Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Attracting Your Life Vision

Want to Visualize Your Dreams?

Here's some cool software that enables you to visualize your dreams - right from your DESKTOP!

Orange Peel Dream Board
Get What You Want Faster.



As you know, I'm always scrounging around the Internet trying to find anything that might benefit us in keeping our mantra, our vision, our dream -- all the things we want to manifest -- front-and-center in our mind so we attract what we want.

The OrangePeel Dream Board Visualization Software enables us to do this.

Use it to create a video, visual collage and remind yourself of what you really, really want from life. Hey - it's your life.

Now, if you're like me, you've probably spent hours creating "the perfect collage" because your dreams are special to you. Rather than take hours and hours, now you can create a video collage in just minutes!

Using a dream board like this can be very powerful to help you manifest your dreams regarding career, money, health, finances, and love. If you haven't designed your own collage yet, the beauty of a software tool like Dream Board is that you can modify your collage quickly, and it is always in front of you when you boot your computer. Cool, huh?

Check it out and if you want to purchase it, I created an affiliate program with Orange Peel to make it easy for you to join:

Vision Board

Here's some additional tips on collages:

1. Get a big stack of magazines, cut out words, patterns, pictures.

2. Go to the websites of your FAVORITE things, ideas, and places, etc.
ONLY use pictures of who, what, how, when, why you REALLY want - not representational, but actual. If you want to marry John James, then include a picture of John James in your dream board. Yes, you CAN be that specific. And, actually, this is often how our dreams our manifested MOST powerfully.

3. Check out my article on The Most Powerful Law for more information on the Law of Attraction:
http://aspirenow.blogspot.com/2007/10/most-powerful-law-in-universe.html

Cheers!
Scott
_______________________________________________________

Copyright © 2008 AspireNow. All rights reserved. Want more? Subscribe to the A-Blog.
DreamBoard is Copyright OrangePeel, used with permission. Copyright 2007-2008.


Self Help Radio: Key Moments To Watch For

Topic: Key Moments To Watch Radio Show Chat With Astrological Star Benjamin Bernstein

Description: Learn what's in the stars for your 1st Quarter astrological projection Q & A chat with Benjamin Bernstein, from It's All Good Astrology and the AspireNow AstroGuide. Call in to ask Benjamin questions! The show is live online tonight from 6PM PST - 7PM PST. Discover key moments when you can maximize a Golden Yod (finger of God) and chart a path for your success in 2008 - with a focus on the next couple of months.

It's fun, educational, and easy to join in!

When: Wednesday, January 30, 6PM PST (1 hour Internet Talk Radio Show)

How to Participate:
1. Visit http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/37792 - this enables you to text questions and see questions/live chat during the show, and hear Scott on the show.
2. Dial (724) 444-7444
3. Enter 37792 # (Talkcast Show ID)
4. Enter: 1 # or your Talkshoe PIN(Steps 2 - 4 enable you to call in LIVE and ask your questions or listen.)

Note: You can also download Talkshoe's Classic player to use the "Classic" version of the show format for text comments and show hosting, although this step is no longer necessary to join.

NOTE: If you MISS the show, visit http://www.aspirenow.com/ and listen via the Talkshow player, or visit: http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/37792. Simple as that. See you there!!
_______________________________________________________

Copyright © 2008 AspireNow. All rights reserved. Want more? Subscribe to the A-Blog.


Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Dig Pharoah Sanders


It's rare that I post an article at the A-Blog that isn't obviously related to Self-Help. But, sometimes, the best self-help either comes from, or IS - MUSIC. It's certainly the most fun self-help, besides perhaps dancing, right? Hey-Tony Robbins has you dancing the whole time through his seminars. Wonder why? Because it's the best self-help! Music and dancing!


Here's the WORD:


I just hit this up this morning and was blown away by the incredible control, subharmonic and standard beefy tonal blowing, and overall quality of the playing on the latest Pharoah Sanders' stuff... as most of you know, Pharoah Sanders is a legend on the sax, but I hadn't dialed into him in a while and decided to see what he's up to - what an incredibly inspiring blessing!


Please don't just gloss over this...it's more substantial than any jazz I've heard all year.

It's all right there on his website. Just key it up, turn up the speaker volume, and enjoy a cup of coffee over a few of the tunes there...

I was moved to tears on the finale of the live number. Amazing.

Enjoy!
Scott

You may also enjoy this inspired posts: http://aspirenow.blogspot.com/2008/01/your-soul-self.html
_______________________________________________________

Copyright © 2008 AspireNow. All rights reserved. Image: courtesy of Wikipedia and Pharoah Sanders. No infringement intended. Want more? Subscribe to the A-Blog.

Your SOUL Self

Your SOUL Self

Who are we to say we can't? When the truth is always there, waiting for us to just acknowledge that WE CAN.

Our soul always believes in us. Our soul knows we can do what we want and live our dreams.

Our soul is part of the infinite conscious energy that flows through all things. How can that possibly steer us any way but where we ought to be?

(Image) Scott Andrews w/Black Market Trio at Carried Away Art Gallery (2007) w/Justin Perkins on Conga, Forrestt Williams, Bass

The soul is there, always shining, always interested in our highest good (because that simply IS what it IS). The soul only requires us to BE who we are, without worrying about WHAT is in store or WHY things happen. Just BE. When we live according to our soul, we're really living life as God and nature intended.

