Living Life My Way

The first part of living our life purpose is to know what we want to do with our own lives.

After we've figured that out, we sometimes are left asking the question, "Now what?"

Can you relate?

Well, I think this problem has to do with living life on our terms; or, living life my way. That's the song Frank Sinatra used to sing, My Way. For example, you may have already decided the next step for your life. You know what actions you will take. You know what you need to do to be successful. And at least you have a grip on the daily things you feel will best take you there.

Then, the voice of a friend, a parent, an authority figure, or even a random stranger enters the picture and says the dreaded: "You should do this...(fill in the blank)"

Do you let this comment confuse you? It is hard when people who we've trusted to raise us, protect us, have fun with us, or even help us make money in the past offer advice counter to that which we believe best for our own life.

If we're going to be successful in living our own purpose, then we need to listen to OUR voice. We need to listen to the voice of SPIRIT (God) in our life. We need to listen to nature. But listening to these other people is actually to live according to THEIR AGENDA for us. Perhaps you owe someone money. Or, someone else struggles to imagine the risks you take. Or, they just don't understand what you're trying to do.

In any event, I encourage you to put your full resources into your life purpose. Do not go about this bashfully. Do the things you must do to earn money to provide for your family. And, if that is this new purpose, you've got to figure out how to bring in money as quickly as possible, or risk putting the ones you love in jeopardy. I don't recommend doing that. It is best to moonlight until you have enough money saved up to launch, or until the second business is proving it can sustain more than the first. Otherwise, you may have to downsize expenses to make sure you can make ends meet. Whatever the case, do whatever you have to do to take care of business.

In the case of many people, they choose a path and then struggle to figure out ways to earn money. Look at the people who are most successful in this business you are entering. Examine how they succeed. Copy those things that help them succeed. Then be different in the ways you must to provide your own unique services.

Focus on living life YOUR WAY. In career, hobby, relationships, and family, the actions we take in how we manage our daily affairs determine much of our success. So set up your schedule and take action in such a way to create immense success in your endeavor(s). Don't be your own worst enemy; instead, be your own best ally. Then, ally others to your cause!

Living life my way is an extraordinary feeling. It is much more satisfying than living life for others, or according to the agenda of others. So, do it YOUR WAY. And enjoy the journey!
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Manifest Your Dream In Eight Words

Do you remember the television show called "Name that tune?" I used to love watching it and trying to guess the song in even fewer notes than the contestants could guess!

Well, this article is kind of like that show, but I'm calling it "Manifest Your Dream In Eight Words." This is the shortest article I'll ever write on MANIFESTING your DREAMS. In fact, I can say all that really needs to be said about manifesting in just eight words!

How to Manifest Any Dream In EIGHT words:

Focus and Act Only Upon What You Want

There. That's it. It's all you need to know. Just go do that, do only that, and do it to the best of your ability. You will manifest many more dreams following the advice of these eight words than any other words I could give you.

It is almost like Nike's saying: "Just do it" except this is more specific - exactly what you want the most, there is where you must focus. Only upon what you want is how and where you must act. Now, go focus and act accordingly!!

Happy manifesting!
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Adventures and Your Dreams

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do... sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sales. Explore. Dream. Discover." ~ Mark Twain

Life an adventure. Or, at least, your life CAN be an adventure.

What dreams are you living? What dreams have you allowed to die?

If you're not living your life fully -- with all gusto -- my question to you, today, is WHY NOT? What are you waiting for?

My father used to travel quite a bit. But last year, he started using oxygen at night. Now, it is harder for him to travel. He skipped Mom's trip to Greece last year. He'll probably skip doing anything exotic, like going to the Galapagos Islands. And, most certainly, he's not going hiking in Antarctica now!

See, if you wait to live your dreams, they'll just slip away. Not only will you not be living them, but then you'll hear of someone else who did and you'll realize "Oh, I'd always thought I'd do that!"

My life is an adventure!

I'm currently going for it full-on with music. I play with a couple of different bands, and pretty much ANY and EVERY time I'm invited to play, whether for pay or not, I go! Why? Because I love playing music, first of all, but second because playing music in front of thousands of people is a dream I will not let die. It is a dream I will explore. Each time I play, with different musicians or my regular band(s) with whom I play, I discover new sounds, new grooves, and enjoy the moment.

Last year, for the first time since I was a child, I created a painting. My friend painted over it, much to my chagrin; however, it was the experience of going for it. This year, I aim to start painting more seriously. This last year, I also embarked on a dream to start Salsa dancing. It is so much fun. I'm still not Intermediate level, but definitely no longer a beginner!

Are you expressing yourself artfully?

In business, I've launched a couple of companies, including AspireNow. They're growing. It's exciting to be part of a business launch. Right now, I'm helping a company called Elements launch their sales. I love it! Are you living your business dreams? If not, what can you envision that would be the best fit for your skills? Go do that! Make sure to negotiate the money you need to not only survive but thrive and you'll be even happier. It helps to have money in the bank, you know. Not only that, but money in the bank can help pay for the next adventure.

What are you doing with your career to live your dream?

If your job is just a job, consider taking a new approach. How can a job be a dream-come-true? Is this in the cards for you? Perhaps you need to stack your own deck so the dream of living your dream job is TRUE for YOU!

Where will you go next?

I have many adventures and places I still wish to travel: Brazil, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Colombia, France, England, Austria, Italy (especially Italy), and more. The list seems to grow! This year, I'm going to go to one of these, at least. I'm thinking Cuba may be the place...

Where will you go this year? Write me a note and share your own journey!

Want an easier way to manifest your dreams? Use Dream Board (Vision Board) software by Orange Peel:


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Is Your Reality Matching Your Dream?

Are you achieving your dreams? No?

It isn't always an "automatic" that we're going to achieve all of our dreams. Maybe a job or career decision didn't work out the way we'd hoped. Perhaps a relationship went South instead of going past the Altar. Maybe our health set us back. Whatever the reason, at times we need to regroup and take stock of what is going on with the dream we had for our life and reality of what is actually occurring.

I recently did this with my own life, and decided a change was in order. I'd already changed my relationship, but as I took stock, I decided my career wasn't quite what I wanted it to be. So, I focused on how to help others where I knew the most, loved what they did the most, and felt I could help the most. That led me to a new opportunity as VP Sales for a technology firm. It is an opportunity for me to help them launch this company - something that matches my passion. It is an opportunity for me to regroup what I'm doing with AspireNow and ARRiiVE, and an opportunity to providing more funding while buying me more time with what I do.

In the meantime, once I made that change, I then could step back and review AspireNow and ARRiiVE.com in new light. Now, I've decided to make ARRiiVE purely about innovation in business launch. That's it. The selling programs I've offered there will be spun into a separate website, called "Concepts of Selling", the team-building process I've been working on will be spun into "SemanticCollaboration.com" with the software I'm building spun into another name.

You see, sometimes, when we adjust one area of our life, it frees us to adjust other areas, too. I chose one adjustment to lead me to another, then another, and then another. Each one of these adjustments is a way for me to focus the energy of each business or activity into what it really needs to become.

