228. Why I Unpublished My Bestselling Book And How You Can Transition In Confidence

In this thought-provoking episode of The Strategic Oracle, Kim Woods shares Why I Unpublished My Bestselling Book, diving deeply into the transformative journey behind unpublishing her ninth book—even after a successful launch. She explores the role of intuition, alignment, and soul-driven strategy in business and creative work. If you’ve ever questioned your next step, faced misalignment in your offerings, or sensed a greater calling, this episode holds clarifying guidance and actionable wisdom.

Key Takeaways

The Power of Reversal: Letting Go for Alignment

• Completion and New Beginnings: Kim shares how the number nine symbolizes wholeness and ripening, marking not just the completion of a writing journey, but also the beginning of a new cycle.
• Transformation Through Creation: Writing—whether fiction or nonfiction—is more than storytelling; it’s a personal metamorphosis, mirroring the evolution we often resist in business.
• Trusting Intuitive Guidance: Despite external success (bestseller lists, accolades), an inner discord signaled that her book needed to be unpublished. Trusting soul over strategy can mean releasing “old outfits” that no longer fit.
• Asset-First, Depth-Driven Success: Kim redefines success as cultivating powerful assets and deep, intimate connections rather than wide-reaching, surface-level visibility.

Inspiring Quotes

"If I left the book where it was, I was anchoring myself to old energy that wasn’t belonging in the world."

"Your system is so much deeper than this. There’s such a power that the power gets rippled through its depth, not through its reach."

Key Questions Answered

1. Why did you decide to unpublish your successful book?

Kim recognized an inner misalignment—even as her book achieved bestseller status. Despite external achievements, she felt the book reflected “old energy” not aligned with her soul’s current truth. She explains, “I was anchoring myself to old energy that wasn’t belonging in the world… If it’s not the right message, then it needs not to live.”

2. What did the experience of unpublishing your book reveal about the creative and business process?

Deep transformation often requires courageous reversal. Kim describes cycles of creation as moments of wholeness, culminating in recognizing when something must be released—even if it’s painful or counterintuitive. Letting go opened space for more authentic, potent work to arise.

3. How can entrepreneurs and creatives apply this lesson of reversal in their own work?

It's important to honestly assess misalignments, even subtle ones: “What do you need to burn down? Maybe it’s not a full scale, maybe it’s just a minor tweak, but the reverberations of that are incredible.” She invites everyone to listen deeply to intuition, recognize when methods no longer serve, and make bold moves toward truer alignment.

Action Steps & Reflection

• Audit Your Offerings: Are your products, services, or creative works still aligned with who you are now? Use intuitive check-ins, not just data.
• Embrace Reversal as Growth: Sometimes letting go is the most strategic move. Realignment is not failure, but a leap toward authentic impact.
• Prioritize Depth Over Reach: Focus on building powerful, meaningful assets and relationships, instead of chasing mass appeal when it feels out of alignment.