It is only WE who get can in our own way, when it comes to that stuff. Only we could let our ego get a hold of things. Only we could let pain from abuse beat us down. Only we can let that critical mind or negative self-talk talk us out of our dreams. And, yes, only we can decide when to push all of that junk out of the way and embrace our true self. It's our journey, after all.

I remember I let my own "shadow" self mess with me in my 20's when I played my sax, hours a day, just so I could play live in small groups in front of people. I went and sat in with my favorite jazz combo, the A.J. Johnson West Coast Jazz All-stars at one of the best jazz clubs in San Francisco, Jazz At Pearl's. If you haven't done it, sitting in may be the hardest thing in the world to do in many jazz clubs. You don't know what songs they're going to play and you're not the "home turf" band. But, I remember when I played "Seven Steps To Heaven" that I tore it up and thrilled the crowd and fellow musicians with my sax riffs. They loved me! People were saying things like "Where are you from, man!?" I felt like Charlie Parker, himself. I was on cloud nine. But the next night, I went back for more. This time was different. The amazing piano player, Mark Levine, returned fresh from a stint in New York playing with Pharoah Sanders (a legend on the saxophone). He called out a song that is half Latin-half jazz, called "Speak Low". You either know Speak Low, or you don't.

Unfortunately, I didn't realize that truth until too late. I thought I'd played it before but KNEW I didn't know the chords. Rather than just sit down or cut out, I tried to fake it. And, I bombed horribly. Every single note was a lizard. It was so ugly. I realized the bind I was in, live, in this ultra-cool jazz club, with world-renowned musicians, and flopping miserably. My face, body, upper lip, arm-pits - heck, I think even my scalp and my toes - broke out in flop-sweat! I let that experience stop me from playing with ANYONE for THREE YEARS. I was that embarrassed. I just felt like I wasn't "good enough" to cut it. How foolish could I have been?

They still LIKED me. I could still have gone back in there any time and played with anyone else. I just didn't.

Can you imagine a sax player as talented as me letting years go by without playing live, something I truly love and enjoy, over something as silly as flopping on one very difficult song (if you don't know it) on one night that probably nobody else remembers? Well, I did it. And, I'll never do that again. I was born to play, and play live.

Since that time, in my own band, any time anyone wants to create a song, live on the fly in front of everyone, I EMBRACE it. I go for it. And, amazingly, some of our BEST music comes out in those moments. I recall a night at the club called Blue, when my guitar player's wife, Katie, came up to me when we were jamming on this funky song, and she asked me, "Hey, what's the name of this song!?" I responded back, "What do you want it to be called?" She said, "Oh, did you write it this week in practice?" I laughed and said, "No, we're writing it now!" :) That's how good the band I lead can be sometimes (Body). It was a crowning moment of that night, to have something coming in the moment, music from our soul, pouring through our bodies, through our instruments and relaying to the dancers and listeners in the room so that they were so inspired as to want to know the song and remember that moment. Isn't that what music can be about, when we trust in our ability to hear and play, when it's great like that?

Now, I sit in with anyone, and if I don't know the song, I either say that, or I just don't play it at all. But, more likely, I learn it live on the fly. We get better in time. I control my situations more, but I also don't freak when I don't know something. Now, I embrace playing songs and changes I've never heard before. It causes you to listen with bigger ears. If I hit too many wrong notes, rather than flop-out, I cease playing for a minute or two, and just listen. Because when your heart and ears are open and when your mind isn't blocking you, you can play anything! It's a whole new experience. It becomes a SOUL experience.

It is a SOUL experience because that's when we are truly aligned with who we really are supposed to be: our spiritual self. We can be this self in ANY situation, at ANY time. Because the soul does not have those boundaries or limitations like time, place, or thing. It just IS.

That's our highest self. That's our highest good. That's our best person we can be.

Are you aligned with your highest self? Are you living SOUL experiences?

It requires you to stop the chatter... listen to the stuff inside you... get into nature and BREATHE!

Another really good resource on this subject is my friend, Michelle Casto (http://www.brightlightcoach.com/). Michelle writes, speaks, and coaches about embracing your soul and digging into the space beyond the clutter, beneath the chatter mind, into the space that enables you to reach what Stevie Wonder calls "Higher Ground" and be your best self.

I truly encourage you to embrace that part of yourself and live according to what you hear from THAT self: your SOUL self. See, that's what I love about jazz music. True jazz musicians always encourage each other to jump back in and play. Just play what you feel, play what you hear, and play it in the moment!

For coaching on this matter, contact Scott Andrews at 805-459-6939 or email me directly.

*****
Comment:
Scott, So glad to see this article on leading our lives from our soul's guidance rather than our ego's needs. You forgot to mention that we will be discussing this topic, Wed. Feb 6, on the Talk Shoe Aspire Now show:

http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/37992
6 pm PST/9pm EST.

All who yearn for true fulfillment and success from the inside out should call in and talk with us!

Brightly,
Dr. Michelle
The Soul Coach
http://www.brightlightcoach.coom/
******
_______________________________________________________

Copyright © 2008 AspireNow. All rights reserved. Want more? Subscribe to the A-Blog.

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Give Me Hope

There are many, many people in the world who are challenged with some sort of condition or need:

Age
Gender
Handicaps
Health
Money
Poverty
Struggle
and so forth...