What can you re-tool in your own life? Is it time to dump one activity and replace it with something that better matches your dreams?

I'm not just talking about work, either. In my own adjustments, I also found more time to refocus my energy on my band, and that is thriving again over at http://www.myspace.com/body with many new gigs, a video, completing a CD, and more.

Take stock of your dreams. Then look at the THREE most important things you need to manifest to make your dreams reality. Then go DO THOSE THREE THINGS. When you do this, your life will improve, your happiness will increase, and you will feel much more fulfilled in living your path to match your dream with your reality.

Tools to help you achieve dreams:

Orange Peel Dream Board Software:



AspireNow's Life Purpose E-Workbook:

AspireNow's Life Purpose Workbook Life Planner

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!
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You Are Called To Be Your Highest Purpose

What business are you in? People sometimes ask me this question. Of course, depending upon the moment, I suppose I could answer "Author, Businessman, Entrepreneur, Speaker, Salesperson, Musician, Song-writer, Blogger, or a host of other things" but I really think I'm in the business of LOVE.

That's because everything I do, I do to help bring more LOVE into the world. Whether it be through more success, ways to be proactive, ideas on launching products, playing the sax, hosting my radio show, and so on... all of these things bring more LOVE into the world in one way or another.

Do you know why you are here, reading this, right now?

The reason is because you are CALLED! You are CHOSEN to a higher purpose.

There is a very important reason why you are alive at this point in time. Do you know what it is? The answer is within you. What are people saying about you? Is there a voice inside you, urging you to DO SOMETHING BIG?

My guess is you feel and hear that voice, right now.

Are you trying to stifle that voice? Or let it out?

Because, whatever you're feeling called to do, it is time RIGHT NOW to do it! It is time to LIVE YOUR PURPOSE and DO what you are CALLED TO DO. Do not delay.



If there is a "counter-voice" to that little voice of your soul crying out for you to live your most powerful life, that voice must not be given power over you. Whether you've been telling yourself "I'm not educated enough" you ARE educated. Whether you've been saying "I don't have the talent" well, people with perhaps more talent won't do as much as you. Whether you're saying "I'm too old" well, NOAH and JOB in the Bible realized more success in their elder years than all the years before that. In our more modern era, President Lincoln had his greatest success the last five years of his life. President Kennedy's father made more money during his latter years than all the years he was in Hollywood or a bootlegger.

You might be surprised, but the answer is within you as to why you are called and ONLY YOU can answer that call.

Today is the time. NOW IS THE DAY. Start now. Do not delay.

I'll share a quote from the wonderful Marianne Williamson:

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." ~ Marianne Williamson, from Return to Love (hardcover p. 165, paperback pp. 190-191): http://www.marianne.com/index.php

Let your light shine. Do not shrink from the greatness within your own being. You are a beautiful being and nobody can take that from you. It is your calling. Live it today. Begin now.

Are you ready to take a QUANTUM LEAP FORWARD?



I encourage you to take more steps. If you'd like coaching from me or one of my wonderful AspireNow Advocates and other coaches, contact me and I'll help you get the right coach to ask the questions and guide you on your path to success.

Be your best self! Be the miracle you wish to see happen in the world!

Editor's Note: Since writing this article I've received 10 emails thanking me for the timeliness of this information. If you find this a benefit, feel free to donate to AspireNow (see above) but one way you can also donate is to SHARE YOUR STORY with us! I love success stories, or stories of how people are moved by articles. Thanks and all the peace, joy, love, hope, and success to you!
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Success Does Not Come in a Box at AspireNow: Seriously Fun Self-Help Radio Show

Check it out: Dr. Michelle L. Casto, Author and Life Coach talks with Scott on the AspireNow: Seriously Fun Self-Help Show this week.

Topic: "Success Does Not Come In A Box: Go from Job Stress to Career Bliss"

When: Tuesday, August 12, 2008, at 5:00 PM PST / 8:00 PM EST

Where: Call (724)444-7444 Enter 37792 # 1 # or visit http://www.AspireNow.com or http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/37792 to visit online and/or text-chat questions for Michelle.

Details: Tired of the "Get-rich-quick" offers flooding your email? Does an e-mail degree really mean you're ready for a new career? Get a better plan with Michelle Casto, who offers an enlightened approach to career transition in this week's AspireNow: Seriously Fun Self-Help Show. Why perform work that makes you sick and feels like you are selling your soul for money?

In this thought-provoking show where Scott Andrews, Founder of AspireNow.com, interviews Dr. Michelle L. Casto, the Soul coach, you will learn how to:

Break the cycle of chaos and confusion.... make this your "Turning Point Moment" towards the success and happiness you desire and deserve.

Discover how MEANING AND MONEY can go together...find out how to do it and why this combo makes your heart sing with joy.

Start living your dreams... realize the passion and balance of living your best, true self.

Find out the simple, fast, and easy way to make a SPIRITUALLY SMART career change.

Learn many more tips towards a successful career transition...determine a method to select a career coach who understands you.

And, as always on the AspireNow Show... be inspired to reach your higher aspirations!

What's great about Michelle is that she's led over 200 courses on career change the past 10 years. She's literally a MASTER at the process. Why fumble along on your own when a wise coach, with empathy and understanding, can help guide you on your path.



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The Key To Success

I've discovered the KEY to success in life endeavors. Yes, upon evaluation, you will discover that this secret is, indeed, the root underneath pretty much all success in your life fulfillment.

Are you seeking success at work?
Are you striving for a happy relationship?
Are you seeking a healthy body?
Do you want more friends?
Do you want more money?

Guess what I discovered is the KEY to SUCCESS for EACH of these things we want in life?

PERSPECTIVE.

That’s right. It is our perspective that determines the outcome of success in any endeavor we pursue.

The statistics on the impact of perspective on our success can range from 42% to as much as 300% difference. In some businesses, 4% separates the best from the worst. In sports, it can be ONE GAME that separates the team that doesn't make the playoffs to the team that wins the title. And that ONE GAME can be turned by ONE PLAY.

Imagine a basketball team that lost half their games last year. They fire the coach. The next year, they bring in a new coach who implements a new perspective. The team adopts a perspective that they can win every game. They built a belief system that by following a basic basketball system, by practicing good basics and implementing discipline towards success, and by adopting an attitude that no matter what, they’ll be competitive in every game and can win ALL of their games. The next year, the coach’s team goes on to win 80% of their games and take the title.

What’s the difference?

Is it that one coach knew more about basketball than the other? Probably not. Usually, one coach just knows how to shift and implement perspective better than the other coach. When the team has a perspective that they can and will win their games, they usually work harder, practice longer, and initiate proactive disciplines (taking shots after a game where they missed the game-winner, for example) that produce more success than their opponents. It really is that simple.

Let’s take another look at two perspectives someone could have with a job at a company that is struggling to succeed. The environment is stressful and people have been quitting. The first perspective looks like this:

“This company is struggling, but still offers great services to our customers. Sure, several of my friends have moved on and left the company, but I’ll make new friends and they’ll probably bring in new people in the months ahead who can be my new friends, too. Although the company is struggling, I think this is an opportunity. The people who demonstrate a positive attitude and success now will be rewarded by management after we pass through this transition. I’ll focus on the positive and experience success in my job and this will bring good things to me in this career.”

