Day 40 of PURPOSE – What is the Meaning of Life?

-One of our members just sent me an email attached with a quote by, Ralph Waldo Emerson, "What lies behind us and what lies in front of us....pales in significance when compared to what lies within us." I can't imagiine a day going by where I don't experience the vitality that lies within all of us.

- Or Helen Keller, "Life is a Daring adventure or Nothing at All." Its amazing how the adventure only comes to the one who is open to it.

-And (source unknown), "Our deepest Fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond belief." I could not live another day without knowing that this power is my birthright.

-Joy, Freedom, expansion, vitality, exhilaration, adventure. Call it what you want to call it, or just call it LIFE. The meaning of life is that which we give it. And the real meaning comes from the decision we make to give it meaning. The meaning I've given to my life is to help people bring the magic back into their lives and to help them believe that they are worthy of it. I can't imagine something that is more important and that has more meaning to me than this. I came to the decision today that for me there is no such thing as not working. Because if my work leads me to joy, and if joy leads me to my work, than I am the most fortunate person on the planet. Why would I want a day off from being inspired. And its not just professional settings where I can bring magic into others lives, its social settings, and personal settings as well. For me, I've decided, why should work and play be separate. If we are all one in the universe, then I must be one with my work and my life. So, if someone asks me if I'm going to work today, I just assume respond 'I'm going to create magic. Today.' When Earl Campbell said, “Follow your Bliss,” I took him literally. I'm reminded of a meeting we had recently with a personal friend whose grandfather is one of the most successful people in the world. He is 86 now and they said he's starting to cut back on his work; he only comes into the office 6 days a week now instead of 7. Now there is someone who is following his bliss and no one can stand in judgment, not now or forever. After all, what is balance? It's just someone else’s interpretation of the meaning of their life.

Tell us about following your Bliss! It's different for every person.

Day 39 of PURPOSE – Have Fun!

Fridays are notoriously fun, happy days. So, here is an incentive for you to have an all- time awesome weekend. Check this out.

Day 38 of PURPOSE – Just Play

A would be composer walked up to Mozart one day and said, "How can I learn to Compose symphonies as you do?" Mozart looked at the man and said, "You are still young yet, why don't you start by learning vignettes." The young man looked at Mozart and said, "Yes, but you started writing symphonies when you were nine years old!!" Mozart looked at him and said, "Yes, but I never had to ask anyone how to do it." Mozart wasn't responding from a place of judgment or inflation, rather, he was being honest with the young man. Mozart's genius came not from just himself, but came from his ability to access all the infinite wisdom that is available to, all of us, in the universe at any given time. We reach a point where what were writing, what were speaking, what were composing, doesn't just come from what we know, but rather, it comes from a place of deep knowingness that exists within us, that can only be captured by connecting with all that exists outside of us. A friend of mine told me yesterday, that when we pray we are asking, BUT, when we meditate we are listening. Listening, means PAYING ATTENTION to all the signs around you that are guiding you to your full potential self. I suspect that Mozart was able to pay attention a little more than the rest of us. I guess in the end Mozart could look at the keys and 'Just Play.' Do you remember a situation in your life where you could 'Just Play?' Something that just came to you and you couldn't explain how? BLOG about it!

Tune in for tomorrow's teleconference on 'The Entire Secret.' You will be blown away by the process we discuss for ACTUALLY altering limiting beliefs that you have in your subconscious mind. You will get an overview of how to change these beliefs instantly!

Day 37 of PURPOSE – Turning Points

This should take you by surprise. Jim Collins, author of best selling book, 'Good to Great' was a student of the same course that I was, called 'Creativity in Business.' In this course, taught by Stanford Professor, Michale Ray we utilized a technique called heuristics, also known as 'live withs.' This experience turned out to be a major turning point in both Jim Collin's life as well as mine. The purpose of heuristics is to 'live with' a certain mindset day in and day out for an entire week. We chose a different 'live with' each week and tracked our experiences over a 12 week period. The way we tracked our experiences was by BLOGGING. This enabled all of us in the course to write about and share our experiences with one another. Its amazing how 12 hours a day, we can do one thing, WORK, and forget about the most important thing, OUR LIFE. In our current course on 'The Secret' we call this exercise of heuristics '2nd Life.' This week each of us is supposed to be practicing a certain 'live with.' My '2nd life' commitment is to Live with Vitality this week. What is yours? My experience today was that I decided to spend two hours down by the harbor returning phone calls. I chose the harbor because at sunset this is where I feel most connected and in spirit with the Universe. Would you believe that those two hours were the most productive part of my day. It is now 11 PST as I write this to you and I still feel the vitality. If it helped Jim Collins write a best seller and it works for me, you might consider implementing this method. It could be YOUR TURNING POINT!

Decide on your 'live with' and BLOG about it. 23 hrs and 55 minutes of doing and 5 minutes of reflection. That’s all it takes!

Day 36 of PURPOSE - Discover True Power

What is true Power? When is the last time you truly felt that energy within you? A quote that has stuck with me is "The vast majority of men live lives of quiet desperation" What does it feel like to stand out there on the edge and say, nothing is impossible for me! To stare fear in the eye every morning and resolve that greatness will get the best of you. To come face to face with failure, and know that faith will always prevail. Have you gone far enough out there beyond the limitations of your mind to access the infinite wisdom within you? Are you ready to be steadfast on your journey to greatness? I have created seven steps to the Law of Attraction and realizing your true power.

1. Know your burning desire

2. Connect with the seventh plane

3. Identify your limiting beliefs

4. Transform those beliefs

5. Command your desire

6. The Universe Responds

7. Receive with Gratitude

Anything short of these seven steps will not unlock your true power.