They want hope. They NEED hope. And, most of them are desperately seeking someone - ANYONE - to give them hope. Perhaps, you've said it yourself: "Please, give me hope!" Anything to hinge a dream on... anything to believe in again... anything to INSPIRE YOU to do what you know you must do.

Well, if there is any reason I write on this blog, offering you HOPE is one of the biggest reasons.

You might be thinking "Give me hope," and if you are, you realize that you may be facing a challenge. I've seen many challenges in my own journey. But, there is ALWAYS hope.

Think about anyone who ever did any thing great... did they struggle?

I'd wager almost everyone who does great things has struggled. Imagine, the struggle Franklin D. Roosevelt must have faced in opening the first center for Polio recovery. Polio, such a debilitating disease to pull the legs out from so many people - and so unexpectedly - struck the country throughout the early 20th century. Franklin Cook, my best friend as a boy, had a father who walked with crutches as a result of polio. I admired him for his strength in going on, for keeping a state of mind beyond "victim" and towards achiever. It wasn't easy.

How many of you struggle with something that causes you pain?

I used to experience back pain every day. One day, I started to say to myself "My back is strong and supports me." Now, this was not true at that time. At that time, my back hurt and caused me pain to the point of ingesting 4 - 8 ibuprofen a day. The pain didn't go away overnight. But, once I started to say this, I also decided to stop taking ibuprofen only when the pain was too much to deal with. Today, I maybe take 1 of those pills a week. I can't say I "never" experience any back pain, but, this is no longer a life-stopping problem. I'm no longer in unbearable pain and function much like most other adults my age. You see, I believed I could heal my back by changing my beliefs.

Now, it isn't always this easy, but it often truly is this simple: believe you can do it, and you can.

I wonder how many people said that blacks would never vote in America. I wonder how many people said that women will never be able to run a company because they give birth to children. I wonder how many people said "you can't do that" or "I'll believe it when I see it" to their children who were trying to launch a company?

If you're seeking hope in something, know that there is a force in the Universe that supports you. It is the universal strength of this conscious, spiritual energy that runs through all things. Some people call this force "God" others "Spirit" others "nature". If there is anything I know about God or Spirit I know this: that this energy is available for EVERYONE to tap into, grab hold of, and harness.

Once we grab hold of a belief and say "I stand for this," it becomes easier and easier to manifest that which we strive to attain. Believe it and you will see it. You see, it is opposite of skeptical wisdom, and running in the face of that as you believe you attract others who believe. Your passion will eventually be the force that taps into the spirit that attracts others to say, "YES" I believe.

People may doubt you. What you seek may even be impossible (with current technology). But, that doesn't mean you can't do anything about it. I think about Christopher Reeve, a modern superman. You know, Chris was trying to make a difference. He was trying to help people who were paralyzed. And, he inspired so very many people. He died before he could realize his dream. Others have been more fortunate. Thomas Edison tried 10,000 filaments before finding the one that could sustain light in a bulb. He lived to see his dream light up the world.

I love what Dana Reeve said to Christopher after his tragic accident that left him paralyzed: "You're still you. And I love you." While both Dana and Christopher Reeve are now passed, I wonder how much Christopher realized he did for people with spinal column injuries? Both of these two powerful people made a big difference.

Will you live to see your light shine in the world? Whatever that dream may be, I encourage you. I don't encourage you to be stupid, or to be foolish in your endeavor. I encourage you to be real. I encourage you to listen to your spirit, and trust in your own dreams. Stand up and be counted for your dream. It is yours. The only person who can change your dreams is you.

"Give me hope." You have hope. There is a way. You will find it. Do what you must do. Be true to you! Let your love be shone to others. Please, for everyone who matters to you - and even those who you may not yet realize it - do what you must do.

What will you do with the opportunity?
_______________________________________________________

Copyright © 2008 AspireNow. All rights reserved. Want more? Subscribe to the A-Blog.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

The Importance Of Focus

Topic: The Importance Of Focus

Description: Scott Andrews, host of the AspireNow radio show and founder of AspireNow.com, will be discussing the Importance of Focus. Want to succeed wildly? Focus on one thing and do it very well! Scott will dig into the pratfalls of multitasking and multi-venturing and offer practical solutions for people like you, who seek to be more successful more quickly, by mastering your own importance of focus.

When:
Wednesday, January 23, 6PM PST (1/2 hour Internet Talk Radio Show)

How to Participate:
1. Visit http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/37792 - this enables you to text questions and see questions/live chat during the show, and hear Scott on the show.
2. Dial (724) 444-7444
3. Enter 37792 # (Talkcast Show ID)
4. Enter: 1 # or your Talkshoe PIN(Steps 2 - 4 enable you to call in LIVE and ask your questions or listen.)Note: You can also download Talkshoe's Classic player to use the "Classic" version of the show format for text comments and show hosting, although this step is no longer necessary to join.

NOTE: If you MISS the show, visit http://www.aspirenow.com/ and listen via the Talkshow player, or visit: http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/37792 and look for the January 23, 2008 6PM show!

Simple as that! See you there!!_________________________________________________
Copyright © 2008 AspireNow. All rights reserved. Focus better: Subscribe to the A-Blog.

Focus On One Thing

A good friend of mine often engages in philosophical conversations with me. Last, night, we were sharing our success stories, as well as commenting on why some things took longer to succeed than we initially expected. Out of that conversation was the spark for this article idea:

It's the basis of why successful people win more often than others:
We often succeed when we are focused on one thing, and do it very well.

