How Your Passion/s Can And Should Make You A Living. For Life.

January 9, 2009 at 1:57 pm · Filed under January 2009 ·Tagged , ,

 

What do you do day in day out? What’s your job? What do you do with the time you spend working that gives you the currency you deserve in order to pay the bills, the much needed food on your table and roof over your head, the finer things in life? What is it that you do with the majority of your hours awake here on earth? What do you do for a living?

 

Is it something you love? Is it something you’ve always dreamed of being/doing? Does what you do jolt you out of bed each morning? Do you think about what you do for a living even when you’re not at work? Is it a part of you, your lifestyle, something you’re proud to promote and share with the world?

 

If it isn’t, why is that?

 

If it’s something you don’t love but instead dread entirely, why is that?

 

Are Mondays hell? Are Fridays the ultimate destination?

 

Is what you do draining you day by day or invigorating your mind and life as you go?

 

It took me up until I was about 26 years old to finally realize that time is the most precious thing I’ll ever have. It took me 26 birthdays to understand that I do have power, the power to choose what I do with my time. I do have a choice. It took me that long to fully comprehend the dire importance that what I do with the majority of my time, days and years, should be something I love completely. If not, why bother?

 

So what did I do? Well I started to ask myself candidly deep questions. How did I get here, why am I doing this, who am I right now, where do I want to go, who do I want to become, what do I want to do with the rest of my life? What is my purpose, who can I serve, what can I do that will fulfill me and the world around me in the process?

 

They were deep questions. Questions I needed to ask me.  

 

The answers eventually started to pop up. One by one I was discovering the truths that would help me evolve, that for far too long I had avoided entirely. You live you learn.

 

What I walked away with was this – in order to love what you do, to serve yourself and the world with purpose, you must do that in which you are so unconditionally passionate about. It may sound simple, but it’s not always for most. We’ve been told no so many times in our life, that’s what we’ve become best to know. Everything outside of the norm is impossible. You can’t do what you love and support yourself or your family, you can’t chase the cool jobs and expect to be taken seriously. There is no sustainability in shooting for the stars, for fear that if you fall, you’ll fall hard. Bullshit.

 

Life’s far too short to do anything less than what you love. Not every job may be all glory, but I strongly believe that there is a person for every job on this planet, trouble is, the great majority of us pair up with the wrong job/s. We go about our days slugging it out, fooling ourselves that we’re spending our time constructively, productively, wisely. We do what we do because we fear living below our means. Making bold moves based on love and passion is far too great a risk. That’s just absurdly ridiculous.  

 

One of my favorite movies of all time is Million Dollar Baby. The remarkable message I walked away with was, sometimes you really have to start from the dirty, dirty bottom in order to make it to the big and bright mountaintop. Sometimes we have to feel the pain from the sacrifices we need to make in order to make something meaningful of our life. Nothing worthwhile in life is easy, I’ve repeated that here on my blog so many times. But it’s so true. Sacrifices must be made in order to reveal your dream’s reality.

 

Passion makes sacrifice somewhat easier to swallow. Passion fuels you to bust through challenges and obstacles, setbacks and heartaches.

 

For the rest of your life, you should love what you do. Like your family, your children, it should be love and passion. Think of what you love most in this world, dare to dream and do big. Don’t ever think something is entirely out of reach. Just because your acting skills may never win you an Oscar, doesn’t mean you can’t work with those in the industry in some facet of the Hollywood business. There is always something you can do, telling yourself otherwise is the greatest injustice you can ever inflict.

 

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The Year Of The Big, Bright Thinkers and Doers. This Is Their Year. Are You One Of Them?

January 7, 2009 at 9:22 pm · Filed under January 2009 ·Tagged , , , ,

 

Seven days into a New Year and I’m already hearing the moaning, groaning and negativity. People shuffling all around me complaining about the weather, the economy, their post-holiday credit card bills, the stock market, their job, their bank account, their weight, their life. Guess there goes optimism and powerful thinking in ’09 for these gloomy folks.

 

But you’re not one of them are you?

 

Has the reality of our world carried over for you in 2009, continuously and relentlessly breaking you down? Or when the clock struck 12 last Wednesday night, did you make a commitment to yourself and all those around you that no matter what our world’s currently reality, yours would be big and bright, that your thoughts and actions this New Year would shine right and create something truly remarkable.