Or the second perspective, which looks like this:

“This company sucks! Jon, Margaret, and Ed have all left. My friends are all gone. Putting effort into this company is going to be a waste of time when I could thrive in a different company by going someplace better.”

I, myself, was once in this situation. When I took the latter attitude, my job really did suck. One day, I decided that my problem wasn't the company, but more rather my perspective on the situation with the company. Yes, the company WAS in bankruptcy. Yes, 75% of the sales team had left for competitors and other opportunities. But, rather than change jobs, I adopted the first perspective and stepped it up at the company I was employed at. The difference? I turned it around from where I made $54K one year to making $128K the next. The difference in my success? My PERSPECTIVE.

Let’s say you’re in a relationship. Imagine two different perspectives. The first looks like this:

“This will never work. I have doubts about whether we can make it. He doesn't do this. He says this. He acts this way. I can’t feel like xxx with him.”

Or the second, which looks like this:

“This is going to work. Our love is so strong, it can see us through anything. Yes, we have differences, but I see the ways we’re in common as matching in so many ways, and our differences make us stronger as a team. Although he doesn't always do what I want, we communicate and we’re taking steps towards a happier relationship every day…”

Which perspective do you think is going to remain married and which do you think will end up in divorce or separation?

I see couples who use the first perspective, and guess what? They ALWAYS end up breaking up. The problem is the PERSPECTIVE the couple holds towards their relationship.

I also see couples, like my sister and her husband, who have the latter perspective. They just experienced their 25^th wedding anniversary this year. They have a perspective that they're good together, the love each other, and even when they disagree that they'll see it through. Their perspective is half the battle of success in their marriage!

If you’re in a relationship that is struggling, are one or both of you taking the point of view that it may not work out? If so, you've got a problem. On the other hand, do you see your relationship from a point of view of “Yes, we can do this, no matter what?!” If so, you’ll probably see it through until they plant you in the ground.

It is the same thing with losing weight or developing a healthier body. I noticed my own attitude towards my body was that I was just heavier and needed to work out and needed more exercise and needed to eat healthier, but I until I willing to make the change to make the shift from dream to reality nothing happened to make me look better.

When I shifted my perspective to realize the reality: “This food will impact how much I weigh if I eat it, and if I exercise a little every day, then I’ll reach my optimum weight and look better…” that is when I started to lose weight and get back in shape. Perspective matters with our body, too.

When I compare people who have many friends with people who have few friends, most of those with more friends reach out to people everywhere they go and see people as “basically good, helpful to know, and happy they are in my life” whereas those with fewer friends often have the attitude that “People let me down, hurt me, and judge me unfairly.” The person with happier, healthier friendships is the person who looks for the good in others and gives that same good out everywhere they go. Again, it is their perspective that create their good fortune in friendships.

If you want more money and financial abundance, I’d ask you, "What is your perspective on money?"

Do you believe that you don’t need money? Are you willing to risk all of your money for an endeavor? Then you might go through your money. Take the view point that you can succeed, grow money, and get the work you need to manifest abundance, and you’ll likely discover your bank account is fatter in six months, six years, or longer. Why? A perspective that money is flowing to you and you are growing richer every day will permeate through you and resonate with those around you who want more success, financially, too!

So, if you’re going through life and wondering why you’re realizing happiness and fulfillment or whether you’re struggling to get what you want from life, maybe the problem isn't so much the circumstances and challenges that come your way, but more rather the PERSPECTIVE you adopt towards maximizing your happiness and fulfillment. Adopt a perspective of a winner, of someone who CAN make it and WILL make it, of someone who is healthy, happy, and treated well by others, and you’ll get more of those things. As Jean Luc Picard, the Captain of the Starship Enterprise used to say on Star Trek, The Next Generation, “Make it so!"

This article is now recorded at The AspireNow: Seriously Fun Self Help Radio Show: Click the GREEN PLAYER to listen:

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How To Succeed More Often

Who are you?

If you can answer this question, you can likely find your way to succeed more often than you realize possible.

Which version of "you" are you living?

Recently, I noticed that there are two versions of "Scott Andrews" I've often portrayed to the world. One version is the Scott who I believe people want to see in order for me to be successful. This version puts an image out of hard-work, success is by following the steps, and by being serious I am more powerful. This Scott did what he was told growing up.

The other version is that Scott is a totally fun guy, dancing, playing, laughing, and cracking jokes irreverently left-and-right. This Scott broke rules, ditched classes growing up, and was often told "behave!" He was told he had to be serious, stop joking around, and get work done to be successful. This Scott was told that in order to be successful, he had to repress this playful nature and he would get what he wanted because he gave the authorities what they wanted. The truth is that this Scott is most powerful when he embraces his fun self.

The real Scott; indeed, the most powerful Scott, is the latter person. The first is an image. I'm good at putting it out there. But guess what? I've come to realize that when I want to be most successful I embrace the fun Scott. When I'm all serious, I stop writing deals. When I act like I could give a c*ap and joke around, dance, laugh, play music, and get other people laughing, crying, and feeling who they are, I notice my success - with life, love, work, play, and everything is just better.

Do you know who you are? Who is The Real Me?

I remember the song by John Entwistle of the band called, The Who which is called "The Real Me" where Roger Daltrey sings "Can you see the real me, can you, can you?" In the song, the artist asks his shrink, his mother, his ex-girlfriend, and finally, his priest, if any of them can see the real me. The feeling I come away with listening to The Real Me is that none of these "authorities" truly know the real you. Only YOU know the real you. If you've got multiple persona types you put out there or have developed by being told who to be and find yourself digging through that assortment of potential "you" to find your "real" self, I'd suggest you gravitate to the core of who makes you happiest and most fulfilled. Find the person who feels most happy, alive, and excited to be alive. After all, isn't fulfillment and happiness the ultimate goal we seek as human beings?

Embrace The Real Me! It's the real you!

Now, as you can imagine, the world has often told me not to be the real me. I've been told to follow rules. I've been told to work regular "jobs". I've been told to marry a woman and have kids and the white picket fence. I've been told all kinds of things. But these were all just stuff other people wanted or thought was right. They were not who I am. I decide who I am, after all.

You are blessed. You are supposed to be the real you. You must embrace your true self or risk losing your life and tossing aside your dreams. Nothing is worse than a dream abandoned without full pursuit of its end. Embrace your dream, embrace your life.

How to be most successful:

Embrace the self you feel is most in balance with life, spirit, and the Universe.

Can I ask you a question? If your best friend, parents, or even God gave you permission to be this self you feel is your true self, would you be that person?

We often need someone to give us permission to be who we truly are. If you're struggling with accepting the real you, and scared that the real you will fail, be ridiculed, or otherwise put down by society or your associates, I have a secret for you:

God - Spirit - the Universe - LIFE ITSELF - is calling you to be your best, true, whole self.


Do you need permission from God to embrace this self?