An example of this, in action, was Charlie Parker, who in the 1930's and 1940's became known as the greatest saxophone player in the world. As a sax player who plays in the 21st century, I can attest that Parker's styles and influence upon music remains strong, even today. Why did Charlie Parker become great? Well, for one thing, when he was developing his "sound", he practiced 14 hours a day. Not only did he practice a lot, and often, but he also had a way of practicing that created a unique style and sound nobody else played. At first, people didn't like his sound, and he was kicked out of clubs. Later, they loved him and everyone tried to copy him. Towards the end of his career, he became known more as a heroine addict and, sadly, died at the age of 36 with a liver pickled worse than a 60 year-old man. Drugs can do that. But, Charlie is a great example of a guy who focused on one thing and did it very well.

Oprah is someone who has focused on one thing, too. Oprah first became a movie star, then launched her show. Her show gave her more success and consistency than the movie career, so she focused on that. Now, she is established, and expanding her empire. Now, you'll notice that once a person has mastered one area, they have an easy time growing their wealth and winning more often. Once they've established themselves, it is easier to attract talent to their team, it is easier to launch new products, companies, and services (they have cash), and it is easier to get publicity (people already recognize their name).

The challenge of doing one thing and doing it well is you may become "pigeon-holed" as only good at that. I think this happened to John Grey, who wrote the popular "Women Are From Venus, Men Are From Mars" series of books. John later tried to break into the "purpose" series of books and had much less success, as far as I could tell.

However, that doesn't mean it isn't a good idea. With AspireNow, one of the reasons it took longer for my business to make money is because I didn't do one thing. I chose to do many things at once. I'm still guilty of this, to some extent, but the thing I do now is focus better.

For example, I host two radio show on Wednesdays at the following network:
http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/37792
http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/37798

By hosting the show(s) religiously, I build a following and the shows are growing in traffic by 5x.

In addition, I've been posting about 3 - 4 posts to each of my blogs per week:
http://arriive.blogspot.com
http://aspirenow.blogspot.com

By remaining consistent, my blog traffic is growing consistently. I can tell you, though, that if my blogs were more focused, I'd probably lose subscribers less often, and my base would grow quicker. It's a choice I made to offer a variety. As a result, it takes each of my interests longer to grow. I've been streamlining these offerings to really just offer one at a time, and in the process this is starting to show the fruits of my labor.

So, if you're just starting out, I recommend to you that you pick one thing and master it. Once you've become known as the expert in your industry for that topic, then move on to whatever people are asking you for the most as your next interest.

If you are doing multiple ventures, make sure to slice your time in such a way that you can focus 100% on each venture so that you do each project well. At the very least, you must do this to succeed wildly.

See if this formula doesn't impact your own success.
_______________________________________________________

Copyright © 2008 AspireNow. All rights reserved. Want more? Subscribe to the A-Blog.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

From Beauty Queen To Swat Team with Lisa Lockwood on AspireNow Radio show Wednesday, January 16, 6PM PST

Don't miss learning her personal story: Lisa Lockwood, author of "Undercover Angel: From Beauty Queen to Swat Team...a true story" live on the AspireNow: Seriously Fun Self-Help show!

Scott Andrews, host of the AspireNow radio show and founder of AspireNow.com, will be interviewing Lisa and discussing her exciting life story and highlights from her new book describing her amazing transition from beauty queen to swat team (and now life coach).

When:

Wednesday, January 16, 6PM PST (1 hour Internet Talk Radio Show)

How to Participate:

1. Visit http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/37792 - this enables you to text questions and see questions/live chat during the show, and hear Lisa and Scott on the show.
2. Dial (724) 444-7444
3. Enter 37792 # (Talkcast Show ID)
4. Enter: 1 # or your Talkshoe PIN(Steps 2 - 4 enable you to call in LIVE and ask your questions or listen.)

Note: You can also download Talkshoe's Classic player to use the "Classic" version of the show format for text comments and show hosting, although this step is no longer necessary to join.

If you MISS the show, visit http://www.aspirenow.com/ and listen via the Talkshow player, or visit: http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/37792 and look for the January 16, 2008 6PM show!

Simple as that! See you there!!_______________________________________________________

Copyright © 2008 AspireNow. All rights reserved. Want more? Subscribe to the A-Blog.

Monday, January 14, 2008

Live In The Moment

In a chat with my brother yesterday, we were discussing the value of living in the moment.

It is so easy to get caught up worrying about tomorrow, the future, with concerns that face us in life: the mortgage, relationship success/failure, career challenges, health issues, our children's safety, and more. How many of these do you worry about? How about FINANCES? That's the biggie for most people.

The problem for many people is their desire for instant gratification when shopping. So, they buy things they don't really need. Then they get into credit card debt. That spirals to include other debts when things like the car transmission go out. Then unexpected events occur. Health problems crop up. The career goes sideways, and debt problems build.

Is this you?

I've been there. The key is to spot how we cope with stress, and find better ways to cope with it. This is what AA is all about. It isn't about helping you quit drinking alcohol. Of course you want to do that or you'd never go to a meeting. What AA really does is help you cope with YOU. Your thoughts, your reality, your stresses you carry around when you are SOBER. Let's face it, booze is probably the #1 drug of choice to "deaden" our senses so that we can deal with the voices in our head. I have a good friend who told me that's why he drinks. I told him he needs to quit drinking so he can listen to the voices and decide if they're full of bull or not. If the voices are wrong, find new friends! Ha!

