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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Setting and Reaching Your Goals

Are you living the life you want? If not, perhaps it is a good time to revisit your dreams and goals and WRITE DOWN what you really want the most.

I've got a formula I've used in the past and recently revisited regarding goals. It worked before, and I believe it still works, today.

How to set and reach better and more powerful goals:

1. Write down goal categories.

I recently made the following categories:

1. Personal growth and spiritual development
2. Career development
3. Fun, hobbies, and recreation
4. Money management
5. Social network
6. Family and friends
7. Health and body

Through utilizing this system, I broke down my goals into the top 1 - 3 goals for each category. If this is too daunting, just set ONE goal for each category.

For example, my biggest health and body goal right now is to get back to 195 FIT lbs total weight. I've made progress on this having lost 24 lbs in the past six months; however, I still have to get more toned and drop another 20 lbs. by the end of August to hit my goal.

2. Frame each goal in terms of "I am" and "sooner or on" and "or more than" and "or less than" in your phrasing.

For example, with my health and body goal, I've phrased it like this:

I am exercising regularly, weighing 195 lbs or less, physically fit, and eating healthier foods by August 31, 2008 or sooner.

See how it works?

3. Put each goal on an index card.

4. Read each goal as an intention twice every day.

5. Additional recommended step: create vision boards for your goals.

I recommend utilizing Orange Peel Software for a "dream board" on your computer. They're not expensive and it's a cool way to create the exact vision of what you want to see instead of a screen saver!



In addition, create a cardboard vision board with cutouts you create on your computer or from magazines. Just be careful using magazines ... I'd rather paste the EXACT thing I want rather than something SIMILAR to what I want. It is more powerful to picture the EXACT representation of what you want to realize in your life.

When revisiting your index cards each day, I suggest you read each one in the morning, and then again late in the day before you go to bed or when you say your prayers.

I've also written an article on Executive Goal Setting to help you realize more of your career aspirations over at ARRiiVE's blog. I recommend you check it out before completing your business goals.

I wish you the best in setting and reaching your goals. I've found this system to be the best over the course of my life. If you regularly revisit your goals, cross off the list the ones you've achieved and added new goals, over time, you'll realize far more than your counterparts and live a much more happy and fulfilled life!

View related articles:
How To Succeed More Often
A Vision Board Can Help You Manifest
How To Lose Weight
Fun Dating Ideas
Find The Man (or Woman) Of Your Dreams
Smashing The Goal Barrier
7 Steps To Living The Life Of Your Dreams

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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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Letting Go Of Dysfunctional Relationships

Have you ever wondered whether or not to remain friends with certain people?

Well, you may know that I DO maintain a huge network of friends and associates. My circle of closest friends and associates is held to a short-list of desired traits and qualities. I only keep people in that circle who support certain principles. If a friend starts to exhibit less-desired traits and qualities, or fails to support these principles, after a period of prolonged and sustained behavior that no longer fits my list, I cut them out of my life.

It may seem harshly simple, but I view it quite a bit like how sales leaders view their sales team: If you keep dead weight on the tree, it is difficult to bear healthy fruit. I've seen sales managers fire salespeople who weren't performing for months on end because they felt those salespeople would hinder the performance of the team. It is much the same with our interpersonal relationships.

Do you have a list of traits and standards for your inner circle?

My own list of desires attributes, traits and standards for my friendship circle includes the following guidelines:

1. They support my highest good.
2. I can support their highest good.
3. They add value to my life and I add value to theirs.
4. They posses values I seek: generally loving, artistic, fun, smart, and spiritually healthy.
5. They maintain healthy communication with me.
6. They are loving, positive, and generally supportive and happy to be with me.

There are times when certain friends fail to stop meeting this list. When this happens, I take proactive steps to 86 the friend who doesn't meet my standards. I think this is a positive thing to do. Now, don't get me wrong. I don't usually write them "Hey, you're not my friend anymore." I only do that when someone had communicated they'd "always be there" but then made a consistent practice of being rather rude to me, and I wanted to make it clear that their behavior was unacceptable as a friend. Otherwise, I just move on.

A computer crash and cell phone hard reset dump - a gift from angels?

If you ever have a problem with your computer or cell phone, this is actually an excellent time to review your criteria for friendships and make sure your inner circle is healthy and supporting you the best you deserve.

