Got Passion?

 



If you're like me, when you read this quote from Dave Ramsey (he is an AWESOME guy!) you want to agree with it but, at the same time, you can't figure out how to make an income from your "passion". Anyone else out there with me?

 

It's absolutely true! As it's been said before, "Find something that you LOVE to do and get paid for it and you'll never 'work' a day of your life!"

 

I can hear someone say, "I love ice cream but I don't think I can make a living due to my love of ice cream!"  Well, that may be stretching it a bit BUT, at the same time, I think it CAN be used on your path to success!

 

Huh?

 

Stay with me here...

 

What I'd like to suggest is that you bring your "passion" to your work REGARDLESS of what you do for work and whether or not you love what you do or not.

 

Perhaps your passion is making people smile and feel better about their day - take that passion to work with you and watch what happens. Make it a habit of using that passion at your place of work and see what changes take place in your life and the life of those that are around you while at work.

 

Perhaps your passion is working with children in your town or city. Maybe you can bring that passion to your workplace, get your co-workers on board because you ARE so passionate about it and get them involved - along with your boss - in getting your company to help raise money in some fun and involved way!

Do you think that, MAYBE, those in management might notice your ability to sell an idea and get others involved?

 

Now, about that ice cream... What if you took that passion to work by picking out one person per week to reward with some ice cream? Come up with some fun "award" or "achievement" and go with it. I wonder what will happen to your workplace environment by sharing your passion for ice cream?

 

I'm telling you, friend....BRING YOUR PASSION TO WORK (and take it with you everywhere you go) and see if it will, indeed, become a part of your "path to success".

 

As an added note, I found it very interesting that, after I recorded the podcast version of this topic earlier today (DO go listen to the podcast via one of the two links below) I ran across an article about a 12 year old "kidpreneur" (he started when he was 9 years old) that has a passion of his own about bow ties. That's right, bow ties!

Here's a quote from the article that you can read here: "...His advice for other young entrepreneurs? 'Figure out what you like doing and then figure out how to make money doing it.' "

 

Love and live your passion. Make it a part of your everyday life and incorporate it into everything that you do both at work and away from work and I believe that your path to success WILL become clear!

 

And, as you do that, be sure to...

 

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

 

Mike

His advice for other young entrepreneurs? “Figure out what you like doing and then figure out how to make money doing it.” - See more at: http://www.success.com/article/mos-bringing-back-bows#sthash.ElD8wubw.vtA0bSzJ.dpuf

His advice for other young entrepreneurs? “Figure out what you like doing and then figure out how to make money doing it.” - See more at: http://www.success.com/article/mos-bringing-back-bows#sthash.ElD8wubw.vtA0bSzJ.dpuf

His advice for other young entrepreneurs? “Figure out what you like doing and then figure out how to make money doing it.” - See more at: http://www.success.com/article/mos-bringing-back-bows#sthash.ElD8wubw.vtA0bSzJ.dpuf

 

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YOU Determine the Size of Your Dreams

Today is "Thankful Thursday" - think of all for which you have to be thankful and EXPRESS that thanks today!

I hope that you've been able to follow along with this week's podcast and blog articles as I've shared and discussed my 7 Daily Affirmations that I came up with back in the summer of 2008. Again, it is important for all of us to understand that the very first affirmation serves as the "building block" or foundational principle for all of the others that follow.

YES, it IS important for you to do this each and every day and as one of the first things you DO in your day. I also strongly suggest that you do this in front of a mirror if at all possible. You will be astounded at the impact of doing this while looking yourself in the eyes will have on you. Try it, you'll see what I mean.

Today I want to remind you of the fact that YOUR dreams are YOUR dreams! The actual affirmation goes like this: "I will not allow ANYONE to determine the size of my dreams! THEY ARE MINE!"

Sounds simple enough, right? Yet, too many have let their dreams go due to the influence of others around them. Others who did not DARE dream the big dreams but were more than ready to destroy the dreams of others. It happens every day and, friend, it has likely either happened to you or you are aware of those that have tried to do that with YOUR dreams. Remember, they are YOUR dreams and, that being so, no on - NO ONE - has the right or ability to decide how big they should be or what they should be!

This gets really difficult when the "dream stealer" is a family member - especially a spouse. I've read and heard others ask the question, "What do I do if my husband/wife..." and they go on to describe how their spouse is not only unsupportive but actually actively tries to destroy that dream.