You have permission. It has already been granted you. As a messenger of that voice, I can share that you are most blessed when you are true to the core of who you truly are; when you embrace your full, whole self -- even in the face of convention, rules, or other's desires for our behavior, you will live your best life and succeed more often.
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When Friends Go Their Own Way

What causes friends to pull back and stop reaching out to us?

In the past, I've pulled away from certain friends. You've probably experienced friends pulling away from you, too. Friends come and go in a natural ebb and flow but sometimes friends pull away because they have fulfilled your purpose in their life. Other times, they pull away because they are busy with a new job, a new relationship, or other activities. They might be distant because of new activities within their household, such as events for their children. Or, they might be pulling away because they're in a pity party.

I've seen friends get hurt, because they felt you didn't do what they wanted. But their expectation doesn't have to match your reality, does it? So, even though you didn't say or do what they wanted, this doesn't make you necessarily bad or wrong. It just means there was a disconnect in expectation and result. One of my closest friends stepped back for about 3 months after living on my couch for a few months. I'd asked him to pay rent and tensions grew until he decided to leave. At first, he acted angry with me. That was his choice. But, the fact of the matter is I'd done him a favor, but further enabling him not getting his act together wasn't serving either of us in our friendship. I held strong, and later extended an olive branch to let him know I'm still his friend. Today, he got his act together, has his own place, and is now saving up for a new car, too! Yesterday, we hung out for a bit, and watched the sea together for a little while during conversation. It is nice to have friendships where you can just talk, listen, and be real with each other. So, the natural give and take, when restored to a healthy balance, restores friendship.

Recently, another friend withdrew. I believe she felt hurt by several things and perhaps just frustrated how we communicated. So, she pulled back. It's normal human behavior when communication give and take breaks down.

As I write this article, it becomes clear to me that give and take is really what this is all about.

People may need something from us, so they reach out to us. Other times, they feel we've taken enough from them, so they pull away, or, they've taken enough, and would feel guilty to take more without repaying the favor, so they pull away then, too. It's all about the natural balance of give and take and the flow of life where we can benefit from being around each other.

Are you trapped in a "pity party"? If so, your friends may have pulled away from you because you're a downer. Being around downers is like being around energy vampires - you're taking from them! Work on releasing the resentment, guilt, and loser attitude by focusing on new ways of thinking, feeling, and acting that create the life you most desire. When people see you succeeding in manifesting your dreams, you'll attract more (and often better) influences back into your life! Once you're no longer sucking someone's energy, you'll find it easier to attract more of what you do want back to you.

If you're withdrawing because life has overwhelmed you, remember that at some point, connecting with others is part of what helps us remain balanced. Take your time to withdraw. Then, once you feel healthy, grounded in your self, and rooted firmly on your own two feet, come back into the world of social interaction.

Life is so exciting when we expand our circles to include abundant, healthy, happy, and exciting people. Is your circle of friends what you want?

I know one person who claims to want to be in a committed relationship. Yet, half of her friends are single women who hate men. What are the odds she will realize her objective with all of these negative influences poisoning her mind? Right- probably not very high.

I know another friend who claims to want financial abundance. Yet, half of his friends struggle to just pay rent. What are the odds he will realize his objective with all of these people who don't know how to attract abundance weighing on him with their "lack" attitudes? Again, probably not very high.

Another friend often tells me she is lonely. Yes, each time I've invited her out to various events I attend, she only takes me up on it about a fifth of the time. Most times, I find out she stayed at home with her dog. Do you think maybe she is choosing her loneliness? I keep offering her a chance to go out and have fun. It is up to her to accept to live life again with all fullness and gusto, right?

Choose your friends wisely. If someone does not match the qualities you want in a friend, let them go. Send out the vibe of what you DO want and then take action towards that objective. I recently did this with my Facebook account (see scott at aspirenow dot com on Facebook to add me). I decided that I want to be friends with everyone who was in the movie "The Secret" because I believe these people have a firm foundation of how to manifest what they want in life. The first who accepted my request to add was John Assaraf. I loved John's story about his vision board in the movie, and after adding him as a friend decided to add any of John's friends who looked like they were happy with positive light in their picture. That's right, I made choices just based upon pictures. Well, guess what? This connection has now led me to be closely associated with Richard Branson, the CEO of Virgin Airlines! I love larger than life people like Richard, and can't wait to get to know him better.

So, don't worry about the sense of loss you felt when friends went their own way. Sometimes, it really is for the best for all of you. They are free to do what they want, anyway. If you let them go (with love) it is likely they will come back when they are ready (in love).

Focus on what you want, then seek out the people who exhibit those qualities. You can take it to the bank that as you attract people who are happy, fulfilled, manifesting their dreams, successful, and empowered, that your life will be more empowered, too.
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Creative Ways To Grow

Are you feeling stagnated, bored, or otherwise like your life might need a jump-start? This concern can occur from time-to-time. When it does, I find that embracing creative ways to grow can initiate new excitement, growth, and ventures that will lead to future success.

An excellent way to get your life-force flowing again is to unleash the creative being within you.

Here are a few ways you might consider utilizing creative ways to grow over the next month:

1. Write a poem. When was the last time you wrote a poem? Poetry is an expression almost anyone can attempt, and you might be surprised at who will be touched by your poems. Share them with others, and focus on conveying the EMOTIONS, IDEAS, and IMAGES you wish people to picture or feel through your words.

2. Write a song. If you're a musician, you can write a song. Actually, even if you ARE NOT a musician, you can still write a song. Can you sing? Can you hum notes out loud? Well, then you can write a song. That's how I write 30% of the songs I write! Yeah, I'm a musician, but still, if I can do it, so can many other people. All songs, just as poems, stories, paintings, or other creative things, start with an initial idea or stroke of the voice, pen, or brush.

3. Paint something. Get some water colors or acrylic paints and a canvas and play with matching paints. You can go to the bookstore and read a couple of books about how to blend colors and strokes to learn how to "brush-stroke" what you want to convey. I had tons of fun playing with paints just a year ago at a friend's art gallery. You'd be surprised what comes out when you put paint on a canvass.

4. Try thinking of a new way of doing what you already do now. This creative gift can be done in ANY profession. Even the professions that are not known for being particularly "creative" such as accounting, legal practice, or dentistry can find new ways of doing routine tasks and perhaps discover a "breakthrough" in practice. Perhaps try a new way to write something, or change a process to add an extra element of customer service, operational efficiency, or more clarity in our job functions. Even these subtle changes in our work-flow can lead to more creativity and open new doors to success.

5. Play an instrument. For me, this is natural. I play the saxophone, tambourine, shakers, piano, and I've been learning the bass guitar and bongo drums. I've been going out every time someone invites me to play and just trying to "feel" their vibe and play in a way that blends with the other musicians. Even if you're not that accomplished, it can be fun to pick up an instrument, put on a CD or song on the radio, and try to pick out a "part" by another instrument and play along. This is the way I trained my ear to be able to play live and spontaneously, so I know anyone else can do it, too.

6. Dance a new dance. I've been totally enjoying Salsa Dancing lately. If you've always had a desire to be a better lead or follow, why not sign up for a class or two? What I've noticed is that you have to keep going to get good at it. It wasn't until after about 12 lessons that I felt competent enough to get out on the dance floor without feeling insecure, so when you engage in a new dance, commit to a few months, okay? It's worth the commitment and totally fun when you start dancing better!

