Do you ever feel that you suck!?

Okay, so feeling like you suck is something you’re not supposed to talk about, right?

You’re supposed to stay positive. You’re supposed to be confident. You’re supposed to sweep your insecurities under the rug, and forget they’re there.

But it’s hard.

You’re working twice as hard as everyone else, and yet it seems like you get half as much done.You’re twice as smart, and yet it seems like your ideas get half the attention.

You’re twice as loyal to your company, and yet it seems like your boss doesn’t even know you exist half the time.

No one ever says you suck, no, but you’re starting to wonder if that’s what everyone thinks. And it really, really bothers you.

So what do you do?

I felt like this a few years ago and it wasn’t a great place to be.

There I was, a cocky young man with the world seemingly at my feet and an exciting career ahead of me. And when I was passed over for promotion and a pay rise yet again, it really upset me. To put it mildly.

Luckily, around this time I had a chance meeting with an Irish entrepreneur in a bar that changed my outlook.

It turned out that he was a property tycoon visiting from Dublin. And for two hours, he shared some enthralling tales about his business life.

Indeed, he was my first ever “coach,” well before I knew of such a profession.

I told him how I felt undervalued and unappreciated at my workplace.

He looked me in the eye and said that he was going to share his story of how he started off in his business career. And if I chose to learn the lesson from his story, it could change my life. And it did.

He told me his story about how when he was starting off, he had to present his case to three senior bank managers for further funding for his property investment business.

He had been full of trepidation as his future business and indeed his livelihood depended on getting favourable funding. His credit scoring wasn’t that great at the time.

As he sat in front of the three bank managers, he had a sudden realisation – THEY needed him and his business even more than he needed them!

This was a time of economic boom and banks were beginning to open up their coffers and willing to take more chances on up and coming businesses. After all, the bankers were greedy opportunists and they had clearly sensed an opportunity of a sound investment.

Immediately, in the Irishman’s mind, his whole game plan changed and he presented his business case with a lot of panache and confidence. In the end, he walked away with more funding and at better rates than he had hoped for.

The rest was history and on the back of the money he received after that meeting, he had gone on to create a very successful, multimillion pound business.

So my very first ever “coach” and mentor shared this life-changing lesson with me.

Never ever underestimate yourself and your ability

That evening, I walked home with an extra zip in my step and a new fire burning in me.  That fire of self-belief has been there ever since.

Men often become what they believe themselves to be. If I believe I cannot do something, it makes me incapable of doing it. When I believe I can, I acquire the ability to do it even if I didn’t have it in the beginning.’ ~Mahatma Gandhi.

I believe in myself – and I truly also believe in you and your ability to do anything you want, if you want it badly enough.

No one has the right to tell you that you suck and you are not good enough.

It’s time to forgive those who you think have hurt you – and really focus on YOU.

The Irishman’s advice isn’t just applicable to entrepreneurs and business transactions, but your own life as well.  Here’s how to make everyone (including yourself) see and appreciate your true value:

1. YOU are unique

You are unique and you have many wonderful qualities.

Now you may be thinking – who? Me?

Look back at your life, your heritage and your family background. Think about your education and all your special life experiences that have brought you to where you are today and made you the person you are.

To illustrate my point, look at where I have come from. Born in Kenya to Indian parents, I have lived in the UK most of my life.

My values and life philosophy have evolved from many different cultures, whilst my work life has taken me to an oil company, a bank and a Chinese food multinational. And oh, there was a stint of being a dot com paper millionaire.

You be you. And I’ll be me!

I am truly unique – and so are you.

And that uniqueness gives you a perspective that just can’t be found anywhere else.  It’s why most of the hardest problems are solved by people outside the group originally struggling with them.  It’s why diversity isn’t just a buzzword, but a key element in creativity and problem-solving.

Embrace your unique perspective and watch the admiration grow around you.

2. YOU are Smart

Sadly, most people rely on meaningless values like test scores and school grades to determine their own intelligence.

But those tests and courses only measure a very tiny fraction of the knowledge of the world.

Look at your hobbies and interests outside of your work – and you will see just how competent and capable you are already.

Can you blow a didgeridoo? Do you dance salsa or tango? Speak three languages fluently?  Maybe you run marathons on the weekend?  Can you walk into a room full of strangers and be the life and soul of the party?

Well, there you are!

There are umpteen things you can do in your social and work life that no one else can–and those skills are no more or less valuable than the ability to do complex maths.

Worried you’ll be the only one with that perspective?

Try out a broader definition of intelligence by complimenting others on their demonstrations of “unusual” intelligence.  Eventually those around you will do the same.

Live your life today – get excited about your life!

3. YOU already add value to everyone around you

Just by being you, you are adding something to the world.

Some people are very helpful and always kind. Others make you laugh and make your day lighter. And there’s the person, like yours truly, who is always taking charge and making things happen.

Each person in your life adds something to those around them, whether it through their creativity, compassion or cheerfulness.  It is in their nature to be like this.

In the same way, you too are bringing that little extra specialness in the world.

Just continue to accentuate the positive value you add to everyone around you.

4. YOU are just getting started

Can you see how you too can now set the world alight?

You may ask – where do I start?

Well, the place to start is from exactly where you are at now!

Before you contemplate handing in your resignation, begin to look for ways and means of adding even more value to all those around you–inside and outside of work.

Let go of any anxiety!

Leadership is an attitude and not tied to your corporate level. Or even your social status.

But one also doesn’t become a leader in a day.  Remember that the people you look up to were once where you are now.

What often distinguishes the leaders is a willingness to keep learning and growing, without devaluing who they are today.

So go ahead, breathe your fire and find your swagger.

Strut your stuff!

Shout from the gallows about how good you are and how good you are going to become.

More importantly, believe it.

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1. The Shocking Truth About Being a Nice Person
2. Time to Shake The World: If YOU Don’t, Who Will?
3. Walk the Talk – Don’t Eat too much Sugar!

Jess

Do you get deeply moved by stories of brave, sick children?

And then are you moved to help them in some way?

Today I am going to share the incredible and moving story of Jessica, also known as Jess.

You will then understand and appreciate exactly why I am taking part in the London Marathon.

Next Sunday, I’ll be lining up with around 36,000 other runners and each one of us will be raising awareness and sponsorship for their chosen cause.

I have chosen Well-Child, a charity that helps look after sick children like Jess.

Some friends have been asking me why I am so passionate about WellChild and why I am taking part in the London Marathon for them once again.

Well, this is my way of contributing and making a difference to children. And you too can do your bit by sponsoring me.

Please Click here to go to my sponsorship page

Your contribution will be helping Jess and other brave children like her.

(I have been given permission by Jess’s family and WellChild to share her moving story).

Here is Jess’s story:-

Four year old Jessica was poorly from birth, but it was not until she was six months old that doctors diagnosed Jeunes Syndrome – a condition so rare it affects just one in every 130,000 children.

The condition can cause a host of problems including a very small rib cage which means that the lungs cannot develop properly.

From when she was born, her mum and dad Ruth and Edward were caught up in a roller coaster ride of many hospital admissions and treatments to deal with their tiny baby’s problems.

Jessica was on oxygen 24 hours a day and fed through a tube for almost a year.

Eventually Jessica was able to have pioneering chest surgery – she was one of the first children in the UK to undergo the operation at Great Ormond Street Hospital and since then her condition has improved.

Jessica is now able to live at home with the family in Oxfordshire and one of the things which has made that possible is the help of WellChild Nurse Jane Alvey who is based in Oxford.

Jane has been able to organise Jessica’s care, help with her treatment and make sure the family have everything they need, as well as being on hand to offer advice and support.