Other people get into financial trouble because their method of coping with reality is to go shopping whenever they face stress. Then they buy things they don't need. My solution to that problem is to find a different method of coping, something more natural, like going for a bicycle ride or a walk in a nature environment. I've been doing that and it works quite well for me. One other way to cope with spending too much when out shopping is to ask the following four questions: (1) Do I need it? (2) Do I LOVE it? (3) Can I afford it right now? and (4) Do I really want to own it? (Are the caring costs higher than I want to spend?) When I ask myself these questions, I can almost always walk away from anything in front of me. These questions also take me to the resolution of the challenge: it's about being present with right now.

Well, the challenge as I see it is to BE HERE NOW. That's partly what AspireNow is all about. It is about living your aspirations in the now. If you don't realize what I mean, consider how you set your daily "to-do" list. Do you write it all out on a long paper? Is it on your computer? Do you have more than 3 - 5 items on the list each day? Do they carry over, week to week to week? If that is the case, you are not serious about your to-do list. Not only that, you're not focused on what you need to do now.

One of my mentors is the former Notre Dame coach, Lou Holtz. I remember an inspiring film I saw about Lou while I worked at DecisionOne. He was telling his players on his football team that what matters most is to WIN. And to WIN, you must do What's Important Now. What a brilliant saying! I've been using it ever since (thanks, Lou!) You see, Lou understood that you don't win football games in the Fall and Winter if you don't workout and condition your body for success in the Spring and Summer. When a player is working out during the Spring they are implementing WIN - what's important now - in their attitude towards success in their endeavor.

The last point I want to make about Being Here Now is to point out that worry is often just that: most of what people worry about never comes to pass. That's right, most of your worries are for NOTHING. Considering that, why worry at all? A question I like to ask myself is, "Will it matter a year from now?" whenever I am upset or worried about anything. About 98% of the time, the answer is no. I then can choose to focus on the 2% and deal with that. It's a lot easy dealing with two things than 98 things, don't you agree?

A simple life is an easier life. Don't over-complicate your life with unnecessary worry. Keep it simple. Keep it focused on What Is Important Now. The rest can take care of itself.
_______________________________________________________

Copyright © 2008 AspireNow. All rights reserved. Want more? Subscribe to the A-Blog.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Why 20% Live On Purpose

Every person on this planet can dream about life, write down those dreams, and take action towards what they've written down. I know this. It is a simple fact.

Yet, only 20% of people are living their dreams and live on purpose.

WHY?

I've got a good idea: they don't believe they can do it.

It really is that simple.

Most people do not live their dreams because they lack the confidence. They allow doubt, negative self-talk, critical people, and set-backs to stop them dead in their tracks.

The thing that gets me the most: many of these people do not ever even TRY to live their dream. That's right: they never even TRY.

If you've been one of these people, I'd like to ask you a question:

What do you feel limits you from living the life you dreamed of living?

Is it your gender? Your education? Your financial situation? A handicap?

I was watching a show the other day about how a woman applied for the SWAT team. No women were on the SWAT team, yet she believed she could do it. And, yes, she did it. Her name is Lisa Lockwood and she'll be on my AspireNow Show next Wednesday, January 16, to talk about how she went from Beauty Queen to SWAT Team!

I saw another show about a woman who was running a marathon. The show only depicted her from the waist up for the first three minutes. Then they panned to her legs as she got out of her vehicle. She was missing a leg and running on a prosthetic leg!

Whatever limits you, I can assure you is 98% of the time only limited by your own perseverance and state of mind.

Most of the limitations can be changed.

This is what I love most about life: despite all the bad things that happen, in spite of the challenges, we CAN live our dreams.

It is just very important that we understand the power of our thinking. I've written several other articles on this subject, which I will share with you.

Also, if you want to dig deeper into your purpose, I've written the best e-book and recorded an audio program that I prayed would help anyone who listens to it discover and live their life purpose.

Here are the links to help you further:

Life Purpose Audio & E-Book Power Pack

The most powerful Law in the Universe

Over thirty more articles on living your Life Purpose

Become one of the 20% of people who live on purpose, and live the dreams you've always wanted to live. You can do it!
_______________________________________________________

Copyright © 2008 AspireNow. All rights reserved. Want more? Subscribe to the A-Blog.

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Elissa Heyman, Psychic, on air Jan. 9th on AspireNow: Seriously Fun Self-Help Radio Show

Don't miss Elissa Heyman, Psychic Predictions for 2008, Wednesday night at 6PM PST (9PM EST)!

ASK QUESTIONS ON AIR!

Call in to ask Elissa questions - live online tomorrow night at the AspireNow: Seriously Fun Self-Help Radio show, from 6PM PST - 7PM PST.

Discover answers to important questions about things to decide going into 2008 - learn what's in store for the NEW YEAR! What's going on with MONEY, RELATIONSHIPS, CAREERS, WORLD POLITICS and OTHER ISSUES! One of Elissa's predictions from our last show (December 19, 2007) already came true! She's good, she's toured with Bob Dylan and comes to us live from New Mexico, via Talkshoe show ID 37792 and AspireNow.com.