7. Move in new ways. Have you explored the ways your body can move? Natural body movement is something we sometimes forget is a gift of the human experience. When you feel pain, it may be a sign that development of muscle is needed. Or, if you feel a part of your body, and respond to that, you may find new creative ways to express yourself. This type of movement is exemplified in Yoga, Meditation, and other holistic movement. Another way to be creative with movement is to try talking more with your hands and use physical gestures to say what you mean when talking with other people. If you're used to communicating just with words and tone, use your whole body to say things and see if people understand you better and if you become more dynamic!

8. Design a more creative space for your living or work space. Sometimes, it can inspire creativity to simply change how we're working. Maybe by moving (or getting rid of) a desk, a cabinet, a printer, computer, or other art around on the wall we can find new ways of expressing our living and work space to inspire more creativity. I remember at Google's headquarters, where they had beanbag chairs and lava lamps in their lobby to express their creativity. It definitely felt different than HP's headquarters! Mix it up and see if this inspires you to new ideas.

I'm sure you'll get a few more ways to be creative as you start to implement an idea or two off of this list. I've actually implemented about half of these in the past month and find all kinds of spark for new ideas and creativity occurring in my life. Embracing your creativity is a natural way to challenge yourself, build upon your foundation, break away from convention, and establish new paths towards an exciting future. Enjoy the journey!
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Are You Living With An Open Heart?

I was reminded today of the importance of life by two conversations.

First, my mother left me a message that my Aunt passed away last night. She was 85 years old, and it wasn't a shock, yet, it is still sad as she was a good woman and my Uncle will miss her terribly. We all will miss her. She was special to all of us in our family and always so good to us.

When I spoke with my sister about it, she told me that today was surreal for her and David. This morning, the UPS guy showed up with a 4 lb. package on their door. Terri picked it up and David said, "Oh, that's my Dad." Terri mentioned "It's hard to imagine that we could be reduced to just 4 lbs. by the time we're gone."

Interesting perspective. But it is true! We will be reduced to just 4 lbs. of dust if we get cremated once we're done living this life.

So, the question I have for you, today, is "Are you living the life you want to live?" and a second question I pose is "Is your heart open to the possibilities of life?"

If you aren't living the life you want, there is no better time to start living it than right now.

If you aren't opening your heart to love other people, to share the real you, the whole you, with other people, there is no better time than right now to begin to share your heart.

I encourage you to be the best you, the most complete you, the most happy, healthy, loving, joyful, and fun you. We are here now. We are here because we have purpose left in us to fulfill and bring to realization.

Your life matters. Your breath, happiness, joy, and spirit you share with others matter. So, open your heart up, embrace each moment for the blessing it is, and have fun with what you've got! As the Italians say "Carpe Diem!"
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Ending Destructive Cycles and Patterns

Have you figured out that you're recreating patterns in your life? Whether a relationship that ends or has components we've seen before, or a job pattern history that seems to keep repeating, or friendships doing the same things, struggles to get in shape, or other struggles, these patterns often seem to dig into our persona and not only chase but haunt us, in spite of our best efforts to do our best in breaking free.

Can you identify that you'd like to end the destructive cycles stopping you from getting what you want?

1. Identifying a cycle is a start!

Well, the first step is identifying the fact that you're IN a cycle! If you're reading this and saying, "Yep, I'm in a cycle going back years - or even to my childhood" well, then this is a chance to learn and grow.

What can you do to begin ending destructive cycles?

2. Break it down. Beyond identification, the next step is to break down the elements of how we are failing.

Is it an expectation?
Does the concern include doing the same kinds of things in behavior to resolve issues that subsequently don't go away?

See, if that's what's happening, we may be focused on what we want to manifest, but failing to put the right things first: correct thought, correct feelings and judgements, and actions that will produce the fruit we seek.

3. Think different. The first step to change a pattern is to think different. We must change our thinking if we are to break free from destructive cycles. If we think the same way we've thought in the past, we're likely to repeat. So, change thinking. How can we change thinking? Through affirmations, and spotting opposite thoughts to what we've thought before.

4. Feel different. Next, we have to build correct feelings. Yes, this means we must FEEL different, too. I once dated someone who seemed fond of saying "I have a right to how I feel. You're telling me my feelings aren't okay." Well, the truth of the matter was that her feelings were not based upon real events and they were distorting her ability to judge correctly. It created situations with unrealistic expectations and weird behavior. It started with funky thought patterns and then manifested uglier when feelings of negativity were attached to thoughts.

See, we must be very careful about how and what we judge in processing feelings. The very act of calling a thought a positive thought is a judgment about the thought. So, be alert to the words you use to describe your thoughts, and then the subsequent feelings you attach to those thoughts. It is the "feeling" stage that will either ensure we break free of a pattern or keep us in it. It is up to us to feel differently. Can we change our feelings? Yes, we can! Set out to feel good, happy, and start with that BEFORE you get the result of the circumstance.

5. Act different. Last, our actions must match our thoughts and feelings. So, we must ACT different, as well. If we can align our thoughts, feelings, and actions with what we most want to manifest, then our success will naturally come in a result we initially hope to realize. Actions speak loud. We need to make sure our actions and feelings match. Put it all out there, don't be shy, and live large in each action. Be strong, humble, and act from integrity with your deepest desires.

If you desire deep communication in your relationship, then communicate deeply. Don't repress your thoughts and don't dominate your partner. If you desire to feel happier about how you eat and reach your ideal weight, then be happy about what you eat and eat in a healthy way (match the feeling with the action). If you desire to feel excited about your job and manifest financial abundance through your work, then act from excitement in a way most desirable of people who win in that career and learn from all results. You'll see the success follow.

Seek balance in actions that match your thoughts and feelings, and you will be happier and fulfilled.

You will notice that through each of these suggestions to break free from cycles, the word "different" keeps popping up in my advice. Why? Because, if we keep thinking, feeling, and acting in ways we've done before, how can we possibly expect anything different? We must think, feel, and act different to break free and define the life we truly want to live.
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Life Is A Roller Coaster

Do you ever feel like your career, dating, finances, home environment, or relationship is a roller coaster?

Life can be a roller coaster at times, can't it?

Well, if you're struggling to maintain a sense of harmony, peace, and balance, there are several thoughts I have on this subject:

First, when you walk on the beach, have you ever noticed that the sand formations are different every time you're there? At a beach near me, sometimes the sand makes a sand barge, with a creek flowing to the sea. Other times, there is no creek flowing to the sea at all. Sometimes the creek is just a trickle. Yet, other times, there are big ditches in the sand. It depends upon the time of year, whether or not there a storm passes through, and how the tide rises or falls.

I'll point out again, you may have noticed that several different factors are influencing the shape of the sand: the sea itself, the season, and the tide.

Seasons: Springs brings new seeds of life, Summer nurtures it and helps it grow, Fall ushers in a time for harvest, and Winter brings death with cold and snow. Yet, the snow melts again in Spring the very next year. Life is full of ups and downs, is it not?