When Jessica first came home, Jane visited every week to check that Ruth was happy – she still visits the family regularly and is always on the end of the phone when the family needs her.

Jessica’s health has improved enough that she can attend school three mornings a week and Jane has been to the school to talk to the staff about Jessica’s condition.

Nobody knows what the long term prognosis will be for Jessica but the family is very grateful to have her at home with them and they have decided not to worry about what might happen in the future, but instead to enjoy what they have now.

Jessica’s mum Ruth said: “Having WellChild Nurse Jane in our lives has made a huge difference to our family. We know that we can phone her at any time and she will always offer support and reassurance. Jess looks forward to her visits and takes a real interest in what is happening.”

“As a result of Jane’s dedicated care and attention, we believe that when Jess is admitted into hospital our stays are not as long because Jane is able to monitor Jess’s progress at home. Jane has become an important part of our family and we would be lost without her.”

So there you are – my participation in the London Marathon and your sponsorship will help provide more nursing support for children like Jess.

My target is to raise £1,500 for WellChild. Please help me get there.

Click here to go to my sponsorship page

If just 150 readers sponsor me for at least £10 each, I’ll reach my target easily.

Thanks everyone for your generosity and kindness.

Can you remember a time when you truly had your mojo?

A time when you felt on top of the world, full of self-confidence, self-esteem and unstoppable?

I bet you can look back on your life and you can remember a time when you felt like this. If not, then really go back to your childhood days. Maybe that was a time when you felt care-free, energised and full of zest and life.

If you are like me, you’ll have had such moments of exhilaration and bliss when everything in the world felt just right.

About 10 years ago, I used to be Mr. Hyper and always rushing around like crazy. My mind was full of things and I was in danger of a heart attack. Oh, and did I say I was also Mr. Angry!?

I was then on a life path which would have almost certainly meant deep dissatisfaction and serious health problems.

Then one day I discovered meditation. And my life changed forever.

I transformed from Mr. Angry and Mr. Hyper to someone who was calm and serene (most of the time!).

I am not exaggerating but over the course of a few weeks and months, I literally saw my life change and my health improved. I got through some major life changes and a lot of emotional turmoil and I became humane again.

Today I am forever extolling the virtues of meditation to all my friends and especially my coaching clients.

Even better, I can now direct them to a proper, structured meditation programme being launched today by two blogging friends.

Quite appropriately, it’s called The Re-Awakening.

I have known both Steven Aitchison and Angela Artemis for 3 years and I am so proud that they have created such a worthy resource which I just know is going to help a lot of people.

Their meditation programme is unique in many way, one being that their meditation tracks are offered in both male and female voices, so as to everyone’s preferences.

Steven took some time out from his launch period to tell me more about his joint creation with Angela:-

1. Steven, what made you want to create such a product?

I have had this product in the back of my mind for almost two years now.  Ever since I decided I wanted to find a way to solve my own problems in life, around 15 years ago.

I started looking for a solution and after a few years of looking I read a meditation book and decided I wanted to try it.  The trouble was there are so many different practices of meditation.

I even went to a transcendental meditation practitioner who advised me she would give me a special mantra to say every day and for this privilege she would charge me £640!

I decided against TM.  So I tried other techniques and eventually found some guided meditations.  I thought they were great and they really helped me in my practice, but there was something missing from them.

So I studied what goes into a guided meditation: script, voice, and music and found a special formula for putting these altogether.

Once I had the special formula I was going to release the program but my research showed me that around 50% of people who used guided meditations preferred a female voice rather than a male voice.

Almost as soon as I thought about trying to find a female narrator I received an email from Angela Artemis telling me about a guided meditation she had done, and she didn’t know I was looking for someone at the time – if that wasn’t a message I don’t know what is .

2. Correct me if I am wrong but there seems to be so many other such products. I am not being cynical but what’s different about yours?

You’re right Arvind, there are a lot of people selling guided meditations.

What makes The Re-Awakening guided meditations different is the way they have been put together.

I studied an amazing person by the name of Milton Erickson and his work kind of blew my mind!

So I took what I learned from his work and applied it here in these programs.  I wrote specially formulated scripts and took a course to teach me about voice tone, voice pacing and discovered the three words that almost instantly gets someone to relax, and they are in all the guided meditations.

Next I had to look for the music and searched for months to find the right composer for the background music.

Music has the power to bring out deep emotions in people, but it also has the power to awaken something that is deep within us, our spiritual side.

Now I don’t mean spiritual as a religious word, it’s nothing to do with religion.

Spiritual, to me, is the very essence of who we are, it strips away what we have learned, good or bad, and shows us ourselves laid bare.  Once we have seen ourselves laid bare then we begin to heal our hearts and minds and deal with the emotions.

We work on 3 levels at the moments: physical, mental and emotional.  We tend to favour one particular level to the neglect of the others.

However if we Re-Awaken the spiritual side of ourselves, we begin to marry all 3 levels together bringing about a profound change we won’t have experienced previously, or maybe experienced it for brief moments.

The composer I found had that ability to bring out this spiritual side, so that coupled with the scripts, the voice tone, the voice pacing and the secret three words are extremely powerful.

3. Great, thanks for clarifying. So what exactly are you offering? What are the features and benefits of your system?

We all have stuff going on in our lives: family, work, money issues, addictions, worries and a whole load of other issues.  As mentioned previously we tend to operate on three levels and because we favour one level over another problems start to occur.

For example, if you are too emotional there may be issues with self esteem, which leads to relationship issues, which then leads to so many other issues that affect our mental well-being and physical health.

The Re-Awakening Program is about getting ourselves in balance again and being able to marry all 3 levels together.  When you have all 3 levels working together you then begin to cure a lot of issues in your life:

• Get rid of stress altogether
• Overcome anxiety issues
• Fix your relationship issues
• Overcome addiction problems
• Higher levels of intelligence (emotional, intellectual, and interpersonal)
• Overcome long held fears
• Changing bad habits

And the list goes on and on…

4. A lot of people tell me how hard it is to get started with meditation. Will your system help the novice?

I know exactly what you mean Arvind!

When I first started out I kept asking myself: am I sitting in the correct position, am I talking too much in my head, should I pay attention to the thoughts or let them go, should I have my leg wrapped around my head

There are so many different ways to meditate that it can be daunting for a beginner.

That is exactly what the program was designed for, to help beginners and experienced meditators alike.  Someone who has been meditating every day for years may not benefit as much from our program, but it is definitely suitable for beginners.

5. Is your System also useful for advanced meditators like me?

Ah, sorry I answered your question in the previous one:)

Yes, advanced meditators will definitely benefit from this program as well.

Advanced meditators are great at stilling their minds and thereby relaxing their whole body, but these meditations are taking you on a journey and using the power of creative visualisation in such a way as to let your mind open up to a different experience which can be quite exhilarating.

6. If there was one thing that you could share that would help anyone get started with meditation, what would that be?

With meditation it’s all about forming the habit.  Once the habit has been formed it’s difficult to let go of it, and you actually feel there’s something missing if you miss a meditation session.

With The Re-Awakening we want to help to instill that habit by creating such deep, powerful meditations that will affect you so much that you will not want to miss a session.

Once you’ve practised meditation for a few months you will wonder how you ever managed without it – that’s how life changing it can be.

7. Finally, what’s next for you and Angela? World domination?

World domination

We’ve had such great feedback from people like you about The Re-Awakening that we plan to keep on promoting it and the benefits of it, so it should keep us busy for a few months.

I know Angela has another product coming out soon, which I am looking forward to, and I have a possible new path I will be taking very soon but will still be staying within the Self Improvement movement.