I've recently had my cell phone crash and a computer virus destroy my database of contacts on my cell phone. I had the option to reload the cell phone with all my old numbers, but chose instead only to put in the current "active" friends with whom I've spoken and who met my list of standards over the past year. This created a much shorter cell phone database directory and allowed much more space for new growth in friendships.

Questions to ponder regarding your own inner circle of friendships:

Have you recently performed housecleaning on your Rolodex of closest friends?
Are any relationships clinging to you that block new love?
Are all of your friendships supporting your highest good?
Can you support their highest good?
Are they communicating in a healthy way with you?
Are they exhibiting the traits you wish to emulate and attract in your life?
Are they all loving, positive, and generally supportive and happy to be with you?

If not, consider scrubbing them out of your database and creating room in your life for people who bring about "yes" answers to these questions. Perhaps you need to create your own list of attributes, traits, and standards for your own friendships. I encourage you to do so.

Now, when releasing someone who no longer supports you the way you prefer, always show love, gratitude, and respect for them in parting ways. If you don't want the confrontation, just stop calling, sending text or instant messages, emailing, or visiting - it sends a strong message they will likely understand. When friends stop calling me or returning my emails, I remove them from my database of inner friendship circle. I'm sure others would do that with you, too. There is no way to maintain a relationship without healthy, regular, two-way interaction.

You will find that by maintaining a healthy inner circle of friends that you will produce more "fruit" in your interactions with people in your life. Always be grateful for the inner circle of friends who love and support you. Maintain a healthy "friendship tree" and you'll bear more healthy fruit from your relationships year after year.
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Who Is Captain Of Your Ship?

I've surrendered my life to a higher power. Have you?

The reason I did this is because whenever I've grabbed the wheel and tried to direct my life with my own short-sighted Ego, it seems I steer into an iceberg. Sometimes, just as with the Titanic, I don't realize how much a mucky mess I've made of things until hours, days, or months later. And, usually, just as with the Titanic, the aftermath leaves me feeling a bit less whole than when I started that journey.

There's a better way, though, than trying to captain our own ship through life. Do you know what it is?

There's a higher power awaiting each of us. It is the force some call God, others Christ, others Spirit, but whatever you want to call him he is there all the time, always available, and always accessible to tap into.

Q: How do we tap into the higher source of conscious energy in the Universe?

A: Through active prayer and surrender.

I know this sounds like a "religious" response, but really, it isn't about religion (man-made dogmatic code) but rather Universal truth based upon the laws of the Universe. I find that whenever I "surrender" my will to God's will (or Spirit's will) that I tap into that source. It is a process of forgiveness, by turning over our inadequacies, that the Christians call "The Good News" or Gospel - that you can be born again through Christ Jesus by surrendering your life to him. The Buddhists, and other religions, offer similar mantras; however, I find in my personal journey that Christ is the most powerful figure to access the source of infinite power called God. Why? Because Christ offers the path. Christ is the "light" we see at the end of the tunnel when we pass away. Christ is the figure who stands at the door knocking at our heart, waiting for us to open to receive the gift of life. Are you willing to accept what he has to offer?

The gift of true life is not fraught with the pain and sorrow of the human condition. In the spirit world, pain does not register as it does in the human condition. Christ removes this pain and replaces it with love, hope, light, and new life!

I was reminded of all these things yesterday, at my Aunt Katie's funeral. I thought about where she is heading and my dear friend, Travis Evans, shared a story that touched me. Travis is a fisherman who is still fishing, even in his 80's! He said, "You know, there are times when I've heard a story about a boat that left the shore, and people thought they could no longer see it. They thought 'Oh, we've lost them.' This is sometimes a concern amongst seafaring vessels. What we forget is that sometimes, while we're thinking 'They're gone!" there are other people on a distant bank, awaiting this same dear person, saying 'Here they are!!'" I think that is the way it is, today, with Aunt Katie. While we grieve her passing, she is greeted on the other side by those awaiting her! How exciting it must be for her!

Are you clinging to Ego, trying to make life work, feeling battered and beaten by life?