How to Participate:
1. Visit http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/37792 - this enables you to text questions and see questions/live chat during the show, and hear Elissa and Scott on the show.
2. Dial (724) 444-7444
3. Enter 37792 # (Talkcast Show ID)
4. Enter: 1 # or your Talkshoe PIN
Steps 2 - 4 enable you to call in LIVE and ask your questions or listen.

Note: You can also download Talkshoe's Classic player to use the "Classic" version of the show format for text comments and show hosting, although this step is no longer necessary to join.

If you MISS the show, visit http://www.aspirenow.com/ and listen via the Talkshow player, or visit: http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/37792 and look for the January 9, 2008 6PM show! Simple as that! See you there!!

You may visit http://www.elissaheyman.com/ to learn more about Elissa. You may also call her at 505-982-3294 to schedule a one-to-one reading telephone conference.
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Copyright © 2008 by Scott Andrews, Founder of AspireNow. All rights reserved.

Want more? Subscribe to the A-Blog.

Monday, January 7, 2008

Do You Long For It?

Aspiration is often about reaching for something on the next level. I've been writing about finding your purpose and going after that purpose with all you've got for about 8 years now.



If there is one thing I've learned in all that time, it is this:


The people who succeed the most in life are those who believe in what they are doing so much that nothing anyone can say can stop them from doing it. They are the people who will persevere in spite of all odds. When I think of my heroes and people who persevered in the face of danger, ridicule, failure, and loss to overcome many or all odds to succeed: almost all of these people WANTED IT SO BAD THEY LONGED FOR IT.



I just finished watching a movie called, "The World's Fastest Indian." I love this movie. Why? Well, I won't spoil it for you, but the star of the movie is the old geezer from New Zealand who, in the 1960's wanted to chase the land speed record on his motorcycle. The thing that made this guy great is his ingenuity. He understood the way mechanical things work. My Dad is a guy like that. Do you know your strengths? Are you able to pursue your dreams that relate to those strengths? If you do, and are not doing anything about it, what are you waiting for?



If you need permission, consider this article as an opportunity to get it. Just make sure you have taken the time to discover your purpose.

So, I'll ask you:


"Do you want it so bad you long for it?"



Chances are, if you do, it is probably something you truly need to do.
Think of people who faced danger, ridicule, failure, loss, and incredible odds to live their dream:



Amelia Earhardt - First woman to fly a solo flight across the Atlantic.



John Lennon - Became the biggest Rock 'n Roll star and later anti-war activist of all time.



Winston Churchhill - Stood up to the Nazis and persevered through the very ugly WWII.


Thomas Edison - Inventor of the light bulb. Also invented my favorite: the phonograph.



Margaret Sanger - Helped advocate "the pill" to help women control when they have babies.



Steve Jobs - Created Apple Computer, got booted for screw-ups, then came back and rode new highs with NeXT, Pixar, and Apple again with iPOD music players, and iPhones.



Richard Branson - Founded The Virgin Group, a collective of companies he dreamed up which faced impossible odds or people who said "you can't do that" and did it anyway.



Oprah Winfrey - Created the Oprah Show, O Magazine, and inspired multiple generations of people to do more, be more, and live their dreams.



Who are your heroes?



Do you want to break a world record? Create a new invention? Design new software? Create a new company? Offer a new service? Building something new? Have the most love for your family? Discover a vaccine? Protest a war? Start a revolution? Make a difference?



What do you want to accomplish? How great can you envision it to be?


Do you want it so bad you long for it?

I encourage you to find something you LONG for. Something you'd practically die for. Something you'd give all you have to make it successful. And go do it. Give it all you've got. And make the process fun, exciting, and passionate. After all, your own LIFE PURPOSE is the best movie you can ever see.


Enjoy it!
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Copyright © 2008 by Scott Andrews, Founder of AspireNow. All rights reserved. Want more? Subscribe to the A-Blog. Scott also helps people start new companies, launch dreams, and create new products and services through ARRiiVE Business Solutions.

Saturday, January 5, 2008

How To Lose Weight

Losing 20 pounds in 30 days is actually my number one goal at present. I need to lose this weight because I'm going to be on television in February. In October, I visited a friend who toured me through KGO (Channel 3 TV) in San Francisco. While touring, I stood where they discuss the weather and traffic report, and then looked on the screen and thought "uh oh! I've gotten fat!" While some people still think I look great, when you're on television you look 10-20 pounds heavier.

So, I've determined to lose 20 pounds in one month.

How will I lose the weight?

Here's my plan on how I will lose 20 pounds in 30 days or less:

1. Mental Focus:

My goal is to be at my optimum health, which includes being slimmer and trimmer. To achieve this goal I must commit to eating more healthy foods and beverages in my diet, working out regularly, getting regular sleep, and eat at regular times.

2. Physical Activity:

a. I commit to working out 4x a week, with a cardiovascular workout in the afternoon, for at least 45 minutes.

b. I commit to 15 minutes of stretching, sit-ups, and general toning work before starting my workday 5 times a week.