Thanks for the interview Arvind, it’s always a pleasure talking with you.

Thank YOU Steven – and Angela for bringing The Re-Awakening to us.

Now check out The Re-Awakening Course for yourself.

Click here

And do let me know how you get on with finding your mojo .

Related posts:

1. Find Your Path to Happiness By Saying NO
2. Find Your True Joy In Life
3. Find Your Own Ice Cream Heaven!
4. Find Your Bliss – Just Start Walking!

Are you open to changing your life?

Or do you struggle to move forward and make positive changes?

No matter where you are currently in your life, there are probably some areas you want to change for whatever reason. Maybe it’s time to find a more fulfilling job, move to a new area, make new friends, de-clutter your life, start new eating habits. And so on.

There are many things you may want to change. But where do you start? And how do you sustain change?

It all begins with wanting to change! It is about saying yes to change – and then making it happen.

Today, I am delighted to bring you the words of wisdom from my friend Alex Blackwell who has just published his first book which is all about change. Sit back and learn more from Alex about saying yes to change:-

1. Alex, thanks for your wonderful book!

You and your book are going to change a lot of people’s lives in a very positive way. What started you off on your journey? Did you one day just wake up and decide to change people lives!?

First, thank you Arvind for having me on your blog. To answer your first question, I woke up one day and decided to change me.

On the brink of divorce several years ago, I needed to make a few changes within myself before my life could change. Knowing creating positive change was necessary, I started down the path of learning how to appreciate exactly what I have.

The purpose with both my book “Saying Yes to Change: 10 Timeless Life Lessons for Creating Positive Change” (Amazon UK / Amazon USA),   and my blog, is to share my heart so others will be inspired to start down similar paths. After all, we don’t change until we want to change.

2. In your book, you talk very eloquently about your experience as a child where your mother had a drinking problem and you grew up with a stuttering, eye problems and being bullied.

You say all those childhood experiences drove you to become the person you are today. That’s very inspiring!  

Please share a bit more about your journey.

In a stroke of bittersweet irony, the pain I endured as a child has proven to be a blessing.

• The blessing has manifested itself by providing a passion to make something of my life – to improve myself. The frustration with my situation at home and at school made me determined, if not obsessed, to make certain my life mattered.

I was resolved to do things that separated me from my past. I worked full-time in college while taking a full course load. I was afraid if I didn’t push myself then I couldn’t escape the world I despised. But, as you will read in the book, this course of action had its own set of negative consequences.

3. What would you say was your one defining moment when everything changed for you?

Everything is still changing for me, Arvind!

Life is a process that constantly surprises me. The recent, and unexpected, death of my older brother has definitely been a defining moment. He was taken so soon, and so suddenly.

Eric’s death has been a reminder to soak in every moment of every day – each breath is indeed precious.

4. What words of wisdom, advice and encouragement can you offer someone else in a similar situation?

Forget regret. Offer forgiveness to others and self before it’s too late.

And be love – don’t wait, do it right now.

5. What makes people so reluctant to take on change? What three tips can you offer to get them started on a journey of change faster?

Fear!

Fear is the biggest obstacle to change. Although I don’t have all the answers, these three things have worked for me on my journey to change, so I humbly offer these to your readers:

• Acknowledge what you want to change or heal.
• Do one small action each day – it’s all about taking baby steps.
• Refrain from measuring your progress. Rather than seeing that you aren’t where you want to be (and how far away that may seem), look at far you have come.

6. I do believe that everyone wants to make it happen and shake the world.

What suggestions can you offer those people who feel disheartened about changing the world for the better?

Keep your faith strong. Stay grounded in the belief that you have a purpose far greater than anyone can imagine.

7. You talk in your book about recognising your beauty, as a precursor to saying yes to change. A lot of people have a hard time loving themselves and seeing their true inner beauty.

How do you suggest they get started?

Watch negative self-talk. Be kind and positive to yourself. Change the cant’s to I haven’t yet learned.

Pay more attention to what you are doing right and the beauty you create and less on what you don’t have, or think you should have.

Notice the beauty around you.

When we take the time to see what’s beautiful in our lives, then we are in a better position to internalize that beauty and make it a part of our own.

Notice the beautiful color of the changing leaves or the expression on your children’s faces when they learn something new.

God puts beautiful things in plain view every day – we just have to remember to open our eyes and take them in.

Finding the beautiful you is not about finding perfection with how you look, but in accepting that you are who you are for a reason.

To be happy, perfection is not required – only joy in celebrating your special brand of compassion, talent and beauty.

8. There is so much change going on in the world today globally which affects us all individually. It can be quite frightening when you look around at what’s happening. So how do you suggest people say yes to such change on an individual basis?

It begins by looking at our lives and seeing what we want to change, and then making the deliberate choice to change – one step at a time.

9.  What changes will you be saying YES to over the coming months and years?

Here’s what’s on my YES list Arvind:

• YES to taking a needed rest after the book launch.
• YES to staying on the path of positive change.
• YES to learning to be a better father and husband.
• YES to following my heart’s desire.
• YES to loving myself a little more each day.

10. Alex, finally, what’s next for you? What are your hopes for your future?

Right now, my biggest hope is that my book ”Saying Yes to Change: 10 Timeless Life Lessons for Creating Positive Change” (Amazon UK / Amazon USA), touches people and makes a difference. After that, I want to help others with writing, blogging or publishing a book. My passion is to write and serve. My hope is to do more of both in the future.

Thanks a lot Alex for sharing about your life journey and your new book. I am sure it will literally change many people’s lives.

Alex’s Book Giveaway

Alex is kindly offering 2 copies of his book to readers writing a comment below about how they plan to make positive changes in their life. .

Share in Comments below what change, small or big, you are willing to make in your life in the next 2 weeks. Start today!

Reading by email? Just click here so you can leave a comment, too!

You can enter until midnight, British Summer Time on Sunday, April 15th.

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Warning: – This post may fire you up like never before.

Reading this could change your life and make you do things you had never thought possible.

“The ones who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones that do” - Steve Jobs

When I was a young boy, I was going to change the world.

To start with, I was going to eradicate world hunger. Then get rid of nuclear weapons.

Then I was going to go around the world, taking a stand for world peace and social injustice.

I was like a dragon with fire. Fierce. Unstoppable. Ready to take on the world. And change it forever.

So what happened?

Life happened.

I got on the treadmill of finding a job, earning a living. Getting married. Getting divorced. Buying a big house and a fancy car.

Somewhere along the way, my dragon’s fire got quenched.

Does that sound familiar?

Perhaps it even sounds like you?

Whatever happened to your fire?

For some of you reading this now, the fire is burning as fiercely as ever. And I am so grateful for that.  May your fire ignite you and your dreams inspire you always.

When I coach clients, a recurring topic that seems to be coming up lately is the loss of this internal fire from their youth.

The challenge is to reconnect with this dragon’s fire. And once a client is reconnected, they are never the same again. Their life is never the same again.

So what is this about finding your fire?

It is all about moving through your doubts and insecurities.

About forgiving yourself and others, and learning from your life lessons.

About being assertive.

About focussing on the right things.

About living a fearless life.

Yes, we can have all the abundance and prosperity the world offers – and we can leave our legacy.

Yes, we can indeed shake the world.

I have found that the hardest thing is to get people to think big. And to follow their true calling.

When I was coaching a client recently over Skype, she was in tears of joy when we connected with her real passion and her true calling to inspire others through her work.

At moments like this, all the petty stuff becomes irrelevant and forgotten.

Playing big helps you let go of small things.

She has found her true calling and I am in awe as her life journey now blossoms the way it’s meant to do. She has found her fire.