 

(big, bright, Times Square New Year’s Eve)

 

I mean technically, New Year’s Eve is no different from any other Eve, it just so happens that on this particular Eve, the month AND year changes. But real world realities remain mostly the same. The only real world reality that can start to change and morph is your own. But you didn’t really need New Year’s Eve to ignite that did you? But if you did, then so be it. There’s no one way to change.

 

This is the year of the big, bright thinkers and doers. A year dominated by those who will fail to succumb to the current global darkness that has many hanging their heads. A year led by agents of change, avatars of something higher. This year will be spearheaded by positive, persistent rebels ultra-determined to smash-up the status quo.

 

This will be the year that sees the first black U.S. President assume power. Something in itself right there that was created through big, bright thinking and doing. You need not look any further than that example, for that example alone proves that nothing ever really was, or will ever again be, impossible. Thank you Mr. Obama.

 

So are you one of the big and bright ones this year? If yes, I salute you and encourage you to repeat relentlessly each and every New Year. If you’re one of the herd that shies away from big and bright, I strongly suggest you start eating your protein, flexing your muscles, wear sunglasses and truck on forward to something better. This can be the year you shine radiantly and live large. It’s destined to be. It’s a must.

  

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Resolve To Take Enormous Risks In ‘09

January 5, 2009 at 12:03 pm · Filed under January 2009 ·Tagged , , ,

 

I was recently flipping through Andrew Zuckerman’s remarkable new book, Wisdom: 50 Unique and Original Portraits, when I came across a page shouting out a larger than life quote – Risk it, go for it. Life always gives you another chance, another go at it. It’s very important to take enormous risks.

 

 

 

While society and the media will have you believe otherwise in a world full of financial turmoil and economic uncertainty, I would have to argue and rebel against what the so-called experts warn and encourage all to shy away from. Now more than ever is the right time for us to switch up the old ways of thinking, the ancient habits of doing, therefore embarking on risky voyages, voyages embedded with passion, purpose and change for something bigger, better, something greater.

 

See what got us here obviously worked to a certain degree. Now that we are where we are, the current rocky landscape is boldly flashing warning signs in which we must fail not to ignore. What once worked doesn’t mean it will work forever. Nothing lasts forever remember. It’s up to all of us to comprehend this, to realize that change will only happen when we personally choose to change. For great change to occur, great risks must be taken. For us to evolve individually and as one, we must take enormous risks, risks fueled with deep belief, passion and purpose.

 

While I recently ranted about the nixing of New Year’s resolutions, encouraging instead New Year’s obligations, I can’t help but strongly feel that taking well calculated, intelligent, enormous risks are what will save us from where we are, who we are. And isn’t that our major obligation in life – to grow, to evolve, to continuously make us and our world better?

 

Doesn’t seem like quite a huge risk after all, seems more like our duty, the ultimate reason we’re alive.

 

The real risk takers will be the ones who will come out of all this prospering. They will be the ones who are awoken by the flashing signs, seeing the bigger picture and moving to act. They will be the brave souls who go out on their own and start their own business, the gutsy believers who challenge the status quo pushing hard to switch up the old system and ways. They will be men and women, boys and girls. People taking great risks fully understanding that in life, nothing great happens from anything less.

 

From changing careers at 40 to starting your own business from scratch, from challenging the educational system’s long withstanding methods to fighting political policies you believe unfair and wrong, 2009 should be the year you buck the trend of going with the flow. For far too long far too many of us have lived below great, let this year be the year we choose to make moves that scare us, but at the same time, exhilarate us to the core.

 

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Happy New Day!

January 2, 2009 at 1:27 pm · Filed under January 2009 ·Tagged , , , , , ,

 

New Year’s Eve, the king of all outrageous celebrations. New Year’s Day, the designated day for fresh new beginnings. The hype, the excitement, the partying, the hugs, high fives and kisses at midnight, the champagne and confetti, the inevitable hangover. Resolutions, new goals, promises for a better year and life.

 

Sound familiar?

 

Repetitive, redundant, cliché? That’s OK, we’re only human.

 

Please don’t get me wrong, I love New Year’s Eve and Day. In fact I love the entire holiday season. The people, the love, the food, drink, parties, lights, music, gifts. The overall warm vibe that you just don’t find or feel any other time of the year like you do around this time. At least not as potent. My only beef with New Year’s is that it is what it is, just another day. A special one yes indeed, but really no more special than any other (special) day you’re alive and well.

 

(Wake up lil’ lady! It’s a brand new day!)