3. Diet:

a. I commit to eating more fruits and vegetables, especially vegetables. I commit to eating more protein and less carbohydrates. I commit to remove the junk food from my diet for the next 30 days. This includes red vines, fried foods, and foods high in sugar or carbohydrate (bread, wine, etc.).

b. I commit to reduce the amount I drink in alcoholic beverages to no more than five drinks a week; however, during the next 30 days, I commit to drink no alcohol at all.

c. I commit to drinking more vegetables as beverages, whether in a V8 or other drink I create from raw vegetables and fruit.

d. I commit to eating regular meals at prescribed times in order to balance my sugar levels.

4. Sleep:

a. I commit to a regular sleep schedule, to help balance my diet and eating schedule. I'm trying this as something new, but believe it can help keep the stress of changing my diet and exercise habits. I will go to bed earlier, and rise earlier, in order to complete my workout routine.

So, that's my list. I haven't read any fancy dieting books to figure out this list. It's just my way of losing this weight. Everyone is different, so as with any diet program, you might consider consulting a doctor before starting. I've already talked with my doctor when I was sick recently and asked him about my plan to lose weight and exercise more, and he approved my plan and said it sounded like I knew what I was doing! Funny, huh? I'm not a dietitian, but I know several and they are always trying to get me to eat fewer carbohydrates, less sugar, and more healthy overall diets. They also want me to push my body more than I do. The challenge for me is creating time in my schedule. With all of the writing, consulting, training, and program development I've been doing for both AspireNow (http://www.aspirenow.com/) and ARRiiVE (http://www.arriive.com/), it is not always easy to make the time.

However, this television interview is really important. It is the number 2 goal behind losing weight and becoming my optimum weight for my New Year (more public speaking in 2008). I achieved this goal last year with speaking in person, and when I put on my suits I noticed I'm filling them out more.

The benefits to achieving my optimum weight and losing weight include:

1. I'll be able to fit into many of my clothes easier. This will save me money as I won't have to replace as many garments.

2. I'll feel better about myself. Any time we look slimmer and feel we are at our "optimum" it is also easier to have optimum state of mind. This will make me more productive and more powerful when I am on stage performing, speaking, and training people.

3. My diet will be healthier, which ought to extend my current energy as well as possibly lengthen my life by treating my body better.

4. I'll have more energy because I'll be working out more often. Any time we have muscles, we also burn more fat when stationary. It will be easier to keep the weight off because of my workout schedule and new muscles I'll redevelop.

5. I'll get more sleep and have a more disciplined lifestyle. Even though I'm a jazz musician and this is a little challenging for me, I'm going to get my schedule more disciplined, because I know
I can accomplish more if I am more organized.

So, that's my focus on losing 20 pounds in 30 days. Obviously, your situation might be different.

You might be smaller and eat healthier than I do. Or, you might be eat worse and never work out at all. If that's you, ease into it the first week or two. I always recommend starting with a smaller goal and then working up. So, rather than focus on losing 5 pounds each week, just focus on your program, then look at your scale after two weeks. If you're off your pace, adjust and refocus on your goal. It may take at least 21 days, and probably at least 40 days to create your new habits. That's the way I'm approaching this goal.

If you like the way I suggest you improve your life through achieving your optimum weight, you might enjoy my other blog posts at http://aspirenow.blogspot.com/ (for self-help) and http://arriive.blogspot.com/ (for business).

Here are some resources from Amazon to help you reach and maintain your optimum weight:

Meditation for Optimum Health: How to Use Mindfulness and Breathing to Heal Your Body and Refresh Your Mind
Amazon Price: $11.75 List Price: $24.95

Andrew Weil, M.D. - 8 Weeks to Optimum Health & Spontaneous Healing
Amazon Price: $8.35 List Price: $14.95

Andrew Weil, M.D. - Eating Well for Optimum Health
Amazon Price: $8.72 List Price: $19.98

Low Carbon Diet: A 30 Day Program to Lose 5000 Pounds--Be Part of the Global Warming Solution!
Amazon Price: $7.43 List Price: $12.95

8 Minutes in the Morning for Real Shapes, Real Sizes: Specifically Designed for People Who Want to Lose 30 Pounds or More
Amazon Price: $3.98 List Price: $24.95

Kevin Trudeau Natural Cures - LOSE 30lbs in 30 Days CD ~ As Seen On TV ~
Amazon Price: $19.95 List Price: $19.95
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Copyright © 2008 AspireNow. All rights reserved. Want more? Subscribe to the A-Blog.

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

What's In The Stars for 2008?

Learn what's in the stars for your astrological projection with Benjamin Bernstein, from It's All Good Astrology and AspireNow AstroGuide.


Call in to ask Benjamin questions!


The show is live online tonight from 6PM PST - 7PM PST. Discover key moments when you can maximize a Golden Yod (finger of God) and chart a path for your success in 2008!


How To Call In:

1. Dial (724) 444-7444

2. Enter 37792 # (Talkcast Show ID)

3. Enter: 1 # or your Talkshoe PIN http://www.talkshoe.com/



Also, if you want to be able to particpate in the text messaging during the show, download the Talkshoe player at http://www.talkshoe.com/, then login through the show at id 37792 through Talkshoe at 6PM PST.

1. Become a TalkShoe member
2. Download and install TalkShoe Live client
3. Click here to join the Talkcast


Look forward to seeing you then!

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Copyright © 2008 AspireNow. All rights reserved. Want more? Subscribe to the A-Blog.

Setting Goals For 2008

Are you wondering what New Year's Resolutions people are setting this year?