What will it take to find your fire?

By now, as a regular reader you will know that I believe that all of us want to impact and change the world in a positive way through our lives.

So this is my challenge for you this week. Spend some time reflecting on this question:-

What did YOU want to do with your life when you were a child?

What was your dream of changing the world?

When will you begin?

As for me, you may well ask – whatever happened to my own fire!?

Well, it may have been dampened for a while, but I would like to think it’s burning brightly again.

Yes, I do help the world in my own way – through this blog, my books, my coaching, my charity involvement and my Social Media activity. Someone has very kindly even created my own quotations page to help spread my message.

But it never seems enough. There’s so much more to be done. I guess not everyone can be a Gandhi, Nelson Mandela or Mother Teresa. Or maybe we can!

Maybe it is simply about having that huge vision and remaining single minded to make it happen.

I do what I can. I help when and where I can. I smile at strangers. I look for ways of helping someone clearly lost.

Oh, I almost forgot – I take part in fund raising activities. Like the London Marathon.

I took part three years ago and wrote about how easy it was to change the world in less than 8 hours and 27 miles.

I even wrote about my 10 life lessons from running the London marathon.

And here I am about to the same thing all over again.

Some people may think I am crazy, but how can I possibly quench my fire!?

In two weeks time, I’ll be taking part in the London marathon again. Once again, my intention is to walk the whole way and simply finish.

 “It doesn’t matter how slow you go, as long as you don’t stop!” – Confucius

Once again, I am raising money for WellChild, a charity that helps look after sick children.

This is where I would like your help. I would love you to help me help these children.

Please sponsor me via my fundraising page.

Yes, the day I take part in the London marathon, my fire will be burning again for sure. And by sponsoring me, you can do your bit.

Thank you.

In the meantime, remember to search for and find your own fire from your childhood days – your life will never be the same again.

Go, find your fire!

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Do you shake the world through the job you do?

Just how will you make an impact in the world in the years to come?

A few weeks ago, I read a wonderful,  newly published book – Shake the World (Amazon USA/Amazon UK) by James Marshall Reilly which really resonated with me.

The tagline to the book is:

“It’s not about finding a job, It’s about creating a life”

Shake the World looks into and reveals the reasons underlying the meteoric rise of a new generation of business leaders, such as Tony Hsieh of Zappos, Jessica Jackley of Kiva and Shawn Fanning of Napster. And many others.

Embracing a shift in generational values, these young people share a passion for driving powerful global change while creating sustainable organizations that often blur the old boundaries between business and philanthropy.

James Reilly has truly captured the insights of these brightest business and nonprofit leaders.  And he learned that despite their different fields, they’re all using similar tools to seize opportunities and redefine success.

He suggests that to really “make it happen” these days, you need to break the old corporate mold, ignore the rules, and create your own opportunities.

The true games changers are the men and women starting their own businesses, inventing jobs that didn’t previously exist, and committing themselves fully to attaining astonishing success, however individually defined.

By looking at the inspirational stories and successes of this new breed of business leaders, James Reilly shows how they:-

• Followed their passion
• Responded to ordinary events in an extraordinary way
• Used counter-intuitive thinking and applied the same techniques to problem solving in everyday life
• Harnessed technology in unprecedented ways to build a powerful network and bring about transformational change
• Took risks that took their life on a completely different path and changed their world and that of many others.

So there you are. A blueprint for your future. And mine.

Did I say how inspired I am by this book?

I managed to track down James Reilly in his busy world global schedule for a quick Q&A:-

1. James thanks for your wonderful book! You and your book are going to shake up quite a few people’s world. What’s the most rewarding thing for you after having written such a world changing book?

Thank you!

I have to say that the most rewarding thing for me is when I get emails from people who say, “I just read your book, and it completely changed my life.”

And then they tell me how they were inspired to start a company, or to teach kids how to read, or to rethink their approach to their lives and careers – or simply that the book made them feel empowered about their options.

2.  What started you off on your journey? Did you one day just wake up and decide to change the world?

It was more that I saw all of these young people who were changing the world already, and I wanted to figure out how they were doing it so I could learn.

I interviewed highly successful and innovative young people, and the most important lesson I took away from that experience was that we are all in the position to effect change – regardless of our education level or background.

3. What’s the single one thing that you believe stops people from making the difference in the world that deep down they want to?

I would have to say the biggest obstacle for most of us is that we don’t understand how much power we actually have to empower not only our own lives, but also the lives of others. Problems can be so overwhelming that we think, “I can’t do that.”

In Shake the World I profile people who said just the opposite, and then they acted on it. There is a lot to be said for not taking “no” as an answer.  As Woody Allen famously said, “80% of success is showing up.”

4. What 3 tips can you offer for any young person starting off on their working life today?

First, allocate more time toward figuring out what you really want to do with your life – take the time to design your dream job, then either find it or create it for yourself.

I think many of us just run to the first job we are offered and then get trapped in a career and lifestyle that we are not happy with over the long-term. 

Second, understand that in just the last few years, all of the old barriers to entry have changed – we don’t need schools and companies to teach us. We can self-educate. And finally, don’t get sucked into the negative attitude that has emerged from the tough economy and poor job market.

Focus instead on the unbelievable opportunities that are out there rather than on a bunch of statistics about the job market. Make sure your “work” compliments and fulfills your life.

5. Maybe not everyone wants to start up their project but I do strongly believe that everyone wants to shake the world. What suggestions can you offer these people who are working for others?

Virtually every company now has initiatives in place for corporate social responsibility. Get involved in these programs at the company you work for.

Further, there are so many opportunities outside of work that we are practically tripping over them.

Think of all of the cause-marketing initiatives you read about, or the impact that a fifty-dollar loan through KIVA can have.

On a smaller scale, we can also leverage our consumer dollars when we shop by becoming ethical, conscious consumers.

If we buy a FEED Bag instead of a “name” brand bag, we are part of a force that is working to eradicate hunger and malnutrition – to the tune of almost 70 million free meals distributed to malnourished children through school feeding. That’s powerful.

Collectively we then become part of something much larger.

6. What about business people? What 3 tips can you offer them to shake up the world?

• Channel passion and leverage failure.
• Become a positively disruptive force in your respective industry or area of interest.
• Harness capitalism in innovative ways to serve global good.

7. There is a rapidly growing awareness about the need for change and equality in the world. What are your hopes for your future? How can my readers here “Make it Happen” and SHAKE the world?

My biggest concern is over the ethics in the space.

In my book, I wrote that I think the future of global change may lie in linking for-profit businesses directly with philanthropic endeavours, which will allow us to harness capitalism and consumer dollars to address global need in a very powerful, immediate, and substantial way.

This unfortunately opens up the owners of these businesses to potential scrutiny and criticism.

There is a very strange phenomenon that goes on when people try to “give.” There is always a long line of people criticising them for not giving “enough,” or not giving “right.”

I think it is very strange. I look at them with awe and say, “Wow, you didn’t have to “give” anything. Thank you.”

So my biggest hope is that we can stop being so judgmental and look at intent.

We need to weed out the unethical players, of course, but we also need to stop saying, “what you did is not good enough.”

Look at what happens in politics. A lot of talented people shy away from becoming involved because they don’t want to risk being ripped apart by the media.

I hope that doesn’t happen here, or we will scare away many good people who are capable of incubating extraordinary solutions to global problems.

8. Finally James, what’s next for you? How will you be shaking the world in the next 5 years?

By promoting the work of good people effecting change. As a writer and the owner of a socially conscious marketing agency, it is my mission to help other world-shaking individuals get their messages out to the masses.

Thanks so much James for all your work and your outstanding book. It has been a real pleasure and an honour to interview you.