I'll be honest with you...I don't have an answer for you on how you handle that. Some would suggest that you simply leave that spouse and move on without them and maybe even try to find someone else that would share in your dreams. However, I am a firm believer in marriage for life so I would suggest that you try to find another solution if at all possible. Now then, they may NEVER jump on board with you and your dreams and that will be when you really find out how important your dreams are to you as well as how strong your passion is for those dreams.

Too, I've noticed that some times - not in all situations but in more than most want to admit - the problem sometimes lies within the dreamer and their failure to bring their spouse along with them from the beginning. Hey, listen - if you are in a marriage, it is IMPORTANT that you share your hopes and dreams and that you share your desire to go after them. Right? Too many people keep these things to themselves and then spring some investment or whatever on their spouse "out of the blue". Hey, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT?

So, if you've already made the mistake of NOT bringing your spouse along with you or did not share with your spouse from the beginning then, friend, you have a problem on your hands to which you must find a solution.

But, bottom line, whatever you do, DO NOT allow others to destroy your dreams and convince you that you are dreaming too big and that you are not able to accomplish what you have set out to accomplish. (Go back and read and listen to the preceding affirmations on this).

DREAM BIG and make NO EXCUSES to those that lack the ability to dream. By all means, share with your spouse and make every effort to bring them along with you but know this: sometimes the life of a dreamer is a lonely life! But, again, this is when you discover how "real" and important your dreams are to you.

Just imagine what our world would be like if it weren't for the dreamers that never gave up.

Keep on dreaming and, until next time, whatever you do, be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

Are We There Yet?

Today is "Thankful Thursday"! I know you can come up with a few things in your life to be thankful for today, right? Do it and express it!

A car full of kids with their parents heading out on vacation with the car packed to the top with kids, suitcases, toys and even perhaps, a pet or two. Hey, if you have kids and have done this for ANY distance then you know and can relate to some of the phrases that I'm about to share.
"I need to go to the bathroom!" "He's touching me!" "I'm hot!" "Can we turn around and see what that dead thing was in the road?" (That's a personal one from one my own kids). And, here we go...
"Are we there yet?"

Put all of those phrases on "repeat often" and you have fun-filled, family-packed adventure!

Yet, for us as adults, it is imperative for us to be asking that same question and to be asking it often..."Are we there yet?" or better yet,"Am I there yet?"

One variation of this phrase that you often would here/will here from the backseat of the car would also be, "How much further?" And, yes, that is also extremely important for us to be asking ourselves as we move toward our goals and dreams.

Hey, listen - if you were going on a trip with no set destination in mind, how would you answer the questions, "Are we there yet?" or "How much further?" ? I do understand that some people take out on a trip with no real destination in mind but to just "go" and "end up where you end up". My guess is that they don't usually do this with kids on board!

In the same way, if you don't have any set goals or dreams and a way to determine and know when you have reached or achieved them then, how will you know how much further you have to go or even if you have already arrived?

Just as a family on a trip will likely have places along the way to use as "gauge points" (we'll spend the night in this town on the first night and then we should arrive by 4:00 p.m. the next day) we should also have such "gauge points" along the way to our goals and dreams.

Again, a simple and easy example to use is that of weight loss. Sometimes it's hard to stay focused on losing fifty pounds and it's easy to get discouraged. However, if we use five pounds at a time as our "gauge points" then it makes it a little easier to deal with "how much further" we have to go before we reach our goal.

Why? Because we can actually "see" that we are making progress!

What are YOUR "gauge points" that you are using to mark your progress or to even make you aware of the fact that you AREN'T making progress?

One of mine, for example, is getting back to doing a DAILY podcast and, now, a DAILY blog article. This is important for me to do so that I can get back to a DAILY ROUTINE of "getting back on track" with formulating and sharing my thoughts and ideas.

What about you? ARE YOU THERE YET? Will you know?

Keep moving forward and keep marking and measuring your progress and, as you do so, always be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

Desire Determines Direction (Part 2)

Desire Determines Direction (Part 2)

The definition of "desire" as given by dictionary.com is as follows for the verb usage: "to wish or long for; crave; want." And, for the noun usage: "a longing or craving, as for something that brings satisfaction or enjoyment."

I also wanted to find out the definition for the word crave or craving since it was used in both of these definitions. The noun usage of "craving" is defined as: "great or eager desire; yearning" and the verb usage for the word, "crave" is defined as: "to long for; want greatly; desire eagerly".