 

In fact I find that so much emphasis is put on NYE and NYD that we fall somewhat short of living each and every other day of the year as full out. Imagine we planned and primed for January 11th like we do December 31st or January 1st. Envision a world where the holiday season spirit lives rampantly throughout the entire month of February. Absurd, can’t be done, wouldn’t work! How can we go a full year living and giving that kind of cheer, goodwill and effort without a reason?

 

I guess that’s where we missed the boat.

 

While people are still greeting others with well wishes of Happy New Year, I’ve decided to put a different spin on the shout out and wish ‘em all a Happy New Day. I mean that’s what its all about right? Every day you wake up, its fresh, its new, its an opportunity to do something bigger and better than you did yesterday. Its your ticket to growing and evolving, a new day, a better way.

 

And without being overly cynical, that’s what New Year’s is really all about, something new. We just omit to remember that new happens every single day we awake. We carry so much around that weighs us down from yesterday, we blind ourselves to the bright reality that with each new day, a potentially new way of life welcomes us with open arms.

 

If you make one major New Year’s resolution/obligation this year, let it be this. Let it be the acknowledgement and deep understanding that every new day brings new chances, new choices, new opportunities, possibilities and results.

 

Happy New Days my friends.

 

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The Best Advice I’ve Ever Received – Negative Or Positive, Everything In Life Compounds

December 22, 2008 at 8:47 pm · Filed under December 2008 ·Tagged , ,

 

Two posts ago I ranted-on about New Year’s Obligations, opting for this mindset over the traditional yet less effective New Year’s Resolutions. The feedback was way cool, and as a result sparked something that made me reflect deep.

 

If I want to be on my best game this New Year, what will it take, what experiences, lessons and advice will I utilize and maximize to the fullest to ensure I make this a very remarkable year? Much stuck out, but no piece of previous advice made me a-ha more than these words – negative or positive, everything in life compounds.

 

                                                                                                                                                                                          

Obligations, or even resolutions for that matter, do not reveal desired results overnight. Anything worthwhile takes time, it takes commitment, hard work and persistence. Anything worth less than worthwhile uses the same recipe. In short, negative or positive, everything in life compounds.

 

I’m an extremely impatient person, someone who loses focus of the big picture from time to time, someone who wants the quick fix and instant gratification. I’m confident I’m not alone. Nevertheless this is kryptonite. Everything great or not so great must compound in order to achieve the ultimate desired results or deathly unwanted realities. Either way, compound good or bad and that’s just what you’ll get.

 

So this year my blueprint, my recipe to all that I’ve declared as my obligations in ‘09, will be fueled with the very deep belief that everything in life compounds. My negatives, my positives, my ability to lose focus and fail or my power to push through and prevail. The ball is always in my court. Every thought I think, every move I make, when committed and consistent, creates something real big, good or bad.

 

So when you set out to shed pounds this January or embark on a voyage to rake in more cash, remember that the end result is a consistent collection of all that you fed it. Good or bad, negative or positive.

 

In today’s extremely competitive and ultra demanding world, consistency may just be our most valuable currency in-line with trust. Consistency can go either way – up or down. The road consistency travels is entirely up to us. This New Year should be filled with obligations to compound nothing but the best, resulting in your best year to date.

 

It’s your ball, your call, you can launch it either way. Choose and move wisely.

 

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Books And Blogs You Should Devour

December 19, 2008 at 2:37 pm · Filed under December 2008 ·Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

 

With everything that goes on around the holidays, there will be a time, and you’ve gotta make sure that you make that time, where you’ll be able to slip away, sit back and devour a great book. Its actually one of the things I look forward to most over the holidays – that snowy afternoon by the fireplace, nothing going on but the book in my hands and my mind open to all the words and worlds on those pages. Its just amazing. It takes me away.

 

I’ve been recently asked by several friends what I’ve been reading as of late and which books I’d highly recommend. This provoked and propelled me to make a list of my top 10 favorite books I’ve read over the past year, and include the top blogs I like to visit and read on an almost daily basis.

 

I’d love to hear your top 10 book list and the blogs in which you frequent regularly.

 

With all the hustle and bustle the holiday season brings, its nice to get away for a little while and read the words and ideas another mind has to share. It’ll enlighten you, open you and sharpen your ideas, thoughts and vision moving into the New Year.

 

Enjoy.