There's a better way: Surrender. The life we live, right now, stands to improve markedly when we put Christ at the helm, and our Ego second. This is the best path I've discovered to live life in the most complete and full way. Surrender your will to God's will, and see if your life doesn't take a turn for the better.
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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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Time Management Tips For Peak Productivity

I recently read a post on productivity and considering the natural cycles of society, it makes sense that we're likely the most productive during the same hours that coincide the best times to post a blog post or post an article to our website.

How can I base this? Because this is when people are in the most focused, intense "work" mode.

Amazingly enough, the best time to post a blog post is 10:30 a.m. PST to 2:00 p.m. PST Tuesday through Friday. I'll stretch that a tad, but based upon this I'll state the peak productivity time, in general, for employees and workers is between 10:00 a.m. PST and 3:00 p.m. PST.

What I'm talking about is how to maximize things that so many people struggle with, ranging from time management to productivity skills, doing first things first, managing the "7 Habits of Highly Successful People", and other time/management/productivity concerns.

Considering the schedule I've proposed, I have to ask: are you taking LONG LUNCHES? If you are, you're cutting into your most productive time during the day. I'd suggest that you either eat a lighter lunch or take a late lunch, that way you'll be maximizing your highest productivity hours in each week.If you've failed to consider the most productive hours of a day, and claim that late night is your top time (I've been guilty) or claim that morning is also your most productive time (been guilty of that, too), well, here's the wake up call: most people are in work mode during Tuesday through Friday. They start to "check out" at 2:00 p.m. because many have kids they need to tend to. School schedules usually release children around 2:00 pm or 3:00 pm, and amazingly, this is also when productivity begins to wane among adults, too. After 5:00 p.m., we're thinking about dinner. After dinner, we relax and digest our food. During the weekend, we're relaxing and having fun from our hard work during the week. However, I will also point out that if we use Internet data for our assumption, then we need to consider that many people are East Coast-based and therefore 2:00 p.m. PST is 5:00 p.m. (EST) to them.

Peak Productive Time?

When is your peak productive time? If you're like many others, you probably take a half hour to settle into your work. In addition, you probably unwind for the last 15 minutes each day, too. On top of that, you'll need at least two 10 minute breaks, and at least 30 minutes for lunch. Take all of that away, you're probably going to have your peak productivity start to kick in around 8:30 a.m. and then wind down around 4:45 p.m., if you maintain an 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. schedule. Make the most out of it!The 80/20 rule will apply, too, so that peak time during the middle of the day is critical to your ongoing success. Don't waste it! Your best time for a meeting is likely on Wednesday or Thursday right around NOON. So, make the most out of these time slots!

Maximize the time when you can reach the most people, impact them the most, and focus your efforts to be your most productive self between Tuesday and Friday between the time frame of 10:30 a.m. PST and 5:00 p.m. EST. Schedule your most important meeting each week at Noon on Thursday. That is when you'll get the biggest bang for your time slot.When you practice solid time management skills, you will fare better. Ideas I have to refresh for you with this article include:

Time Management Tips:

1. Focus on one thing at a time. One of my mentors is Lou Holtz, formerly the Head Coach of Notre Dame. Lou had an expression that to WIN is to do "What's Important Now?" When you can answer, and do, those things, you will win more often.
2. Complete a task, then move on to your next item on your priority list.
3. Start with one global or long-term goal, then a short-term easy goal, each day. This will make sure you don't avoid the most pressing thing, and also ensure you don't ignore your long-term goals, either.
4. Set a goal for the amount of time to break, eat, and break throughout the day.
5. Don't get side-tracked with items off of your list.

When we instill a sense of discipline into our work day, we get more things done. See if renewing your focus on your peak hours, and by putting your list of things-to-do into the core of that time-frame, you're bound to be more successful.
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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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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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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.

Are you RACIST?

What does it mean to be racist?

Is this really a problem in America, today?

Yes, it is. People close to me have mentioned being VERY upset about affirmative action. Over the past thirty years, many highly qualified people lost their jobs to LESS qualified people because they were the right color. People in that camp are resentful that minorities took their job and feel justified in being racist due to that.

Today, Barrack Obama suggested that we put aside these resentments.

I've also talked to people who told me that they were called "N.......r" just walking down the street. This gentleman worked at a major technology company. I recall him explaining how these threats led him to buy a hand-gun and keep it under his seat in his car! Let's face it: it wasn't so long ago that Billie Holiday sang the song "Strange Fruit" (written about the black man, hanging from a tree). Even Nat King Cole, just one generation ago, drove home to find that "N" word BLEACHED into his LAWN, of all things. African Americans struggle to overcome the feelings from racist comments made about them, or their forefathers, and probably rightfully so.

Barrack Obama suggested that this man put aside his fear. Perhaps he is the best person in the country to make such a suggestion. He also made a suggestion that we put aside reverse-racism and resentments on both sides. Today, a speech was made that might influence improvements between racial dividers for years to come. The speech encouraged people to acknowledge their past, and embrace the future from a higher ground. No matter what our political affiliation, this speech ought to inspire people to dig deeper into their own SELF and consider this candidates plea. Politics aside, are you going to take the speech for what it could mean in your own life?

Are you racist?

All this talk about "he should disown this person" and people who are saying "a black man against a white woman" in this election, is not that, in itself, a bit racist?

Are you racist?

Have you ever put down another person based upon the color of their skin?

Are you racist?

Do you find yourself uncomfortable in the presence of people of different races or cultural backgrounds?

Are you racist?

Are you putting down people based upon your own cultural background and perceived slights towards you by a race other than your own?

Perhaps we are all racist, to some extent.

You know, it is easy to call other people racist. We can only answer that question for our own self.

I've found myself the victim of "reverse-racism" on more than one occasion. I bristle over talk about "putting down the white man" when what did I do? Did I hang, insult, slur, enslave, or treat anyone improperly? I've not treated any of these people who are displaying reverse-racism towards me in a racist way, to my knowledge.

Yet, in spite of this bristling over reverse-racism, I'm not sure I've been perfect, myself.

I've been guilty in the past of making silly jokes or even an improper comment on more than one occasion. I can only ask for forgiveness and hope to do better in the future.

It is about a choice.

For myself, I decided today to renew my decision to NOT be racist to the extent possible within my conscious choice. I've decided not to judge others based upon their skin color. I've decided not to make off-color jokes based upon someone's racial or cultural background. I am choosing the HIGH ROAD, or as Stevie Wonder says, the HIGHER GROUND of rising up to the best self I can be.

Can you do the same? If I fail or fall down, I can only hope you will not judge me. If you fall down, I will do my best to not judge you.

What happens when we judge others?

If you ever judge others and point the finger at someone, have you ever noticed how many fingers are pointing back at you? So few of us are innocent in this matter.

May we all live according to our highest self, stop condeming others, and live out of a spirit of love. Can we move from a land of anger and resentment, to a land of hope, love, acceptance, unity, and courage? Each of us - the choices we make in each moment - can decide if this dream of a future can become reality.

Special link for people seeking to manifest more of their dreams:

Click here to get your own OrangePeel: Vision Board software.

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How To Be Unique

What Makes You Unique?

What really makes you a unique person?

When you think of the simple fact that you're one of billions of human beings walking around on this Earth, consider asking yourself "What small details of your personality, your drive, your love of certain things (or discernment), your own gifts and talents, and other aspects of what defines "you" to the world, and what makes you unique?"

Are you stumped?

You may not be alone. It is sometimes difficult to dig into the crux of what defines us. However, this might be a time to look at what defines you and figure out how to embrace more of those elements.

Now, with many of my posts, I'll "Google" the topic and see what else pops up in my browser.

One of the interesting recurring themes about how people are defining themselves - especially in school - is through the way they dress. Other topics that came up often include "what do we surround ourselves with", such as furnishings, our car, and other external ways to define our look and feel. But I feel that we are unique not just through how we look, but how we feel, what we do, and how we impact other people. Our "look" and our image is just a part; in fact, mostly an external expression of what makes us truly unique individuals.

What we are that makes us unique must be embraced if we are to succeed in creating maximum impact with our life experience.

Four Ways To Be Unique

Here's my list of four ways to be unique:

1. Think and Speak in a unique way.

Frank Sinatra developed a whole way of speaking that became known as "Rat-Pack Speak" through his career. Expressions like "ring-a-ding-ding", "How's your bird?" and quotes like "You gotta love livin', baby, 'cause dyin' is a pain in the ass." Other greats, like John Lennon, were known to give sound-bites to the press. One that probably backfired was when he said "The Beatles Are Bigger Than God." Politicians, too, often make their mark through being unique.

Ronald Reagan was successful largely due to his sense of humor. When his opponent was rattling on about an issue he didn't want to deal with, he simply responded, "Well, there he goes again." People who become famous usually do so through their ability to think different, and then convey that. While your own personally calling may or may not be fame, it is still vital to think and speak in a way that resonates with your spirit and emotes who you truly are in the most unique way possible.

Don't be afraid to take chances. Be you. Be real. Be the person you need to be. What we think, feel, and say ought to be a reflection of our values.

2. Live according to a higher purpose.

Whether it be to have fun, to make the best xyz product, to be the best musician, to create a nurturing home environment for your family, to write a book about your experiences, or any myriad numerous things we may aspire to, the key with our life is to live according to a higher purpose.

What I mean is to live according to your most natural spirit, to embrace the force of life, energy, and being that is within you. This is tricky for many people. If you don't know what this purpose is, I created an e-book about Life Purpose and audio program to help you find it. You can find that at AspireNow's product section.

The key is in the questions we ask of ourselves. If you don't know the questions to ask, you can't get the answer you seek. I just help guide you through the path of questions. So, learn to be a seeker. As written in the Bible, "As you seek, so ye shall find," or something like that.

Are you being you? A terrific woman I know (pictured in Cat In the Hat costume, above-right) is great at dressing up, being a bit silly, and showing kids she teaches how to have more fun.

More Ways To Be Unique

(right: Elvis Live In Hawaii)

3. Your image matters.

THE WAY YOU DRESS CAN DEFINE YOU: Before you yawn and say "So what?" think about this for a minute. Almost everyone who makes it in the music business has a "look" to their band. The Beatles: funny hair and tight-fitting suits with skinny ties. The Who: wild flaring clothes and the original "rock" look. Elvis Presley: when you think of Elvis, do you remember the white suit from the Hawaii/Aloha show the most?

Madonna: her look captured in the movie Desperately Seeking Susan was copied by thousands of girls during the 80's. Johnny Cash: the man in black defined himself through a unique color at the time. Donna Karan, many years later, copied the trick. I recall a DK interview: "I just love black. I look good in black. Who doesn't? Black is both slender and mysterious and a little edgy." After reading that, I upped the amount of black in my wardrobe!


(Left: Geek is chic)

Even business people have a "look" to what they wear. At IBM, it was navy suits, white starched shirts, and a red or blue tie for many years. That worked for them. I've noticed that the quick upstart service firm utilized at Best Buy stores also has a look of black slacks, white short-sleeved shirts, and skinny black ties. This service company started by a savvy marketing man is called "The Geek Squad" and is enjoying phenomenal success. And, the counter-culture also has success by being different in their look and feel: Apple Computer became known for Steve Jobs wearing blue jeans. Years later, Jobs wears jeans with Black Turtlenecks. Again, have a look that says "you" to you and to people who know you, then use it to your fullest.

4. Who do you love?

Have you ever heard the expression: "He was a product of his environment"?

There seems to be a correlation between who we surround ourselves with and what happens in our lives. If you surround yourself with toxic people, you'll probably end up with a dis-ease of some sort. If your friends are mostly negative, you're probably a lot more negative than you realize. If your friends are all about making money, you're probably all about making money, too.

Consider who you surround yourself with. The ole' expression "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree" also holds somewhat true with friends. Thomas Edison, the inventor of the light bulb, was buddies with Henry Ford, the inventor of the model-T Ford car.

(right: My friend, Brian Narelle, who offers groovy cartoons.)

Entrepreneurs like to hang out with other entrepreneurs. Why? Because they like creativity. Musicians, same thing. It is more fun hanging with people who love, play, and appreciate music.
What do you want more of in your life? If you can define that, then you can seek out people DOING that activity or BEING that way! It's as simple as that. Now, another guideline I put in place a few years ago that I recommend to you highly is to seek out those in support of your HIGHEST GOOD. Therefore, if you have a friend in support of your highest good, they probably wouldn't lie to you, steal from you, or otherwise mistreat you.

Makes sense, doesn't it?