So, here's the question for the day - What is it that you "long for, want greatly and desire eagerly"? What is it that you crave that will "bring satisfaction or enjoyment"?

Only YOU can answer that question for only YOU know the answer to that question!

Again, it's one thing to SAY that we desire something in our lives and it's a whole different thing to actually live our lives in response to something that we don't actually believe deep down inside!

Think about it this way... have you ever changed your mind about how you felt about someone? Sure you have! But even more specifically, have you ever thought you were "in love" with someone only to discover later on that you either weren't in love with that person anymore OR that you discovered that, perhaps, you weren't really "in love" with that person in the first place.

You see, you can still SAY the words, "I love you" but your actions - even your body language - will betray you because you know deep down inside that it simply is not true. And, usually, if the person on the other end of this relationship is paying attention at all, they will pick up on the body language and other factors that even let them know that, although you say it, you really don't mean it.

You may feel that way about a so-called "desire" in your life. Maybe it WAS a desire in your life at one time. Maybe it was a desire that really wasn't your own but, you were more or less talked into it and you've tried to follow it anyway. Maybe you took some sort of "test" that would determine what your gifts and talents were and you have been trying to follow what was indicated SHOULD BE your desire.

Let's go back and revisit that "wake up call" from yesterday: You are where you are BECAUSE you have allowed it to be so!

Go back up two paragraphs and revisit the thoughts on "how" or "why" something may be a "desire" that you've tried to follow. Notice that in EACH of these situations that "fire" for that "desire" is not sufficient enough to keep you enthused.

Yes, it IS possible to really, truly believe that something IS a real desire of yours - your life's calling and have that change later. Early on you're "on fire" and ready to take on the world with your dedication to this "desire" and then you find that your heart just isn't in it after all.

What happened? Sometimes it's simply called "growing up" and, at other times, it is simply a result of you "peeling back the layers" on that desire only to discover that it is not quite what you thought it was. Think about this: how many college students change their major? Lots - if not most - of them! Why? Because they discovered through a process that this was not what they thought it was in the beginning and, perhaps, they discovered something else that seemed to inspire them even more!

Also, as we discussed earlier, it is possible that you were "talked into" this desire and you've tried to "live up" to whoever it was that felt that this was what you needed to do. THIS WILL NEVER WORK! Please understand that you might have some success in this area, but you will never feel the "connection" necessary that you must have to carry you on in a powerful way. Maybe it was a parent, a spouse or some other person that you highly regarded in your life. Regardless, your "direction" prompted by this "desire" will never lead you where you truly wish to go.

It's o.k. to change your mind and leave something that you thought was a desire. It's o.k. to stop trying to please everyone else. Actually, in both of these situations (or any others) not only is it o.k. it's NECESSARY for you to discover and follow YOUR desire.

You know what I'm talking about, right? YOUR desire! The one that effortlessly pushes you along in the direction of it's fulfillment!

DESIRE DETERMINES DIRECTION!

Here's the thing: not many people are dedicated and disciplined enough to "stay the course" even with a desire that is THE desire! It's hard because we live in a world of "instant gratification"!

One last example: You have decided to cut back on sweets, eat healthier foods and, as a result, lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle. Whether you realize it or not, this takes dedication AND discipline! But your DESIRE to be healthier is strong and you are determined!

But then, you walk in and one of your kids has left something out on the counter while they went back to their room to drop off their backpack. It's a nice big bowl of vanilla ice cream smothered in thick, chocolate fudge covered with whipped cream! WOW, that looks SOOOO GOOD!

What do you do? Your IMMEDIATE desire is to get a spoon and dig in, right? But your "long term desire" is to walk on past that bowl of ice cream and pass on this temptation. But, will you?

It depends on how REAL your "long term desire" really is.

If you were to go ahead and dig into that bowl of ice cream, what would your thoughts be? DURING the destruction of that ice cream you'd likely be thinking, "Oh wow, I know I shouldn't be doing this but it tastes SO GOOD!"

And, almost immediately upon finishing it off you'd think, "I can't believe I just did that!" and then you would continue to "beat yourself up" over your lack of self-control and discipline.

What will it be for you, my friend? Will you continue to give in to the "right now" or will you be dedicated to your "real" and "true" desires and stick it out for the long run?

DESIRE DETERMINES DIRECTION!

Which direction are you headed?

Think about it and join me for more on this topic tomorrow and, as you go along the day be sure to remember to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike