Tuesday, September 24, 2013

The Pursuit Of Passion - Life / Purpose Mad Libs


This whole purpose - mission - vision - goal thing is quite confusing.
If you have ever been to a planning retreat you know what I mean.
Spending hours sorting through the difference between how these four items relate to your business – or your life – is almost as much fun as a visit to the dentist.
It is pretty easy to set a goal, so why not just leave well enough alone? 
Is this navel-gazing really worth the time?
It helps to think of your purpose as the view from 40,000 feet.
It’s the bigger perspective
And now and then I need that sense of clarity.

Your purpose and your goal are two very different things.
Your goal may be to become a TV screenwriter,
but your purpose in life is not to be a TV screenwriter.
Your goal may be to make more money
but your purpose in life is not to make money.

The more your life is aligned with your purpose
the more joyful and passionate your life becomes.

Four years ago I discovered this simple formula to help find my purpose. This "Life Purpose Exercise" was created by Arnold M. Patent and it goes like this:
1) List two of your primary personal qualities, such as "enthusiasm" and "persistence".  If you are not sure, ask someone who knows you well.
2) List one or two ways you enjoy expressing these qualities when interacting with others, such as "to support" and "to care for"
3) Assume the world is perfect right now. What does the world look like? How is everyone interacting with everyone else? What does it feel like? Write your answer in the present tense describing the perfect world as you see it and feel it. Remember, a perfect world is fun place to be.
Example: "Everyone is expressing their own unique talents. Everyone is working in harmony."
4) Now combine these items into a single statement:
My purpose is to use my _____(1)_______ and _____(1)__________ to ______(2)_______ and _____(2)_________ others to _____________(3)___________.

A while ago I did this exercise.
Here were my answers:
1) Creativity, organization
2) To help, to inspire
3) There is enough for everyone. We are all working together to build better lives. Everyone works from a place of love.

And here is my life purpose:

"My purpose is to use my creativity and organization skills to inspire and help others to build a better life in abundance and love."

I had not looked back at this exercise for the last four years.
So ­– surprise
The pursuit of passion fits my life purpose.

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Passion Party #487 - Everything You Know Is Wrong

We rarely have original thoughts
Our minds are filled with
newspaper stories
Facebook posts
news headline, details at 11:00.

And if we go deeper, below our thoughts
we find our belief systems.
These may have come from teachers we had,
or books we have read,
but most of them come form our upbringing.
From Mom and Dad.

I know it is true because my momma told me.
But what if momma was guessing?
What if she was just repeating what her momma said?

So much of what we are taught (or not taught)
about love, money, relationships, business...
is wrong.
If we clear the slate
and start from
"What is my experience personally?" and
"How would I like my life to work?" and
"What beliefs will support that vision?"
we can rebuild that belief system
until finally our life and our beliefs feel congruent
and everything we know is right.

Monday, September 9, 2013

The Pursuit Of Passion - Whatever It Takes

Here is the second selection from the book, The Pursuit of Passion:


Whatever It Takes  
About 33 years ago I let go of my possessions, threw a few things into a Dodge van, and moved to Los Angeles. I decided to do whatever it takes to start a new life as a musician and composer.  I would be a pianist/composer in Hollywood, a musical “gunslinger” for hire.

About 23 years ago, when my son was two years old I got my first job in finance.  It had been ten years of grabbing scraps from Hollywood’s musical buffet table, and it was time to move on. “Road work” was not an option; the hit song remained illusory.  I looked at my watch and it said, “Time to get a real job.”
I had decided to do whatever it takes to shift into a new career.  A crash course in the Series 7 License got me a job at a municipal bond firm, which got me a job as a stockbroker in the Roaring 80’s.
Three years later I knew I was not meant to be a stockbroker, and I moved into banking.

About 20 years ago I got my first job as a loan officer for Columbia Savings and Loan. I decided to do whatever it takes to be a successful loan officer.  I rapidly learned that this meant leaving behind a regular paycheck and becoming a commission-based “salesperson”.

About 11 years ago I was burnt out after the real estate crash in the '90s, and was ready to try something new. I decided to do whatever it takes to build a mortgage business built on trust and honesty that would allow me to earn a great income and still have time for my music, my family and my life.

It is now 2009. After a long ride of financial success, my mortgage business collapsed with the rest of the economy.  Life is a struggle.  Any fun that existed in my business has been sucked out. 

I am here now. Once again, I am ready to do whatever it takes to rekindle the passion in my life.

Thursday, September 5, 2013

The Pursuit Of Passion - Change or Die

Here is the first page from my upcoming book, "The Pursuit of Passion".


Change Or Die
 
It began out of frustration.
 
My life was stuck in a downward spiral of
hard work, dislikes, and have to's.
I had lost my passion for the business.
 
The question was, "what one thing can you change today
to raise your frequency to help pull yourself and other people up?"
 
I thought for a moment and said,
"I guess I could meditate.
I used to meditate.
But my life is so busy, my business feels so out of control, I don't have the time."
 
"What if you got up at 5:00 AM to meditate?"
I thought about it.
There is no way I could wake up at 5:00 AM every day.
Don't even ask me.
 
"What if you commit to meditation for 21 days?
One day at a time, for 21 days, you get up at 5:00 AM, meditate, and then write your
inspirational thought for the day."
 
"I guess I could do that.
For 21 days."
 
"Good.
Then pick a dozen or so friends, and every morning after you write in your
journal, send them the post."
 
I saw what was happening.
Action
Commitment
Accountability
 
So I agreed to reinvent myself every morning, to get in touch with my passion, for 21
days.
And so I joined the 5:00 AM Club
and the passion party was born.

Monday, September 2, 2013

Money, Part 6 - Frugal Fest

I went to a business lunch yesterday in Brentwood
at a very fine, stylish restaurant
and I had a $17 cheeseburger.
After the ice tea, tax and tip the lunch came to $28.00.
The restaurant was full of people,
businessmen and women, as well as families with young kids,
and I thought, 'Well, no recession here!"

And yet, at our table the conversation turned to the fact that each of us has a brother or sister that had recently lost their job and was looking for work.

So today I think it is time to join
Frugal Fest:
the celebration of clipping coupons,
having dinner at Happy Hour restaurants
or better yet eating at home,
and re-using those plastic bags, turning off the lights, etc.

The Latin root for frugal, "frui", means to enjoy
and it refers not just to being "cheap"
but it reflects economy in the use of money and other resources as well.

Today I can remember that it feels good to live within one's budget;
it feels better than
any $15 martini
or $17 hamburger.
It is hard to set a budget and live within it,
but today I am willing to enjoy being economical.