Another thing I will add in here as a bonus is that I think it is good to surround yourself only with the possessions you like that make you feel good and reinforce your beliefs. Mine: elegance and simplicity. So, everything I have is designed to be elegant, yet simple. At least, that's the objective. What and who are you surrounding yourself with?

You will discover more about what makes you unique when you seek out others who are also embracing their unique nature.

Do you want to know how I do this myself?

My values: I believe we ought to live large every day. I believe in being honest and sincere in my dealings with others. I believe in laughter - as often as possible. I believe in sharing our ups and downs, but focusing more on the ups. I treat others with respect, so that I may be treated equally. I try to show love in each moment. I take time to balance my life with work, fun, and family moments. I love having fun with my friends and family (pictured left: yours truly).

What I wear: I wear suits for business and jeans with untucked button-down shirts for music and casual wear.

What I drive: (pictured, right) I drive a Toyota Tundra (mostly because I like the way I feel driving it) but I also have received numerous compliments on the way the truck looks. The truck is practical (except for the gas mileage) and being a big guy, I fit in it nicely. It also drives like a car, but rides a little higher on the road. That fits me.

What my house is like: I won't show a picture here, but I can tell you that my style is a mix of modern-eclectic-Italian. I have a blackberry velvet chaise lounge that everyone coos over, a cool bar with pop-up top that has a retro-mirror, lots of wood styles, clean furniture with a minimum of knobs, and a few other odds and ends. It's a beginning of a larger vision of things to come...

Who I surround myself with: I like interesting, funny, creative, and soulful people. I like people who are successful. I find people who have faced challenges more interesting than those born with a spoon in their mouth. Make me laugh, then say something witty and smart, and you'll have my attention. Be respectful and show you're doing something interesting, you'll hold my attention longer. If you demonstrate that you're in support of my highest good, you'll become my friend for a long time. I love spending time with musicians, artists, dancers, entrepreneurs, and highly successful people.

My purpose: I am here to advise leaders. I am here to show we CAN have fun AND be successful at work. I am here to help bring more love into our work. I am here to bring more love into our life. Am I succeeding with you? Please let me know how I can make a difference for you...
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Copyright © 2008 AspireNow. All rights reserved. Want more? Subscribe to the A-Blog.

I Am So Grateful!

Are you grateful?

We often take our life, our job, our vehicle, our health, our family, and our friends for granted.

I've done it myself. But this past Sunday, I experienced a nasty accident on the freeway after hydroplaning through a huge puddle on the freeway. The slippage sent my Toyota Tundra 4x4 spinning, then slamming into the divider embankment. After hitting the embankment, my truck then flipped at least once, maybe twice, and finally came to a rest on the driver's side. It was very strange to find myself sitting there with the engine still running, in a tremendous amount of pain on my left side from slamming into the seat belt door jamb upon both first and last impact.



Upon retrospect, I think I'm quite blessed. You see, my vehicle could have been hit while I was trying to get out of the truck. In addition, I could have been hurt far worse. That Tundra is one very safe truck, I can say now! I feel my truck saw me through this well. But, more than that, I had an Angel over my shoulder.

I am so grateful to be alive today! Considering the damage (over $17,000 - they totaled the truck) it could have turned out different:



Seven reasons I am grateful today:

First, I am grateful for each breath of life.

Second, I am grateful for all the beauty and amazing things in this world and universe.

Third, I am grateful for all of the love from my family and friends. Thank you...

Fourth, I am grateful for my health. This pain in my neck and shoulder is a reminder to always be grateful for good health.

Fifth, I am grateful for everyone I come into contact with - even those who challenge me. Each of you make my life more meaningful. I am grateful for all of the experiences we can share together. Laughter, walks in nature, making music with my saxophone, speaking about blogging or business, writing about ways to improve our life, or just sharing a meal together.

Sixth, I am grateful for the wheels that get me to work and get me places to go.

Last, I am grateful for God, the Spirit which flows through all things, and life itself.

It would have been strange to die... (I'm not finished yet!)

It would have been strange to die last week. I don't think I am ready. It isn't as if I am not right with my maker, or that I haven't lived a good life. Actually, I think I've lived quite well. The reason I say it would have been strange is that I feel I have SO MUCH MORE TO GIVE!

This accident was a blessing in disguise. It was a reminder to be grateful for friends, life, family, and all of my blessings. It was also a reminder to remain focused - or even focus more - on my purpose for being on this planet.

I am here to help advise people how to bring more love into their work, their life, and live their dreams. I am here to provide advice how to do that. If often comes with perspective, asking the right questions, and then going down the natural path that comes from the answers to those questions.

If you are not being grateful for your blessings, take it from me: gratitude is the right attitude!

Each day, we get a new sun, to greet with a smile - if we choose to:



It is our choice to choose an attitude of gratitude for life, for love, for all of the beauty and good things in the world.

If you are grateful, send me a comment and let me know why. Thanks for reading my words today. Please feel free to share them with your friends if you're touched by any of these stories.

I am so grateful for the opportunity to be here to share this with you!
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Copyright © 2008 AspireNow. All rights reserved. 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/
******
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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.
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Online Self Help Experts

Are you a life coaching expert? If you're providing self-help, coaching, dating and relationship advice, motivational speaking, financial advice, and things of this nature, you are invited to join my AspireNow Self Help Expert Coaching network at Plaxo!

The criteria to join the self help expert coaching network is:

1. You've been providing coaching on a paid basis for more than three (3) years.
2. You speak professionally either online, on the radio, or on TV.
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Also, make sure that you do not spam the group - it is really important that we moderate and keep comments focused on coaching. Aside from that, if you like the group, make sure you CONNECT with me at Plaxo, too, so we can join our networks!
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Energizing The Earth

There is so much attention around Global Warming, and rightfully so, that there is a concern that other environmental issues are getting swept under the geo-political landscape. People are so focused on Global Warming, and I'm glad this issue has heated up; however, we need to be looking at how the we power the Earth, as a whole.

Earth Day: Only .03% Attention

Earth Day is usually in April, one day out of the year. But this focus is too minuscule to matter. 1/365 is less than .03% of our time! We need EVERY day to be Earth Day. Every day ought to be a day we focus on improving our Earth and creating a better way of life.

It is true that if you're talking about an environmental issue in a group of a dozen people, it is inevitable that the conversation will shift to Global Warming almost every time. I have a group of musician and dancer friends who are very interested in global issues. The last time we gathered, sure enough, someone brought up an environmental rant and within two minutes four of them were in full-fledged Global Warming debate.

Can you relate?

But the bigger concern, from my perspective, isn't just Global Warming. Global Warming, to me, seems like a subset of the bigger picture question facing our future needs: energizing the Earth.

How do we energize the earth?

It is important that we, as people inhabiting our Earth, consider ALL issues that might impact this planet, and try to minimize them. So much attention is focused on carbon dioxide emissions and the effect of greenhouse gases that people are forgetting about equally important issues surrounding mercury, nuclear waste, and other concerns.

I challenge the scientists probing for energy breakthroughs to find a way to power our Earth from the solar system, rather than from natural resources within our Earth. Energizing the Earth from natural, renewable sources ought to be the Earth's primary focus, right now. Why? Because we cannot continue to drill out all the oil, mine all the coal, and build any more nuclear waste sites. After all, how many years does it take for a nuclear site to become non-toxic? We're talking generations.

To me, the water is as important as air we breathe. In fact, water may, in some places, be even more important. If we cannot get pure water to drink, we run the risk of disease, poor health, and many other issues as vital to breathing unpolluted air.

Solutions to help us Energize the Earth:

1. We need to focus on harnessing natural Earth energy as much as possible:

air, solar, water, volcanic, etc.

2. We need to minimize power sources and fuel sources that put waste into our air, water, forests, and earth. By these, I mean coal, natural gas, oil, and nuclear. Is growth, at all costs, worth it? Is it worth risking another Chernobyl-type meltdown? We need to make WISER decisions regarding our planet and stop seeing ourselves, as human beings, as superior beings who can take and use the Earth at our discretion.

Does Global Warming Matter?

This seems to be a question of debate, still, for many people. To me, you only need look at the facts of global warming and you can quickly see that we must reduce gases and pollution in our atmosphere.

Taking a Stand

People need to TAKE A STAND against adding more nuclear and coal-powered plants. One group, Billionaires For Coal, recently took a stand against TXU, a company planning 11 new coal-powered plants in Texas. In an article by Tara Lohan of Alternet.org, the Billionaires For Coal activists sent suitcases filled with coal to Merrill Lynch, Citigroup, and Morgan Stanley, the three firms bankrolling the multi-billion dollar project. The statement to the bankers is simple: stop being stupid over corporate greed!