The Way Forward

So there we are. There is no excuse now for you or me not to get started with shaking the world from today.

How will YOU shake the world?

When will you begin?

Remember the power of fearless living and positive thinking.

Please share your thoughts in the comments section below. Inspire me and inspire others!

Related posts:

1. World AIDs Day – Time to do Your Bit
2. Change the World Through the Young People of Today
3. Time to Finally let Your Light Shine!
4. Time to Be Bold and Play Big in 2012!

Just how much do you value your time?

Life is precious. And so is your time.

No matter what happens in your lifetime, you can never get back the time which has gone by. And this includes all the time you spend on things which don’t really add value to your life.

Such as mindless surfing.  Gossiping. Junk TV.

Which is why this morning when I woke up, I felt really cheated. I lost an hour of my life just like that!

Okay, I am being a bit dramatic here. This is what really happened. British Summer Time began today – which means that our clocks went forward overnight. The evenings will now be lighter and the mornings darker.It’s a quirky thing how here in the UK we put our clocks forward by an hour in early spring and then we put them back an hour in autumn.

It’s all to help our farmers with more light in the winter mornings – but personally I prefer lighter evenings. Summery evenings means it’s time to get the barbecues and do more stuff in the evenings. And with rising fuel prices, maybe even look at different fuel cards and get the best deals for the upcoming summer trips.

Last night, I had forgotten to put forward my clock and so when my alarm woke me up this morning at 7am, it was really already 8am in clock time.

This means I “lost” an hour – and it will be another 7 months before I get it that lost hour back at the end of October when British Summer Time ends and the clocks go back:-).

So I haven’t really lost an hour. Just a change of clock time. Nothing serious.

However, what’s really serious is how we all squander so many hours every week through all our futile activities.

How many hours of your life do you “lose” every week!?

A few weeks ago, I wrote this post about how success in life comes in 15 minute chunks.

This struck a chord with a lot of readers who have begun to get things done in 15 minute chunks.

The key is this – focus on those things that will true add value to your life and those around you. Remember, stop wasting time on petty stuff.

To start with, could you look at sleeping slightly less every night?

A while back, I wrote about how to sleep just 5 hours a day and feel fantastic. Can you imagine how your life would change if you suddenly gained an extra hour each day?

You too can save many hours a week by simply becoming an advanced early riser.

The real question however is how else can we stop losing all these hours everyday?

Here are some tips to do just that:-

1. Declare war on emails

Check emails no more than 3 times a day (unless your role at work requires checking them more often). I used to hit the send / receive button so often and before I knew it I would have spent 15 minutes reading some non-urgent, unimportant emails.

Just remember that if it’s that urgent, people will call you!

Also, reduce the number of emails you receive – unsubscribe from newsletters etc and for the ones you want to read, simply bunch them together and read them in one blast.

2. Cut down on Social Media

Social media is dramatically changing the world. You just can’t get away from it. But that doesn’t mean you base your whole life around it!

Unless your work requires you to be on social media sites, limit your web surfing to just those website related to the immediate task at hand. Go even further and only be on the internet for say only 15 minutes a day.

3. Focus on one task only.

It is not rocket science – do not multitask. Just focus on one job at a time until you have significantly progressed it or finished it to the best of your ability.

Just do it! No matter what, keep going on one task till it’s done.

Be bold, conquer your fears and finish the task at hand.

4. Tackle similar jobs together.

So for example, I have begun to write 3 or 4 blog articles at one time. The focus and concentration on one task at a time pays dividends in faster and better quality writing.

5. Cut out all interruptions and distractions from around you whilst working.

So if like me you are working at a computer a lot, then make sure there are is no unnecessary paperwork, magazines etc around you which could distract you.

Do not jump to answer any unscheduled phone calls or respond to any other interruption. Batch all your phone calls together in one go.

6. Clear your life and workspace of all clutter.

A clean workspace or desk will make a huge difference in how quickly you can get through the task at hand.

So make sure that your immediate work area such as your desk is clear and clutter free. Also make sure that your office, room, workshop are all tidy too.

Check out your answers to these 20 questions which will simplify your life forever.

7. Watch less TV

Try going without any television for a whole week and see how your days are transformed!

There is so much toxic on TV anyway so you’ll be saving time as well as removing some negativity from your life.

8. Cut out gossip and mind your own business

When you start to focus on making the most of your own life, you may notice how much time and energy you squander by gossiping and getting involved in other people’s business.

There’s an easy way of stopping this habit – just become aware anytime you begin to talk about someone else. And then just imagine that they can hear what you are saying about them!

The way forward

Life is about making the most of our time whilst we can. So every minute and hour you save can be used to live more fully and to do those things that you truly enjoy and which will help your life growth.

So look for opportunities all the time to make your life easier and to become more efficient at what you do.

Also check out what not to do for a happy life.

And look at breaking through the barriers which keep you from getting the life you really want.

Every hour you don’t lose enhances your life.

Real success and progress in life is all about developing a mindset of Excellence, Efficiency and Effectiveness in everything you do.

Remember that every hour that you stop losing every day will build up to a lot of time every week – and you can do a lot in that time to enjoy life to the full.

Never give up hope – you CAN get what you really want.

Make the most of your precious time from today onwards – and soon you will notice just how much your life is enhanced. As I said earlier on, it’s not rocket science.

Related posts:

1. How Not to lose Trust!
2. 9 Tips to Create an Extra Hour Every Day
3. 7 Tips to Stop Losing an Hour of your time EVERY Day
4. Prepare Yourself for your Unique and Finest Hour!

What’s the most inspiring book you have ever read?

I have read countless books of wisdom during the last 12 years of my journey into personal growth and spiritual development.

Books which have inspired me, motivated me, even frustrated me.

Some have elevated me to new heights of what’s possible for human beings, others have made me cry.

I thought I had read all the best ones – and then along comes a gem of a book filled with such exquisite wisdom and stories of passion and compassion.

The sort of book I aspire to write myself one day.

I first came across Lori Deschene almost three years ago when a friend told me about Tiny Buddha and I started following her on Twitter.

Since then, Lori has gone stratospheric with her social media success and the launch of her first book Tiny Buddha – Simple Wisdom for Life’s Hard Questions. (Amazon USA / Amazon UK)

I received this book a few weeks ago and read through it in just a few days. But it’s the sort of book you can pick up again and again and open up on any page for some ageless wisdom.

Lori beautifully shares her own life journey and how she ultimately found herself.

Best of all, she has garnered knowledge and wisdom from around the world by engaging her twitter followers.

There are hundreds of quotes from bloggers and other social media friends who follow TinyBuddha. So really, it’s quite a unique book created through the power of social media.

My own contribution is on page 182:-

“Relationships are hard because we often seek from others what we are not giving ourselves” (Tweet this Quote)

I am delighted to have made my own little contribution to this gem of a book. And it’s been a real challenge for me to encapsulate what this book means for me.

So I thought it was best to share with you some of Lori’s own words of wisdom:-

1. The truth, as messy as it sounds, is that the only way out is through.

2. Maybe if I stopped trying to control how I hurt, I’d feel a pain that would teach me what I need to do to love life more and need pain less.

3. We can take almost anything that hurts and recycle it into something good once we’re ready to learn from it.

4. The moment we decide things don’t have to be a certain way, we create the possibility that they could be better than we know how to imagine them.

5. Being disliked and misunderstood by some is worth the freedom of knowing you are loved and supported by many.

6. Love is the meaning of life

7. Through learning you can become anything; through growth you can make sense of anything.

8. The very act of making a different choice is in itself change.

9. Perhaps the best question isn’t how long does it take to maintain a life change, but rather, how can we deal with the emotions that get in the way of forming a new routine.

