17
The mindset for success
Duración:00:03:46
Is there even a point?
Duración:00:07:41
Set your win condition
Duración:00:05:59
It’s magic that anything works at all
Duración:00:07:04
(E)mbodiment
Duración:00:16:00
Three truths about anxiety that will make you furious
Duración:00:00:58
All anxiety is a lie
Duración:00:02:09
Emotions only last 90 seconds
Duración:00:01:53
Boredom and anxiety are two sides of the same coin
Duración:00:02:46
How to Improve Your Mental State by Embracing Neutral Thinking
Duración:00:17:25
When your brain says “write!” but your body says, “nope.”
Duración:00:06:33
Pain reprocessing therapy
Duración:00:02:03
Pacing
Duración:00:01:30
Individualized nutrition
Duración:00:01:28
Gut health
Duración:00:01:41
Breathwork
Duración:00:01:48
Meditation
Duración:00:01:04
The McGill Big Three stretches
Duración:00:01:55
Sleep
Duración:00:01:30
Boundaries
Duración:00:01:22
Habits
Duración:00:01:36
Medication and supplements
Duración:00:01:42
Talk therapy
Duración:00:01:07
Choosing joy over happiness
Duración:00:01:42
Gratitude
Duración:00:01:30
Touch therapy
Duración:00:02:01
Interdependency
Duración:00:00:43
Books to read
Duración:00:15:45
(H)eart
Duración:00:03:48
Understanding resistance
Duración:00:04:04
Objectively good and subjectively your jam…
Duración:00:05:09
The Novel Blueprint
Duración:00:01:42
Getting your mindset right
Duración:00:04:02
The art of selecting story ideas
Duración:00:03:22
Three methods for building character relationships
Duración:00:00:55
The Triangle Method
Duración:00:01:44
The Ensemble Method
Duración:00:01:05
The Linear Journey Method
Duración:00:01:59
Creating main characters and villains
Duración:00:03:18
Supporting characters
Duración:00:04:24
Setting and worldbuilding
Duración:00:04:26
Constructing your structure
Duración:00:03:46
Layering your plot with subplots
Duración:00:02:15
Understanding Theme
Duración:00:03:31
Editing
Duración:00:03:30
The art of blurb writing
Duración:00:04:25
Getting a great cover
Duración:00:03:30
How to design a signature series
Duración:00:04:51
What genre do I want to be known for?
Duración:00:02:23
What will define this series?
Duración:00:01:09
What kind of series will this be?
Duración:00:01:53
What is the POV?
Duración:00:02:10
What is the hook into your series?
Duración:00:02:31
What is your unique selling proposition?
Duración:00:00:43
Where will I be primarily selling this series?
Duración:00:01:50
(A)udience
Duración:00:03:29
The power of leveraged assets
Duración:00:03:10
The Denominator Strategy
Duración:00:09:06
Find your brand
Duración:00:02:58
Interview people who fit your target demographic
Duración:00:01:39
Observe their behavior online
Duración:00:01:20
Test different messaging and branding
Duración:00:02:48
Plant where you are most comfortable
Duración:00:06:56
Help readers understand themselves
Duración:00:02:36
Find your superfans
Duración:00:01:33
Pump vs. flywheel
Duración:00:07:30
Mapping your customer journey
Duración:00:10:57
The Flywheel
Duración:00:03:37
The five time-tested adoption decisions
Duración:00:00:29
Relative advantage: Highlight what makes your work unique: Actionable advice
Duración:00:01:15
Compatibility: Make it easy to fit into their lives: Actionable advice
Duración:00:01:11
Simplicity: Ensure an effortless experience: Actionable advice
Duración:00:01:08
Observability: Show the benefits of your work: Actionable advice
Duración:00:01:27
Trialability: Let readers explore your work first: Actionable advice
Duración:00:02:03
The Bullseye Method for growing an audience
Duración:00:06:57
The four marketing channels
Duración:00:02:17
Earned media
Duración:00:01:16
Borrowed media
Duración:00:01:13
Paid media
Duración:00:02:48
“How do I market myself without feeling gross about it?”