In a release this week over the Businesswire, FranklinCovey (NYSE:FC), a global leader in effectiveness training, productivity tools, and assessment services, today released the results of its third annual New Year's Resolutions Survey, which polled 15,031 customers. The survey found that respondents' top three New Year's resolutions or goals for 2008 are to (1) get out of debt or save money, (2) lose weight, and (3) develop a healthy habit like exercise or healthy eating.

The Top 10 New Year's resolutions or goals were ranked as follows:

TOP 10 NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS FOR 2008
1. Get out of debt or save money
2. Lose weight
3. Develop a healthy habit (e.g., exercise or healthy eating)
4. Get organized
5. Develop a new skill or talent
6. Spend more time with family and friends
7. Other
8. Work less, play more
9. Break an unhealthy habit (e.g., smoking, alcohol, overeating)
10. Change employment

The survey also found that 35 percent of respondents break their New Year's resolutions by the end of January and only 23 percent of those surveyed don't ever break them. Nearly 40 percent of those surveyed attribute breaking their resolutions to having too many other things to do, while 33 percent say they are not committed to the resolutions they set.

Interesting survey, don't you think? If only 2/3 of people are truly interested in their resolutions, and of those only 23 % follow-through, then people are obviously closely following the Pareto principle, where 20% of people do and 80% of people either watch them or just try to do, without action succeeding. Notice that commitment is a mental promise to our own self. Making or breaking, on the other hand, is an ACTION word. So, to me, the first key to success with your resolution or goal is to have the proper mindset. Then, take the right action to achieve the goal. If you have the right mindset, finding the choices and making the right actions are far easier.

When it comes to recommendations, I expect myself to achieve over 80% of my goals. However, if you set too many goals, you'll struggle to achieve them all. So, set a simple goal, get the right mindset, and then keep the goal in mind until you achieve your vision.

I suggest you keep one primary goal in mind. In order to succeed, you must set the right mental thinking around your goal. You must first associate pain with NOT achieving your goal.

The first goal from the survey is to get out of debt and save money. With the skyrocketing credit problem in America and other countries, clearly debt is a huge problem for many, many people. So, say your primary goal is to get out of debt.

First, make a list of all the negatives, in terms of events, charges, cost, stress-level, fun-factor, and influence on all areas of your life that this debt is having on you. I know - debt can be a bummer! Now, before you get too frustrated and give up, make a NEW LIST.

The second list will include of all the BENEFITS - both in fact and emotion - that you will receive from saving money and getting yourself in the black. These may include ability to go out, buy what you want, do what you want, launch that company you've dreamed of, and also impact your weight, friendships, dating/relationship, and more. After all, dating with no dough isn't easy! It's also hard to have as much fun without money. So, getting out of debt might FREE you to do so much MORE with your life!

You want to make sure you use EMOTIONAL words when you associate the benefit. Here's an example of how I would set a goal to get out of debt and get financially free to save and get my money working for me:

Eliminate Debt: I will eliminate struggle with finances, earn more than I make, and pay off all of my debt. I will resolve, negotiate, and clear my name of all debts and get my credit clean. The feeling I get from my debt is burden, negative, and restraining me from doing all I need to with my friends, love, family, and business. It also impacts my ability to grow and do what I want. This makes me feel more stressed-out and causes mental worry that distracts me from my purpose.

SHIFT TO NEW THOUGHT:

My finances are healthy and in order. I pay my bills ahead of time. I earn more money than I spend each month. I am able to save through my 401K, IRA, savings accounts, and put money away for my future needs. I am able to do what I want, when I want, because I have the financial wealth that supports me. I attract riches and earnings in abundant ways that are both pleasantly surprising and timely. People are drawn to give money to me and contribute towards my goals and objectives. I feel so alive with my financial health! My financial future excites me, and I can see and feel the difference in how I can contribute to make a difference in the world with my financial resources that I accumulate. I experience joy through abundance. Waves of money come to me and give me freedom and flexibility to save, spend, or use my money wisely. I love the way I feel when I save money and have all the money in the bank I need to support my dreams, life, and goals.

Do not put your focus on the first list. Many people make this mistake and therefore miss out on their potential to manifest the law of attraction.

After you write both of these, I strongly suggest you BURN the first list, and keep ONLY the SECOND LIST. This is how you shift your thinking, eliminate the old, and move to focus only upon what you want.

Now, to achieve and put the focus of this second thought statement's benefits into reality, read this list EVERY DAY for 40 days. Tape it to your mirror where you get ready in the morning. Read it after you shave or put on facial lotion. Read it out loud, while looking yourself in the eye (goals tend to manifest better when we connect with our own soul physically).

After 40 days, see how much progress you're making. Evaluate, refocus, and continue to grow in realizing your goal!

Here are some related books from Amazon to help you set your goals:

The 10 Keys to Personal Power 64mins VHS Brian Tracy
Amazon Price: $28.00 List Price: $70.00

View from the Top
Amazon Price: $4.70 List Price: $14.99

Deepak Chopra: The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire
Amazon Price: $39.99 List Price: $43.98
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Contact Franklin-Covey for more information about their survey at: 801-244-4474 debra.lund@franklincovey.com. Survey Source: Business wire. Copyright 2008, no infringement intended. The remainder of this article is written by Scott Andrews, Founder of AspireNow. Copyright 2008. All rights reserved. To get more articles like this, Subscribe to the A-Blog.

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