10. The best thing we can do when we’re feeling things that make it tempting to stay the same is to create space between the feeling and the behaviour.

11. We are never stuck.

12. Everything that goes on around us affects what goes on within us.

13. We can’t change that life always changes, but we can learn to change with it.

14. What’s a more productive use of our energy – searching for meaning outside ourselves or creating meaning within ourselves?

15. We are the ones making the choices, and regardless of everything that influences them, we’re the ones who need to be accountable.

16. You don’t need to worry about forever; you just have to choose to use this moment to create the future, instead of letting the future create you.

17. We can’t change the nature of things, but we can change how we interpret it.

18. You’re not just creating your own happiness. You’re showing other people it’s possible.

19. Relationships are hard because we fight for our perceptions.

20. There is something to enjoy and appreciate in every moment, if you’re willing to stop resisting what is.

21. Appreciate the highs, the lows, the small things, and the big things.

23. Let yourself be.

And finally, here’s a bonus tip from Lori which sums it all up for me:-

Let yourself be

So there you are – timeless pieces of wisdom from the not so TinyBuddha.

To end, here’s the thing I would like you to remember from this post:-

Life will often throw you some hard questions – but all you need is some simple wisdom

Related posts:

1. The World Needs Your Wisdom and Energy
2. Some Pearls of Wisdom from Kavit Haria
3. Thanksgiving Week Lesson 4 – How To Harvest the Wisdom from My Top Blogger Friends
4. Dr Martin Luther King’s Wisdom for Today

Happy Mother’s Day everyone!

Here in the UK we are celebrating Mother’s Day today whereas in other parts of the world it is usually celebrated in May.

No matter when you celebrate Mother’s Day, it’s all about making it a special day for the person who brought you into this world.

A while ago I wrote about what my mother means to me and how it was important to honour and love your mother every day and not just on Mother’s Day.

In that article, I wrote about just what my mother means to me and how I can simply not imagine my life without my mother. Though she lives less than hundred miles away from me, rarely does a day go by when I do not speak to her.

We might as well be living together as our lives are still so intertwined. She is like a pillar in my life – always there and available.

More than a pillar, she is like a favourite pillow or cuddly toy – you know where to turn to for some warmth, comfort and reassurance.

“A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie”. ~Tenneva Jordan

The key is also to celebrate and honour your mother whilst you still can.

So what does your mother mean to you?

Please do share below in the comments section.

This week I asked a few blogger friends what their mother means to them – and I was so moved by what they had to say. This shows that at the end of the day, we are all just human and we are all moved by such heart-felt stories:-

1.    “My mother is love, kindness, sweetness, and beauty wrapped into one tiny body. Although she died 7 years ago, I think of her every day…and I feel her love coming through me. Her family and her writing were her passions. Today when people tell me that I remind them of my Mom, I am honored.” – Fran Sorin

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2.  “I used to say that I was the apple and my mom was the tree, and I certainly didn’t fall very far. But that’s not entirely accurate. If my mom is the tree, then I’m the bird that grew up in its branches.

She protected me and showed me that, even on the highest of branches, there was nothing to be afraid of. She encouraged me to explore and gave me a solid foundation to come home to. I didn’t fall from her. I flew because of her.” – Melody Fletcher

Melody has even produced a special Mother’s Day video which you can check out below:-

For those of you reading this in an email, please click here to see the video.

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3. “My mom was my mentor and continues to be my inspiration in life. In spite of a tough life, she was always kind, loving and cheerful. She more or less shaped the way I am today.

I am lucky that she had a strong influence on my son, Vidur, too and my husband Sury adored her. She was generous in life and generous in death. She lives in our hearts.” – Vidya Suri

In honour of her mother’s memory, Vidya has created an entire blog for her mother!

Do read more about Vidya’s amazing mother and check out her speech on Indian Republic Day.

Vidya also shared a couple of Haiku about mothers:-

Mom. Legacy of
immortal love that conquers
all. Eternally.

Right from womb to grave
She gave infinite love, life
Irreplaceable

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4. “We all have different experiences with our mothers. Some mothers are sweet, loving and supportive and others – not so much. No matter what your experience with your mother, love her for giving you the greatest gift of all — the gift of life.” – Angela Artemis

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5. “When no one is listening and nothing seems right, I run to my mother. Just one look from her and I melt. She is my anchor, my best friend, my biggest fan and my constant supporter. She loves without expecting.

Today, she is older and I’ve uprooted my life to be closer to her. I see her everyday and on days I don’t, I know there is something missing.

In Islam it’s said that Heaven is in your mothers feet….and I massage those feet everyday.

Heaven to me is right where she is. As a mother today, I love my daughter unconditionally and truly do understand what it feels like to have your heart walk around the world.

Mothers bind families with their love…and that love binds worlds together too. It all begins with a loving mother.” – Zeenat Merchant Syal

Please do also check out Zeenat’s very special post about her lessons from motherhood.

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6. “My Mom (I always capitalize that word out of the deep respect and place of honor I hold her in) is the most loving and decent person I know.

The countless sacrifices she bore for us kids growing up are a debt I can never repay. She has always been my biggest fan, even when no one else was.

Her parental philosophy was that she could either have a spotless home or she could pour all her attention and energy into her kids.

Let’s just say that our home was not spotless. And I am eternally thankful to her for that.” – Ken Wert

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7. My friend Betsy McKee Henry, aka The Zen Mama shared a whole poem she wrote for Mother’s Day:-

“When you thought I wasn’t looking,
I saw you hang up my first painting on the refrigerator, and I wanted to paint another one.
When you thought I wasn’t looking,
I saw you feed a stray cat, and I thought it was good to be kind to animals.
When you thought I wasn’t looking,
I saw you make my favorite cake for me, and I knew that little things are special things.
When you thought I wasn’t looking,
I felt you kiss me goodnight, and I felt loved.
When you thought I wasn’t looking,
I saw that you cared, and I wanted to be everything that I could be.
When you thought I wasn’t looking, I LOOKED….
and wanted to say thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn’t looking.”

And what is a Zen Mama!?

She is a devoted mother who has tried to stop worrying, who has let go of the attachment of an outcome and in doing so has become closer to her children.

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So there you are – some thoughts about mothers from imminent bloggers around the world.

“A mother is someone to shelter and guide us,
To love us, whatever we do,
With a warm understanding and infinite patience,
And wonderful gentleness, too.
A mother possesses incredible wisdom 
And wonderful insight and skill – 
In each human heart is that one special corner 
Which only a mother can fill!”
~ Katherine Nelson Davis

Now over to you – what does your mother mean to you?

Related posts:

1. Honour and Love Your Mother Every Day, Not Just on Mother’s Day
2. Mother’s Day – A Time to Honour your Mother Whilst you Still Can
3. What would Mother Teresa say About the Last 10 Years?
4. Mother Teresa on Loneliness, Love and Peace

What’s the one thing you have always wanted?

For me it’s a Porsche.

Yes, really.

Don’t get me wrong – I do aim to live simple and minimalist lifestyle.

Over the last few years, I have really simplified my life – and I have been madly jettisoning things from my life – from crockery to commitments.

My family thinks I’m crazy not to keep a couple of dozen teacups. They can’t understand how I get by on just four.

Maybe you already know that we don’t need most of the things we accumulate. If not, then here are some Kaizen tips to help you get started with simplifying and streamlining your life.

Excess stuff crowds our space, clutters our minds and separates us from the knowledge of what’s important. And it’s financially draining.

Less is more and clearly less is best.

