(From the interview)

You can get a pop star or somebody being an INFLUENCER and they're not necessarily a THOUGHT LEADER.

You must ACHIEVE these four things, otherwise, it's unlikely you'll be a thought leader:

(R)each,
(E)ngagement,
(A)uthority, and
(L)ongevity

Unless you push and push and push yourself and challenge yourself and keep yourself to a VERY HIGH STANDARD, you're not going to get to that real gem of an idea.

An article or a blog is not thought leadership unless it's truly INTERESTING, EXCITING, DIFFERENT, ORIGINAL, DISRUPTIVE and you know, making heads turn.

Thought Leaders / Entrepreneurs ENERGY >> 

"They don't settle for the obvious answer or the first idea that comes to mind. They don't settle for boring ideas. Ideas that offer nothing new. They don't settle because they know that they've been cold to share truly innovative ideas. And unless you push and push and push yourself and challenge yourself and keep yourself to a very high standard, you're not going to get to that real gem of an idea. 

Yes, we've helped people write books, but the really exciting bit is to come up with the gem that, you know - at the center of the eye of the book is the IDEA and where it REALLY SHINES, where it's REALLY SAYING SOMETHING NEW, you know, it because of the market response."