Our very own heart beat is in one moment pushing new blood to our body and in the next bringing old back in for recycling. Do you see my point?

Roller coasters are part of life.

See, roller coasters are simply part of life. If we're saying "I'm sick of roller coasters" or "I'm tired of my money going up and down" or "I'm sick and frustrated with this relationship being in or out" or other things like that, at times, it may indeed be life itself that we're complaining about.

I have yet to have a relationship that is even-keel all of the time. I haven't seen too many of those amongst my friends and family, either. In addition, in work, I've seen months where I set the world on fire with sales, and other months that seemed like I was crossing the desert for water. Can you relate? Does your partner love you? That's worth a thousand winters if you have true love.

We create our own peace and harmony.

The second thought I have on this is that we often create our own situation. If we feel like our home environment is a storm, it is more than likely our own inability to create the calm we seek. Rather than look outside of ourselves for our answer to the storm, it may indeed be within us to dig deep, try something new, and/or explore new modalities of interaction.

Rather than expecting a reluctant hero to "save" us from our situation, I believe it is far more empowering to trust in God and then take action ourselves according to the wisdom given to us to correct the ghosts of Christmas past and create the current space we wish to manifest. Rather than ask "How does it feel to have peace? How does it feel to have people love and support us?" I'd rather focus on "How does it feel to be loving and supportive and offer peace to others?" then encourage those around us to embrace this new concept of peace and harmony.

We build money through better earning, spending and saving habits.

With money, increasing income combined with good habits, over time, will yield good results. So, create a good job for yourself, then instill better spending and saving habits.

With relationships, quit expecting perfection and look at how you can maximize what you have in front of you. If you've been stubborn and refusing to admit your own part in how things get messed up, then own it, break free from denial, and be the best you that you can be. Others will respond in kind, trust me.

Roller Coasters offer a mountain, but then we experience the PEAK MOMENT and the THRILL and EXUBERATION of the downhill zip!


Even though climbing up a mountain might seem laborious, consider the view when we reach the peak of the mountain top. Time stands still, in that moment. Then, when life turns and we zip downhill, the thrill of putting our hands in the air and screaming with joy at the satisfaction and exuberation that comes with success is often just around the corner. Did we quit too soon? Roller coasters create the thrills, hot make-up sex, and exciting celebrations of "making it" we so dearly yearn for as "peak" life moments. Embrace each step of the ride!

Yes, we ALL do roller coasters.

So, the next time you feel like life is a roller coaster, rather than get down in the dumps or give up on what you're trying frustrated with trying to work through, why not keep the faith, renew your energy, and know that you WILL emerge on an upswing again at some point in time.

When you reach the top of the next summit you will look back and say "yes, the roller coaster was worth the ride" when you surpass the difficulty climb, hit the peak moment, and the thrill of zipping through success. It is then you realize that your dreams do, in fact, come true. Success comes from the ride, not any particular moment. Rather than reject the roller coaster ride, embrace it: climb aboard with full gusto and joy in being part of life!
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Spring Can Represent Joy

Are you experiencing Joy in your life?

When we are sad, unhappy, or dissatisfied with life results, joy often fades.

What can we do to get JOY back?

Well, just like the seasons, sometimes after the cold winter and dying out of the old plant life, new seedlings take hold. When these new seedlings sprout up, the new plants, flowers, and trees grow and begin to bloom. I've noticed that many of these bloom in Spring, and others pop-up in Summer. Spring heralds the opportunity for new life.

If you've experienced a valley, gone through a relationship struggle, felt stagnated, or even died a little death inside, perhaps May 1 is a time you can embrace the NEW LIFE awaiting you.

Last night, I went to a spiritual healer's house to discover what type of healing they offered. During my healing, I noticed as they went over each area of my chakra, they discovered the areas out of alignment and also mentioned what they wanted to bring in. The result: they brought me back to my core power and brought me back to what I most want to be in this world: a happy, fun, playful, joyful person who shares that joy and fun with others!

Be who you really are...

Hallelujah! Sometimes, we forget who we are. We get all serious. we get bogged down in the "bummer" moments of life. But that's not what life is all about! Life is about playing, having fun, experiencing, making love, dancing, laughing, and savoring the beauty in each moment.

I'm going out today seeking new JOY in each moment.

What joy can you experience with your life?
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A Vision Board Can Help You Manifest!

Can computers help us manifest?

You bet they can!

I've been working on a new "Dream Board" collage for my bathroom.

I'm being very specific on this one as to exactly what I want for each area of my life. At the same time, I've created a new Vision Board for my computer, so that every time I see my computer I can reinforce my dreams and goals. Vision Boards and Dream Collages can be very powerful subconcious tools that enable us to manifest our dreams. My last collage has been incredibly powerful. Of the things on there, I've manifested over 30% so far, in just 2 years! That's pretty impressive, if you ask me.

I recommend The OrangePeel Dream Board Visualization Software:



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:


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This article is written by Scott Andrews, Founder of AspireNow. Dream Board video and name is Copyright OrangePeel, used with permission. Copyright 2007. All rights reserved. You may republish this article only AS A COMPLETE WHOLE with ENTIRE LINKS and copyright messages attached. All rights reserved. To get more tools like this, subscribe to the A-Blog.

Purity of Light in Love

I'm investigating the work of Sukyo Mahikari right now.

From the Sukyo Mahikari website, it says:

Sukyo Mahikari has its roots in an organization that Mr. Kotama Okada founded on
August 28,1959, to promote Mahikari practice. This was in response to a
revelation he received from Creator God on February 27, 1959.

Mr. Okada's heartfelt desire was to help people live in a more God-centered and spiritual way based on the universal principles that God established at Creation. In this way, people will be able to fulfill God's prayer for humanity, which is to
create a Heaven on Earth, a world of peace and harmony. He said that it is God's
greatest joy to see his children happily co-operating with each other and living
fulfilled lives.

From this description, I was struck by the concept that God's prayer for humanity is to create a Heaven on Earth, a world of peace and harmony. At a time when our nation in America is at war in two countries, and other countries are struggling to emerge from industrial poverty into the limelight of industrial powerhouses (China and India), we find our microcosm of life to be pretty small, at times. Other times, we realize that it is our immediate thoughts, actions, and emotions that are influencing a great many people.

In your relationships, are you happily co-operating with each other and living fulfilled lives?

Sometimes, we sweep things under the rug. Other times, we just accept things and say "Well, that's just the way they are. Nothing will change even if I do speak up." Are we accepting less when we know we could have more together? Embrace your best self and become the great person you were meant to be.

It is a challenge, to get it right. We must live our most fulfilled life! Our partners, friends, and children ought to be supporting that objective. If they are not, our life is out of balance.

How can we get back into balance?

Answer: by embracing God and the natural energy and flow of our higher self. We must speak our truth, we must dig deep into the soul of our relationships and share our deepest thoughts with one another. We must live happily and be happy to see each other - and show it.

Have you been honoring your father-creator God's vision for you? You are a child of God. It is your right and destiny to claim your place in the joy, peace, and harmony awaiting your own Heaven on Earth.