However, I still love my gadgets and my fancy goods – and I crave a shining toy, the ultimate for me, a Porsche.

Ever since a silver Porsche whizzed past me on a Swiss mountain road a few years ago, I have coveted one.

I mentioned this to a friend recently and she was astounded that a “minimalist” like me would have aspirations of owning a car like a Porsche.

As I said to my friend, being a minimalist is not just about how little or how much stuff you have, but also about having those things that are important to you.

Also, there are many life lessons to be learnt from the highway.

Besides, having a fast car is usually seen as the territory for younger people. But of course, there are many other positively, amazing ways to be young forever.

Minimalism doesn’t preclude or prohibit indulging one’s desires, appreciating an object of quality or purchasing something at an exorbitant price.

If you are a hard-core minimalist that’s great – but that doesn’t mean judging those people who choose to invest their money and dreams in, say, a Porsche.

Remember to be non-judgmental of yourself and others

Why would I want a Porsche in the first place?

I’ve listed my reasons for wanting a Porsche below. See if you can come with your own reasons for wanting what you want:

• Sheer thrill of speed and excitement. If you’ve ever been in a fast car on an open road, you’ll know just what I mean.

• Having things of the highest quality. Minimalism means fewer things, not cheap or shoddy things. It doesn’t mean that we always have to compromise.

• Not living a life of self-denial or sacrifice, where only completely necessary possessions are acceptable. If an expensive pen, a designer brand bag or even a Porsche does it for you, then why not go for it?

• Experiencing the delicious feeling of abundance that has nothing to do with an abundance of things. It’s an abundant world and abundance is our birthright, or so all the inspiration gurus keep telling us. There’s plenty to go around, though not necessarily a Porsche for everyone.

• Travel in the best, most comfortable way. Luxury is good, and not against any notions of how minimalists should live their lives.

Look at the luxury products you might desire in your life. Ask yourself “Do I need them? Why do I need them? Where do they fit in my priorities, and are they affordable?”

And would Lakshmi, the Indian goddess of wealth approve!?

Here’s my guide to help you decide whether or not you should get that luxury product.

1. Look at your values, priorities and life goals.

Your purchases must be in line with who you are and what you stand for. If it’s a big ticket item, ask yourself if it would be in line with your values, priorities and life goals.

Would you rather have a big house or a big life?

Take some time to think about what you are spending your money on – and base all your purchases on these deeper considerations.

First things first, evaluate your priorities.

At the same time, remember that you do also want some fun and thrills in your life.

You can have it all – and get to live a full life by filling each moment with meaning and purpose.

2. Create a long-term financial plan.

This is all about managing your priorities.

Create an emergency fund and also set aside target sums for retirement, taxes, school fees, etc., before you spend on the fun stuff.

Tough times can drive your creativity into third gear.

An expensive purchase made recklessly now could mean having regrets for years to come. Consider it well, and never make a decision on the spot.

The value of any acquisition is not what you pay for it, but the value you derive from it.

So ask yourself: Will I derive enough value from say a Montblanc pen, a Gucchi bag or a Porsche to put it above other things on my priority list?

3. Stop competing with others

Never ever buy stuff just to keep up with the Joneses, the Patels or the Cohens. Or whoever it is in your community who are seen as the trendsetters.

If you do this, you will end up in a never-ending game that will become more and more costly. You just cannot win.

Buy consciously and look at the bigger picture – and if that picture still allows you to get your Porsche, then go for it.

Or maybe, you just need to slow down enough to find your freedom.

Consider this – maybe it’s time for you to slow down and get inspired in other ways.

4. Ignore the media hype and illusions of grandeur

People identify high-profile, branded, luxury items with prestige and exclusivity and we are bombarded daily with marketing messages about how what we possess says a lot about us.

I admit that I’ve partly succumbed to media exposure and my belief of what owning a Porsche would say about me.

Are you, too, looking for external signs of success? What do you think your “Porsche” would say about you? Will it be a sign that you have “arrived”? Or will you truly enjoy it on its own merits?

5. Look at alternate ways of fulfilling your speed bug or thirst for grandeur

There are various ways of getting the thrills and excitement that you feel you’ll get from your luxury purchase.

Look for other ways to get inspired and find your inner muse.

For example, you could hire, borrow or steal a Porsche, though I don’t advocate the last method, unless you also want to be driven away in an almost-as-fast police car.

Kick your obstacles to the curb and live your dream.

Also, remember that your eventual fulfilment from that long coveted item could be short-lived.

Get clearer in your mind about what you really want – and write a letter to the universe. You may just manifest what you really need and want.

6. Make sure you know the hidden costs

Whatever you buy, check out in advance the running costs, if any, of your coveted item.

For example, just imagine the hefty insurance premiums and servicing charges on a Porsche.

And that’s before you take into account the instant depreciation that occurs the moment you drive a new car off the showroom forecourt.

7. Look at the bigger picture

What impact will your purchase have?

For example, the environmental impact of fast cars has already been documented. If you are concerned about the environment, will you still purchase a gas-guzzling vehicle?

Also, luxury items are a temptation to thieves. Will you be at risk of robbery? And will you be constantly worried about losing them?

The way forward

It all comes back to this: what’s really more important to you?

At the end of the day, money is just a tool to help you create and live the type of life you want. If you know what you truly want in your life and that happens to be a Porsche, and you have created the financial means for it, then go get it.

But with money comes the responsibility to spend it wisely.

Yes, be careful how you spend your money, and on what. But frugality doesn’t mean giving up on your dreams. You can be frugal but not give up on some of the things that excite you and make your life more fun.

Always believe something wonderful is coming your way.

Just find the right balance between what you want, your motivations, your priorities, and what you can afford.

P.S. And if you ever see me in a Porsche, please check with me immediately to find out if it’s really mine.

This is a guest post from Eric Lunsford who blogs at Coffee and Warm Showers

Are you following your dream or not?

Take a second and ask yourself, “Why am I not pursuing my dream today?  Though I have an idea of the life I’d like to live, why am I not doing anything about it?”

You think of an answer?  Write it down.

If you have more than one, write them all down.

Now look at your list and cross them all out – and instead in BIG letters write: SUCCESS.

I’m willing to bet that most (if not all) of the reasons you wrote on your list were genuine fears.

• I don’t have enough money (fear of being insufficiently funded to succeed)
• I’ve never done this before (fear of uncertainty)
• What if I do it and it doesn’t work (fear of failure)
• I’ve tried before and it didn’t work.  I’m just not meant to do it (fear of repeat mistakes/lost reputation)

We all have fears.  It’s our mind’s natural way of telling our bodies that, “Hey, what are you thinking about…we’ve never done before.  Be careful with this.  We just might fail.”

So why cross them out?

Because you can manipulate or even avoid altogether the fears you have listed above!

You don’t need millions of dollars to start a successful business.  You can also start viewing mistakes as learning opportunities rather than failures – fuel for your fire rather than an extinguisher.

You can even look into teaching assistant courses.

But there is one fear that we have to hit head on to achieve our dreams.  One fear we cannot manipulate or avoid.

That fear is that we will succeed!

There’s a genuine fear when everything is new, when we have to learn so much more than we know now, we are in complete control of our lives (in some situations, we have control over others’ lives as well.)  That’s an intimidating thought.

When I started Coffee & Warm Showers, I had a dream of making a difference – and of helping others live the lives they wished they had.

But when I discovered people actually found my advice useful, that’s when the fear of success came in.  I wasn’t necessarily afraid that I wouldn’t have what it takes to help anyone or that no one would even ask for my advice.

Rather, my fear came from the thought of being successful.  What happens when people are actually willing to pay me for my advice?