 

Here are the books

 

When All You Have Is Hope by Frank O’Dea 

 

Tribes: We Need You To Lead Us by Seth Godin

 

The Magic of Thinking Big by David Schwartz

 

The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss

 

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

 

Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi and Tahl Raz

 

Born Standing Up by Steve Martin

 

Honeymoon With My Brother: A Memoir by Franz Wisner

 

Rich Dad Poor Dad by by Robert Kiyosaki

 

The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life by Alice Schroeder

 

And the blogs

 

Anywired.com Anywired is a blog for freelancers, business owners and entrepreneurs in the creative industry who want to scale their business without scaling their workload.

 

Powrightbetweentheeyes.com Andy Nulman’s blog about surprise. Always insightful and humorous.

 

Sethgodin.com Marketing guru and author, Seth Godin’s content is remarkable.

 

Mitchjoel.com Six Pixels Of Separation. Mitch is President of Twist Image – an award-winning Digital Marketing agency. He is a marketing and communications visionary, interactive expert, community leader, Blogger and Podcaster. This one is my very favorite.

 

Fourhourworkweek.com/blog/ This is Timothy Ferriss’s blog. Tim, nominated as one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Business People of 2007,” is author of the #1 New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and BusinessWeek bestseller, The 4-Hour Workweek, which has been sold into 33 languages.

 

And my favorite website of the year, hands down the best

 

TED.com Don’t even hesitate, just visit it.

 

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New Year’s Obligations

December 17, 2008 at 12:54 am · Filed under December 2008 ·Tagged , ,

 

Forget resolutions. The word/definition/ultimate meaning of resolution is far too loose. It just doesn’t stick on the wall or in your heart past the 2nd week of January.

 

I can’t remember any other time of the year I ever use or hear the word resolution other than right around now. It seems to be so tightly tied-in with New Year’s that it just doesn’t fit in around Easter or any other date for that matter.

 

So this year I’ve spun a different approach to new ideas, thoughts, goals and visions for ’09 as we approach Jan 1st. I’ve morphed resolution into something more concrete, alive and with flow, something I’ll label, my New Year’s obligations.

 

See the word/definition/ultimate meaning of obligation is far more dedicated and responsible and instead of being approached and looked upon as something you have to do, an obligation is something you simply just do. It’s your duty and a lifestyle to something bigger and better, something higher than just a wish. It’s a desire to be and live beyond anything tangible. Its an attitude and consistent flow of acts that will enable you to evolve into the reality you want to create.

 

Resolutions just don’t have the heart, guts and backbone to keep your body, mind and soul interested. Obligations do.

 

 

This year I’ll commit myself to obligations that I not only want to commit to, but obligations I deeply know will benefit all involved. Obligations like writing two books, giving back to the community by empowering our youth and maximizing all possibilities when it comes to steps taken in reducing the ecological footprint I create. These are only a few examples, but see how they’re less of a goal and more so a duty, a lifestyle, an obligation I have to making this world a better place for all. Its rewarding for me and for those who it affects in the process. I’m less likely to give up on it when it means something sacred to me and to others.

 

Perhaps that’s where we’ve gone wrong all these years around this time. Making small resolutions, resolutions that don’t exactly push us outside our comfort zone, they don’t spark anything special inside. They’ve got a ceiling on them from the day they were conceived. Joining the gym on January 2nd doesn’t mean you’re going to keep going come February 2nd. But an obligation to a child that needs your guidance and support may be more difficult to neglect.

 

Everything starts somewhere. One great thing always leads to another. Same goes for the shitty stuff.

 

But don’t be fooled, obligations are never easy then again neither are resolutions. They all require work. Some a great deal of it.

 

If you want 2009 to be your best year ever, why not ditch the same old same old: join a gym, lose weight, make more money, spend more time with family and friends. Why not tear apart the envelope and create a new way of pushing it. Dig deep inside. What do you really, truly want? What are you willing to sacrifice? What are you ready to choose as your obligation in life?

 

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The Difference Between Passion And Obsession

December 15, 2008 at 3:08 pm · Filed under December 2008 ·Tagged , ,

 

The word passion is so loosely thrown around these days. They say do what you love in life, what you’re passionate about, and the money, fame, success and happiness will follow.

 

I wish it were that easy.

 

I’m passionate about a great deal of things. Its not just like, these are things in which I really, really love. I’ll call them passions, but would I call them obsessions?