Ask for the Divine Light - your own true light - to shine upon you, to relieve you of your guilt, burden, and challenge of being your best self. Then step into the light that washes you anew. (See picture of True Light healing exercise here). A new beginning is just around the corner...
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Inspiration From Marlee Matlin

Do you watch the television show Dancing With The Stars? This season, I've caught onto it. Why? Several reasons: I've always been a fan of Adam Corolla's wit and enjoyed the first few shows where he made everyone laugh. Also, I remember when Kristi Yamaguchi won the Ladies Singles event at the 1992 Winter Olympics. Her grace and highly-developed skating skills are helping her compete well for the top. And, these stars are fun to watch compete.

Not only that, but the dancing is pretty impressive! I also aspire to be a better samba, rumba, swing, and tango dancer. As a musician, I appreciate the music. As a beginning dancer, I appreciate the challenge these stars face. They are doing a fantastic job learning a new dance EVERY WEEK! And, these dances aren't easy: they have to impress keen judges. The schedule of this show is so difficult for the stars that they often don't get much time around their family. It is highly demanding upon them mentally, emotionally, and physically.

But more than any of these reasons for loving this season's Dancing With The Stars, I am especially inspired by MARLEE MATLIN.

Why? Well, Kristi has an unfair advantage: she's been performing routines like dancing during her skating routines. The other stars are used to acting, and Marlee Matlin is no exception. But what makes it so much more impressive that Marlee is out there competing and still in the running (as of the time I write this piece) even though Marlee Matlin is DEAF.

I know, so what, just another handicap, right? WRONG. Being deaf, for a dancer, is one heckuva challenge. And Marlee is not just deaf, but PROFOUNDLY DEAF. She really can't hear the music. I've never seen a deaf person dance so well in all of my life. Tonight, she stumbled twice during the samba dance. For those who don't know, samba is fast and really difficult to dance even if you're a dancer and used to hearing the music and feeling the beat.

Here's a You Tube from Week 1 when Marlee came on the show:

The judges:

"What you did out there was SO INSPIRING."
"You had great choreography. You did a GREAT job."
"UNBELIEVABLE. You may not hear, but the music is running through your blood."

Marlee:
"As a mother of four I'm doing it for my kids. Why not, life is short!"

It was SO AWESOME to see Marlee shaking her hips to the beat, taking chances that most people with normal hearing wouldn't even risk, and going for a flip over her head at one point! Amazing. I'm so impressed with the human spirit of this woman.

We've seen Marlee do this before, with acting. She has been acting since a kid, but amazed the whole world in her debut movie performance, Children of a Lessor God, where she won an Academy Award for her performance.

According to Wikipedia, Marlee also has published a book about her childhood in 2002 and in 2004 she starred in one of my favorite movies, "What The Bleep Do We Know?" where she dug into the quantum physics of life experiences.1 If you read Marlee's background you will learn that she is an avid supporter of promoting sign language as a non-verbal form of communication and also is a leader in representing closed caption broadcasts. Not only that, but she also is a MOTHER of FOUR children. How does she do it? In hearing her talk, I could tell that she simply believes SHE CAN and then fights through the adversity to PROVE she can. Yes!

What especially resonated for me in watching tonight's show was to hear Marlee say, in her own words, how much she wanted to be an example for deaf people how they CAN do WHATEVER THEY WANT. Then she went out and showed it with a FUN and SPIRITED dance performance to the challenging samba dance. She talked about how scary it was to slip at one point but recovered, overcame the adversity of slipping again, and finished impressively to score respectably. No, she probably won't win the event - Kristi Yamaguchi and her partner are just too strong - but she is showing quite well and placing in the middle of the group.

Marlee said "dancing the samba was the hardest thing I've ever done, but I fought through it..." and the judges also said they were inspired by Marlee, too.

I was so inspired that I not only wrote this article, I even picked up a phone and cast a vote for Marlee (you can dial 1-800-868-3412 to vote for her, too).

Kudos to Marlee Matlin. Thank you for showing deaf people that there is HOPE and if you want something bad enough, anything you want to do you CAN do. Go for it and represent your cause with all your heart. Marlee's doing it. Are you?

Who has inspired you this week? Are you finding the beauty in other people? They are out there, every day, for us to notice.
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Are You A Workaholic?

Have you ever met a workaholic?

In the 1960's Japan, a term was coined:

According to Wikipedia, Karōshi (過労死, karōshi: which quite literally means "Death From Overwork", is occupational sudden death. The major medical causes of karōshi deaths are heart attack and stroke due to stress.

Does karōshi (death from overwork) sound fun to you?

Yeah, not to me, either. Yet, I've met many people who are definitely victims of overwork, and quite possibly on their way to a karōshi.

Just yesterday, I met a manager of an aerospace company who shared with me that he oversees a division of 30 direct reports, and 300 more underneath that team. He bragged that "I decide when I can come and go. I decide where I travel." Okay, great. But, guess what? He also confided, "I took only 6 vacation days in the past three years." In my opinion, this fine gentleman is suffering from a karōshi addiction to work.

According to a Wikipedia article:

Usually, Japan's rise from the devastation of World War II to economic prominence in the post-war decades has been regarded as the trigger for what has been called a new epidemic. It was recognized that employees cannot work for twelve or more hours a day, six or seven days a week, year after year, without suffering physically as well as mentally. A recent measurement found that a Japanese worker has approximately two hours overtime a day on average. In almost all cases, the overtime is unpaid. The recent international expansion of Japanese multinationals has also led to an export of the Karōshi culture to countries such as China, Korea and Taiwan.

While this problem may be lesser-known in America, nevertheless it is not unknown in other countries, as well. In the Netherlands, workers are known to overwork. Check this out: according to WebMD's Sid Kirchheimer, people have actually developed "leisure illness," a phenomenon that occurs from getting ill while trying (albeit unsuccessfully) to relax on vacation. The problem? They're so used to overwork that they simply cannot relax. Crazy, huh?

In the United States, the average worker takes 12 vacation days a year. If you ask me, that's nowhere near enough time to balance a person's life. We need at least three weeks - probably four weeks at minimum - to re-balance our lives from our work schedules.

Yet, employers routinely dole-out only two weeks vacation. It's disgusting. Workers need to request MORE vacation and point out how much their health suffers when they don't get to take a break. It's our life - it is up to us to stand-up and speak-out!

In Europe, they seem to have a better handle on work-life-balance. Europeans average 4 to 8 weeks of vacation a year. Clearly, they have a better understanding of the important things in life: experiences with friends and family. The only way to have these quality experiences is to take VACATIONS and TAKE TIME for these important people. Not only that, but it is critical to take a break just to recharge our batteries and refresh our soul.

(Please note: I need to fix this chart - Stress is on the X axis and performance on the Y-axis, but otherwise, everything is correct here.) The point is that our productivity drops dramatically when we are fatigued.

Are you a workaholic?

Are you spending enough time with your loved ones?

Another way to ask this is: are you taking enough vacation and time for life?

If you're a workaholic, you may be heading for a stroke, heart-attack, or stroke. In any event, you're probably more stressed-out and more difficult to be around, because you're not balancing your life.