What if this proves to be so successful that I have to start saying “no” to someone?

The fear of not having what it takes to be successful or making mistakes are genuine and true.

However, the fear of success, growth, and the unknown is really what shuts us down from achieving our dreams.  But in order to actually do what you love and live the life you’ve always dreamed of, you have to overcome this fear and take action.

Remember, feel the fear and change the world anyway.

“Procrastination is the fear of success. People procrastinate because they are afraid of the success that they know will result if they move ahead now. Because success is heavy and carries a responsibility with it, it is much easier to procrastinate and live on the ‘someday I’ll’ philosophy.” – Denis Waitley

A Challenge For You:

1. Write down a BIG goal of yours.  Something that if your future self from 10 years from now came and showed you, you’d be ecstatic.

2. Similar to what we did above, write down your fears.  But this time, only write down fears you know you will have to face head on.  Remember, fears like not having enough money or making mistakes are not fears you have to overcome.  You can simply change your business model or your mindset to get through those.  The only fears you have to overcome to be successful are those that are tied to success itself.

3. My advice now is to put those fears in order.  Easiest to most difficult.  Things that need to be done first to last.  However you would like to order them, but the next move you make will be the most critical in succeeding.  Take the first thing you wrote down and do it.

To get something you have never had before, you need to be willing to try something you have never done before.

Step into the unknown!

Don’t let the one thing you really, really want to scare you away.

It’s time to get on your horse and make your dreams come true.

Eric Lunsford writes at his blog Coffee & Warm Showers where he has one goal: to help others wake their true self up and transform into the person they’ve always wanted to be.

Related posts:

1. Show More Compassion – My Last Ever Blog Post
2. Warning: Freedom Is NOT Everything
3. Persistence is the Key to Success
4. Feel the Fear and Change the World Anyway

“Without working on human consciousness, trying to change social or national or global realities means there is no serious intention.” – Sadhguru

Who is the most inspiring person you have met in your lifetime?

I must say I have been lucky to have met so many inspirational and wonderful people in the last 10 years.

I have met and even worked with many spiritual masters, religious leaders, world politicians, business leaders and others who have touched me with the depth of their wisdom, the scope of their vision and their passion for what they believe in.

And then there’s this motor-bike crazy mystic called Sadhguru!

“The experience of being with Sadhguru can only be described in one very inadequate, misunderstood word called “Love”. Love, not in the form that we all look at it. Love, as in compassion, not for every other being, not for any time, but for every act of creation.” – Shekar Kapur, Film Producer

I first came across Sadhguru 6 years ago a Be the Change event in London – and I was immediately stuck by his humanity, depth and his zany sense of humour. If he wasn’t a world leader, I swear he could have been a comedian on Broadway!

So what’s so special about Sadhguru?

Now I don’t ever exaggerate. Period. And yet this is so true for me:-

Sadhguru is the closest thing to an enlightened human being that I have met in my life.

Sadhguru is a profound mystic, visionary humanitarian and prominent spiritual leader.

He is also world class speaker and opinion maker who is widely sought after by prestigious global forums including the World Economic Forum, the United Nations, the World Presidents Organization, Tuck Executive Education, and TED, among many others.

For me, the best and most charming thing about Sadhguru is that he is a speed demon!

Given the chance, he races around like crazy on a motorbike or in a fast car, if and when his superhuman global schedule permits.

You can see Sadhguru’s TED talk here:-

For those of you reading this inn email, check out Sadhguru’s TED Talk here.

You can also follow Sadhguru’s weekly column on The Huffington Post

He has empowered millions of people in his native state of Tamil Nadu in India to plant millions of trees to prevent the land from becoming a desert within 20 years.

Learn more about Project Green Hands here.

An arresting blend of profundity and pragmatism, Sadhguru’s life and work serve as a reminder that inner sciences are not esoteric philosophies from an outdated past, but a contemporary science vitally relevant to our times.

Over three decades ago, Sadhguru established the Isha Foundation, a non-profit, non-religious organisation dedicated to cultivate human potential. Today Isha Foundation has empowered over 7 Million Meditators and has over 250,000 Volunteers in 150 cities in over 10 countries worldwide.

 ”Sadhguru is mystical, insightful, beautiful, funny, wise and grounded. I have taken two of his Isha programmes and strongly encourage you to explore this programme for yourself – it’s not to be missed.” – Anjelica Houston, Actor

Sadhguru has a profound and urgent message for our time. The question is this – are we ready to embrace his wisdom and teachings?

Oh and did I tell you that he also loves playing golf!?

I first wrote about Sadhguru on my blog a while ago when I shared his writings. This is when he so eloquently shared it was a crime to go around with a miserable face

These are some of the key teachings from Sadhguru from that day:-

• We must make a fundamental change in the way we perceive life
• Focus on all the beautiful things going on in the world.
• We are not committed to our sense, but our senses!
• At age 5, we have lots of moments of joy, by age 30 most people have long faces.
• Aliveness does not go down with age!
• The worst crime you can commit on this planet is to go around with a miserable face!
• We think of people as things, not people.
• In pursuit of our happiness, we collide with other people – this collision leads to conflict.
• To be joyful is not the ultimate goal, but a fundamental requirement.
• When a child arrives in this world, it is not a time to teach him, but a time to learn from him!
• How many old faces of joy do you see? Learn to be joyous from the child.
• Our currencies are different, but we all want to buy the same thing – happiness.
• We need a solution to bring about positive change in the world, not a revolution.
• You can contain happiness, you can’t contain joy!
• Put your love, peace and joy on self-start, rather than waiting for others to push start you.
• Be an expression of joy rather than be in pursuit of joy.
• There is something in us longing to be a little more, to expand, to grow.

Roll on forward a few years. I have now done Sadhguru’s Inner Engineering training, a profound and powerful experience which grounded me further and transformed my view of the world.

Over 1 million people have completed inner Engineering and reported remarkable results. This training gives you simple tools to eliminate stress, relieve chronic diseases like allergies, diabetes and heart disease, sleep better, Increase energy and productivity, maintain emotional balance, improve relationships and communication and experience your life each moment to the fullest.

Practitioners follow a 21 minute practice daily that aligns your mind, body, emotions and energy to function in complete harmony.

Soon after this Inner Engineering experience, I put together my “Make It Happen” book which you can download here.

As you can see, Sadhguru’s teachings have profoundly affected and influenced me.

If you ever get a chance to hear him speak live, you too would be equally impacted. Which brings me to tell you – Sadhguru is visiting London next Sunday, 11^th March.

This is an exceptional chance to experience Sadhguru live. And I kid you not – he’ll have you in raptures!

As well as his talk, this unique event is a rare opportunity to be guided into a meditation process by the most profound mystic of our times.

Date: 11 March 2012 – 11am – 1:30pm

You can find out more and book your tickets here.

To give you a taste of what you can expect, please check out these videos:-
1.  Is our Existence Created by What we Think?

2. The content of your mind is not your choice.

3. Suffering is self created.

4. How Do You Accept People You Don’t Like? 

5. What happens when a person dies?

6. Times Now Interviews Sadhguru on “Spirituality for Everyone”

For those of you able to attend the London event, I look forward to seeing you all next Sunday – I promise you that it will be a remarkable experience for all of us.

For those of you not able to attend, check out the above videos and also check out Sadhguru’s message and his profound environmental work at Project Green Hands.

Let us all strive to make the world a better place in our own way. You know it makes sense.

Related posts:

1. Think Crazy to Make It Happen!
2. Listen to Your Inner Voice
3. Why You Should Always Stop to Listen to Music
4. Plant Trees and Goodness Today for our Children Tomorrow