Legislating Future Plants

The banks need to become more responsible in projects they will finance. If they simply took coal and nuclear off the map (most likely through government regulation), this would force the banks and energy companies to redirect their efforts to Energize the Earth with more natural, sustainable energy production methods.

More Advanced Solar Plants In Deserts

If we know we can create an energy plant that will make our air more healthy, then that is the plant we ought to build. If we know we can build shipping vessels that put less waste into the ocean, then those are the vessels we ought to build. PERIOD. The most logical source of power in the form of renewable energy (at least, in all practical meaning of the word "renewable") is SOLAR. One suggestion is to create a massive solar grid in major desert locations, then redirect this power into the grid that fuels power-consumption across the planet. If we put as much money into the development of renewable solar cell energy and solar plants as we did into making war with other countries, it would seem this alternative would be far more possible far more quickly.

3. We need to rid our dependence upon oil as the fuel for automobiles and convert this to air. We need the oil companies to lead this charge.

Compressed Air?

I'm a believer that compressed air may be a solution. (See http://aspirenow.blogspot.com/2007/11/how-important-is-global-warming.html for more on the importance of this concern.)

Methane from Microbes: Killing Two Birds With One Stone

An article just published today at http://www.physorg.com/ indicates that methane from Microbes could provide a clean, renewable energy source and use up carbon dioxide in the process. More information about clean and renewable energy is coming out all the time. If we could produce clean and renewable energy AND use up carbon dioxide, this would kill two birds with one stone. So, some type of source of energy, either compressed air, or methane from Microbes, needs to be developed and utilized in ALL automobiles as soon as possible.

4. We need to look for natural energy sources within our solar system. Perhaps energy from Jupiter might be a solution? The red spot is supposed to have anti-cyclone energy of some type.

Harnessing Other Galactic Energy?

Perhaps there is a way to harness that energy? I'm not a scientist, just an observer who happens to think "what if" scenarios about the information I learn. I'm curious to learn more about this developing potential source of energy. If you have information regarding harnessing space energy, please comment/forward the URL.

Yes, Global warming matters.

I continue to find evidence of an increase in real, measurable impact that directly results from an increase in human-related activities influencing our planet. I discussed this more in my "How Important Is Global Warming" post in November, 2007.

What are your thoughts on environmental issues? Do these relate to life purpose and living with more love, to you?

1 Billion Points of Light

There is another way we can energize the Earth, that often is not talked about. This is not physical energy, but spiritual energy. The idea put forth by former President George H. W. Bush of "1,000 points of light" is ridiculous, when you consider there are now BILLIONS of people living on Earth! We need to think in terms of "1,000,000,000 points of light!"

As we focus more and more on the aspects of improving our Earth and the life around us what we need is a continual state of prayer, focused on more love, more benefit for the Earth. If 1,000,000,000 people were praying, focusing their thoughts and intentions upon better, natural, renewable energy for the Earth, my feeling is that our scientists would find their solutions quicker. Oil companies would release their death-grip on the planet and start to act responsibly towards the planet's future. Government agencies would take stronger stands. Corporations would be focused on the big picture, rather than short-term greed.

Entrepreneurs: You are called to develop advanced companies with new technology to create a healthier planet. We need you now more than ever. It is with this perspective that we can transform our planet and truly create a sustainable global footprint for the future.

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Resources related to this article:

An Inconvenient Truth
Amazon Price: $17.98 List Price: $29.99

Miracles for the Earth
Amazon Price: $11.49 List Price: $19.95

NOVA - Magnetic Storm
Amazon Price: $11.00 List Price: $19.95

Quatermass (1979)
Amazon Price: $8.40 List Price: $39.95

Saving Earth - Energy from the High Frontier
Amazon Price: $12.95 List Price: $12.95
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This article is written by Scott Andrews, Founder of AspireNow. Copyright 2007. All rights reserved. You may republish this article only AS A COMPLETE WHOLE with ENTIRE LINKS and copyright messages attached.

To read more articles like this, subscribe to the A-Blog.