Do something about this before it is too late. If your loved ones have been expressing worry about how much you work, take a break. If you notice that you're getting more stressed-out than you used to, why not build in a few more vacations each year and take more weekends away from the Blackberry, computer, and cell phone?

Sometimes, the answer isn't to take Prozac but rather to take a vacation.

Remember: in the end, we do not take our company with us, our paychecks do not go with us, nor does the debt, nor the toys, when we pass away. In the end, the only thing that matters most is the quality time we spend with those we love the most. Most often, those people are our friends and family members.

In the military, there are obvious results from stress and fatigue. Officers frequently report that "exhausted men offer little more worth than dead men" in many cases. I've seen this first hand. When, in a strategy game simulation playing "Rome: Total War" I noticed a huge difference in performance in my troops when they were stressed. For example, in examining the difference between a "fresh" unit, a "warmed-up" unit, a "tired" unit, and "exhausted" unit, my "fresh" units far outperformed equally equipped, talented, staffed, and trained "exhausted" units. In addition, units placed in unfair position (downhill vs. an uphill force), units "surprised" by an enemy, and units in fear of a superior force (such as infantry vs. cavalry or cavalry vs. elephants) also fared poorly. When mismatched, it is obvious that troops will suffer undue stress, and that stress will cause the unit to break, flee, and become routed by the enemy.

How are we any different in our work life?

If you are a workaholic, I suggest you seek out professional assistance from a doctor, career therapist, or other professional. Also, why not seek out a "life coach" to help you rebalance your life before you die of karōshi? Ultimately, your life will be far more balanced and you ought to experience higher happiness.

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

You Call The Shots: Succeed Your Way

A new book for entrepreneurs just came to my attention. This book was written by a guy who made his first $15,000 by the age of 9 and started an internet site more successful than most internet marketers by the age of 15. Inspiring?

Read it yourself and be the judge: http://astore.amazon.com/aspirenow-20/detail/B000WPMQHI/002-1778283-8772807

You Call the Shots: Succeed Your Way-- And Live the Life You Want-- With the 19 Essential Secrets of Entrepreneurship By Cameron Johnson, John David Mann

One of my friends, Chris Howard, had this to say about the book:

"I really love the full title, though, because it really describes what Cameron is all about: "You Call the Shots: Succeed Your Way - and Live the LifeYou Want - With the 19 Essential Secrets ofEntrepreneurship." That's right, it's all about Living the Life You Want, and that's what Cameron will help you do through reading his book."

Click here to order your copy of You Call The Shots now: http://www.cameronjohnson.com/bookbonus?11"

Note: that link that Chris Howard provides is cool - they give you a bunch of BONUS products AFTER you just provide your Amazon order number. So, if you're like me, you'll keep your Amazon order number, then input it with your other email information in the bonus link at http://www.cameronjohnson.com/bookbonus?11. And, no, I don't get anything from the Bonus Link (maybe they'll throw back some kudos my way? hint, hint!).

I just ordered my own personal copy, so you know I'm intrigued!
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Copyright © 2008 AspireNow. All rights reserved.

10 Minutes A Day To Success

Are you too busy to start work on that new dream you've been thinking of?

I recently received an email from someone saying you can start a new company with just 10 minutes a day. Really? Is this possible? Perhaps, if it is, then other goals may be accomplished, too:

If you've been saying to yourself:

"SOMEDAY... I'll start my own business. SOMEDAY... become wealthy. SOMEDAY... I'll start that website I've been thinking about. SOMEDAY…I'll lose weight. SOMEDAY…I'll find my soul-mate. SOMEDAY…I'll discover my purpose in life. SOMEDAY... I'll live my dreams.

START with 10 MINUTES A DAY to BUILD YOUR SUCCESS

Well, perhaps this isn't a bad idea. Taking 10 minutes a day, and working on each of these things. Often, it's harder to find 10 quality minutes than we realize. But, without a doubt, 10 minutes a day is a lot easier than 10 months, 10 days, or 10 hours, right?!

So, why not implement a 10 minute plan for your own life?

There's a company that's basing it's consulting and coaching services around this concept, which you can find at: http://www.take10now.com/whoweare.html. I've contacted them to see if they have an affiliate program, but as of this writing I'm just referring you without compensation because I think they have an interesting concept.

Here's why I like the 10 minute a day to success program:

1. If you haven't been doing anything about any type of dream, whether it be to get in shape, start a blog, write a business plan, or start a company, it is most likely because the whole thing seems too daunting. By looking at it in 10-minute segments, you can start to put INTENTION towards the projects and thoughts TOWARDS your dream. What's good about that? It's the Law of Attraction in action: the more you focus intention on a particular aspect of life, the higher the chance you'll attract that from the Universe.

2. Just putting 10 minutes will require you to clear your mind and focus on this dream for a specific period of time, every day. 10 minutes a day is 300 minutes a month. And, if you're anything like me, you can get considerable work done in 300 minutes if you know what you're trying to accomplish. So, start with 10 minutes a day, and see if you don't start to knock down small tactical elements of your goal. After all, 10 minutes is better than 0 minutes.

3. 10 minutes is realistically possible for almost anyone. The reason I like starting with 10 minutes is because it is so easy to lose commitment, get distracted, and stop doing what we intend. Therefore, by blocking out 10 minutes a day, you'll have a commitment to something simple, easy, and yet enough time to accomplish a few things. For example, I had a goal to get more prospects for business planning this week. I just spent the past 10 minutes emailing three companies I had noted as leads from my business network. I'll follow-up those emails tomorrow, and hopefully have a conference call scheduled later in the week. Those three 30 minute segments will likely produce at least one new customer, which, as a return on time investment is very high.

4. 10 minutes grows into more minutes! What you'll start to notice when you do 10 minutes religiously is that over time, you'll naturally want to expand the things most profitable and rewarding to you into more than 10 minutes. This helps you eliminate the goals that really don't align with your core being and focus more on the goals that you really need to accomplish. That's the ultimate objective of the 10-minute program: that you'll expand the 10-minutes into something like 30 or 60 minutes, and if it's something like a business, it may even expand into your full-time vocation.

Why not start your own 10-minute program today? You don't have to go crazy and do it with every part of your life. Just choose ONE THING you really have been putting off but KNOW you WANT TO DO. Do that! Start setting aside just 10 minutes a day to focus on an activity related to that goal. If lose weight, maybe stretching for 10 minutes a certain time of day. Or, if starting a company, dedicate 10 minutes towards research or building your business plan each day. If you don't get everything done in 10 minutes, that's okay, set-up your next session as the next step in your to-do.

For more information about the Law of Attraction, visit these sites:
http://aspirenow.blogspot.com/2007/08/law-of-attraction.html
http://www.aspirenow.com/Purpose_10_07_The_Law_of_Attraction_Book.htm
http://aspirenow.blogspot.com/2007/10/most-powerful-law-in-universe.html

Good luck, and let me know how 10 minute dreams works for you!
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Copyright © 2008 AspireNow. All rights reserved. Want more? Subscribe to the A-Blog.