Duración:00:01:01
Breaking you down
Duración:00:07:37
Building you back up
Duración:00:11:02
This is not about you
Duración:00:04:43
(P)rioritization
Duración:00:06:38
The 4 Ps of prioritization
Duración:00:02:55
Creating
Duración:00:01:31
Retailer/catalog sales
Duración:00:01:28
Crowdfunding
Duración:00:01:16
Subscriptions
Duración:00:01:21
Landing pages & special offers
Duración:00:01:21
Web store
Duración:00:01:15
In-person and virtual events
Duración:00:06:06
How to pick your priority
Duración:00:05:15
The One Thing principle
Duración:00:02:45
Using a modified Eisenhower Matrix to set priorities
Duración:00:03:49
Building sustainable systems
Duración:00:02:59
Planned serendipity: What do I mean by that?
Duración:00:13:52
Break through a ceiling and turn it into a floor
Duración:00:09:49
Inefficiency is the real flex
Duración:00:07:52
(I)ncome
Duración:00:07:15
“If I needed $1,000, I could always…”
Duración:00:04:09
$1,000 triggers writers can build
Duración:00:03:15
What’s your “I can always…”?
Duración:00:01:19
Freedom to vs. freedom from
Duración:00:06:12
The margin of safety
Duración:00:01:34
What’s a margin of safety?
Duración:00:04:22
How to build a margin of safety
Duración:00:00:24
Build systems, not one-time plans
Duración:00:00:39
Design for downturns, not just growth
Duración:00:00:30
Create optionality
Duración:00:00:36
Set a baseline for survival mode
Duración:00:00:28
Assume you’re wrong
Duración:00:00:56
Money as means or money as ends?
Duración:00:01:25
Money as means
Duración:00:01:48
Money as ends
Duración:00:01:33
Two worldviews colliding
Duración:00:02:35
How much do you want to make in the next year?
Duración:00:00:59
Step 1
Duración:00:00:16
Step 2
Duración:00:00:21
Step 3
Duración:00:01:07
Step 4
Duración:00:00:54
Step 5
Duración:00:03:19
Step 6
Duración:00:00:31
Step 7
Duración:00:02:15
Step 8
Duración:00:01:04
Transition points
Duración:00:01:09
Non-fiction: Providing clarity and solutions
Duración:00:01:14
Fiction: Offering emotional resonance and escape
Duración:00:02:38
Fiction that reflects personal growth and self-discovery
Duración:00:01:02
Why targeting transitions works
Duración:00:01:37
Platform, audience, and assets
Duración:00:01:25
Platform: Meeting the demands of the market
Duración:00:00:52
Types of platforms:
Duración:00:00:18
What makes a platform important for authors?
Duración:00:00:39
Examples:
Duración:00:00:19
What does the platform want?
Duración:00:01:57
Differentiating between platforms
Duración:00:00:49
Audience: Aligning your content with reader needs
Duración:00:00:04
Types of audience:
Duración:00:00:41
Why Understanding Your Audience Matters:
Duración:00:00:38
What does my audience want?
Duración:00:01:55
Assets: leveraging your unique strengths
Duración:00:00:23
What assets do I have?
Duración:00:00:50
Why Assets Are Crucial
Duración:00:00:36
How can I leverage these assets to reach beyond my core audience?
Duración:00:00:54
Growing your assets over time
Duración:00:00:35
Common pitfalls to avoid
Duración:00:00:43
Measurable action steps
Duración:00:01:34
Author success paths
Duración:00:00:21
Virality / writing to market
Duración:00:00:27
Key components
Duración:00:00:51
Actionable steps for authors
Duración:00:02:28
Content marketing / Thought leadership
Duración:00:00:20
Launch cycles
Duración:00:00:13
Actionable steps for authors:
Duración:00:02:10
Evangelists
Duración:00:00:20
Strategic partnerships
Duración:00:00:16
Actionable steps for Authors
Duración:00:02:27
Offer #1: Freebies
Duración:00:01:47
Offer #2: The tripwire offer
Duración:00:01:52
Offer #3: Your core product
Duración:00:00:32
Offer #4: Profit maximizer
Duración:00:02:31
Cross-sells, upsells, downsells, and bump offers
Duración:00:03:02
Bowtie funnel
Duración:00:06:05
Catalog/Retailer sales vs. direct sales
Duración:00:00:38
Catalog/Retailer sales: Writing to market for broad appeal
Duración:00:00:38
How writing to market works with catalog sales
Duración:00:01:16
Challenges of writing to market for catalog sales
Duración:00:00:35
Direct sales: Freedom to write outside the market
Duración:00:00:41
Advantages of direct sales for niche or personal projects
Duración:00:01:09
Hybrid strategy
Duración:00:01:54
The five-step integrated publishing system
Duración:00:03:14
The casual reader funnel
Duración:00:02:47