 

In my eyes, my mind, passion is something you jolt out of bed every morning to. Enthusiasm, excitement, a great love for. Obsession to me, is something you’d walk across white hot fire to. You’d die for it without a second thought. Passion is loving what you do, but perhaps being flexible when the going gets a little tough. Obsession is giving all of you, not caring how much of yourself you lose along the way. Obsession is key to anything that matters most to you, in every single facet of your life.

 

Steve Jobs preaches the words never settle. Therefore until you’re obsessed with something, don’t settle. Don’t settle in love, don’t settle in your job, your relationships, don’t settle with your health – don’t settle unless you know it’s bringing out the best for all involved.

 

I’m not talking about unhealthy obsession, I’m talking about passion so healthy and so deep that it moves your life and the lives of all those around you to something greater.

 

If you’re passionate about what you do, you’re one of the very privileged few. If you’re obsessed with what you do, you’re in the 0.01% and the rarest of rare.

 

We need more of the privileged few and the rarest of rare. We need more people obsessed with their calling in life, their purpose, whether it be to be the best father, mother, employer, employee, volunteer, whatever.

 

Your brother, sister, your very best friend. You mother, your father, your kids and wife. These are healthy obsessions. These are what maters most to you in this world, more than even you.

 

However you should be equally obsessed with yourself, in of course a healthy way. Perhaps you’d take better care of your body, your career, your mind, your wealth. Obsessed with you enables you to care strong for all things around you. Your ideal life starts with you. A better world is reality when we care so deeply. Only obsession can provoke and propel that.

 

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Where Do I Start?

December 12, 2008 at 12:57 pm · Filed under December 2008 ·Tagged , , , , , , ,

 

Where do I start?

 

I’ve heard that question a great deal lately. Its been sparked from many channels of searching. People looking for answers in a global economic hurricane, out of work, wondering if now’s the time to start their own thing, their own business.

 

Its been sparked by talks of giving back to the community. Its been asked repeatedly when discussing the environment. I hear it all the time when people complain about their weight and/or the lack of exercise in their life. Wherever thought meets some sort of desire, where do I start gets asked.

 

However, there is no one right answer. You can ask around all you want (and I still highly suggest that you do), you can swoop up some advice and suggestions, but sure enough, only you’ll be able to answer that ultimate question in the end. No one travels the same journey, therefore no one ever launches the same way either.

 

Everyday I ask myself where I should begin, how I should lift off, what’s the best road to travel down. Whether it be a workout routine, a business meeting or an urge to do some good and give back to my community. I question myself all the time, I ask the question everyone’s seeking the answer to.

 

Thought + Desire = Where do I start?

 

 

Sometimes thinking too long and hard on where to start paralyzes people into inactivity. And inactivity never ever gets you anywhere. Sometimes you just gotta move, you gotta take the risk and green light the leap. Nothing in life happens until a move is made.

 

With the holiday season all around us, a new year knocking at the door, thoughts and desires of giving back or changing up our lifestyle will only see the light of day if we act. Where to start? Who knows? Many will offer you their two cents, but in the end, only you will be able to make sense of it all.

 

Start somewhere, anywhere, but please, start now.

 

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I Hate It, But I’ll Do It Anyways

December 11, 2008 at 11:55 am · Filed under December 2008

 

Man I hate waking up so damn early on a cold winter Montreal morning to hit the gym, but I do it anyways. And when I’m there and moving and pushing hard and feeling so f’n good as I go, I forget all about what I was hating-on to begin with. I’m no different than you, I hate stuff too. I’ve just learned to work with hate, morphing hate into lets say, a step I need to take in order to achieve the results I want.

 

There isn’t a soul on this planet who loves everything, we all dislike or despise something. But the ones who get shit done and make shit happen are the ones who work with hate, not be defeated by it.

 

Eventually that hate may turn into like or even love, or something you realized after all, didn’t deserve the hate you gave it.

 

What is hate anyways? Most of the time we hate things we’ve never fully given a solid effort to experience or know – people, work, stuff that pushes us outside our comfort zone. Hate is only hate because its what we create.

 

I’ve come to learn how to hate hate. Hate slows me down.

 

I give full props to those who keep-on despite facing hate face to face. Hats off to soldiers who keep marching-on no matter how much they hate what they see, what they have to become in order to do what they need to do. I admire the business and political leaders who hate certain aspects of the game, but keep playing in search of something better.

 

Along the road to right, hate will stare you down. Along the road to something bigger and better, hate will hit you hard. Everyone encounters hate, it’s the winners who dance with it and change it into something that hardly resembles hate when that second song begins to play.

 

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