Day 35 of PURPOSE - Discover 'The Entire Secret'

Have you wondered why you are putting 'The Secret' to work and you are not achieving maximum results? Now, is the time to discover 'The Entire Secret.' Guess where 85% of your thoughts are coming from? The subconscious mind! Guess where your limiting beliefs are stored? The subconscious mind. Guess how much more powerful your subconscious mind is than your conscious mind? 30,000 Times more powerful!! So check this out, the majority of the time you may be articulating through your conscious mind what you desire, but 85% of the time the actions you take are coming from your subconscious mind. And if the actions that you are taking are based upon a belief structure that is limiting, what do you think the end result is going to be? Limiting your full potential. What I have created to maximize your results, is a seven step process to The Law of Attraction." One of the most important steps is identifying your beliefs that are limiting you and then changing those beliefs. There is actually a thorough process that I use to change these limiting beliefs, but the process can change these beliefs instantly. It will blow your mind! On this Friday we will be providing an overview of how this process works.

In the mean time, based on last Friday's call we have created an exercise we call '2nd Life'. On the call, you identified a feeling or quality that you wanted to have as a result of the new inspiring belief you created. Examples of this feeling may be Peace, Passion, Love, Joy, Happiness etc. Your 2nd Life commitment is, "I will live every moment possible this week in a state of (the feeling that you selected). The key to making this feeling a reality is to write about the experiences you are encountering, while implementing your 2nd life commitment. Write about it on the BLOG!

iMAPP—Discussion on ‘The SECRET’

Two Farmers desperately needed rain for their fields but only one went out and prepared the field. Guess who got rain? Which one are you?

=>Would you sell your Passion for A Billion Dollars? What’s your BELIEF about this? 22 year old CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg is the kid who turned down a billion dollars. “If you sell your company that is the EXIT. That’s just not how we THINK about it.”

=>Creating Inspiring Beliefs in your life:
- Make a list of all the ‘limiting beliefs’ you have in your life (ex. I’m not good enough, I can’t do that, I never win, only rich people are happy)
- Make a list of all the ‘inspiring beliefs’ you want to have in your life. (I am happy, I am the ideal person, I am attractive, I love my work)
- Circle one from each List. One you want to get rid of and one you want to keep

=>What is the feeling or Quality that you want to have in your life? (ex. Peace, Joy, Love, Passion) Why don’t you have it right now?

=>Living the next 7 days Inspired and Witnessing your results
- When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change

Check this out- Course on Business Innovation

CHECK THIS OUT! We have just created a course on business innovation. I don't care if you're an entrepreneur, a corporate executive, a teacher, an assistant, or a student. To reach a certain level of success you have to hear about what successful people and successful companies are doing. My partner, Moe Abdou, will be leading the course. I consider him to be one of the great innovative minds of our time, a leader in his own right, a pioneer, and a visionary. He will uncover and share with you leading edge innovations in the business world and work with you to implement these ideas into your lives, both personally and professionally. The format will be 30 minutes of Moe sharing ideas and 30 minutes of collaboration. Imagine, at the end of this four week course, one hour per week, you will be sharper than 99.9999% of the people you work with and surround yourself with. You'll be approaching your partner, boss, or spouse by saying, 'Have you ever looked at it from this perspective' because that’s what innovators do; they view the world from a different lens. Couple this course on business growth, with our current course on personal growth, and what kind of progress you think you will be making in your life. Amazing Power! All your time spent flipping through magazines for the latest idea, can now be covered in just one hour a week. The course start date isn't set yet. We are currently hosting our Discussion group on 'The Secret' and ‘The Law of Attraction" and will take that into consideration from a time perspective. Respond with you thoughts on our Blog and respond to this email if you think the course is a good idea.

Question: Considering our current Course is on Spirituality and Personal Fulfillment, How do you think Spirituality can have an impact in your professional life and vice versa? BLOG ABOUT IT! Jim Collins Says, 'To have a meaningful life, you must have meaningful work, and to have meaningful work, you must have a meaningful life."

Day 33 of PURPOSE – Discover yourself

Oprah recently shared her Daily prayer with the world, therefore we thought we would share a meditation process that can help bring more and more joy to everyone’s life. On our blog recently, a group of us have been talking about implementing a powerful meditation process in our lives, so here is one that I have found to be invaluable:

Imagine energy coming up though the bottom of your feet from the center of the earth and going up out of the top of your head as a beautiful ball of light. You are in this ball of light. Take time to notice what color it is. Now imagine going up above the universe. Now imagine going into the light above the universe, it is a big beautiful light. Imagine going up through the light and you will see another bright light, and another, and another, in fact there are many bright lights. Keep going. Between the lights is a little bit of dark light, but this is just a layer before the next light, so keep going. Finally there is a great big bright light. Go through it. When you go through it, you're going to see an energy, a jell-o-like substance, that has all the colors of the rainbow in it. When you go into it, you see that it changes colors. This is the Laws. You will see all kinds of shapes and colors. In the distance there is a white iridescent light; it is a hit-blue color like a pearl. Head for that light. Avoid the Deep blue, light because this is the law of magnetism. As you get closer, you may see a mist of pink color. Keep going until you see it. This is the Law of Compassion and it will push you into the special place. You will see that the pearlescent light is the shape of the rectangle, like a window. This window is really the opening to the Seventh plane. Now go through it. Go deep within it. See a deep whitish glow go through your body. Feel it, it feels light, but it has essence. You can feel it going through you; its as if you can no longer feel the separation between your own body and energy. You become "All That Is". Don't worry. Your Body will not disappear. It will become perfect and healthy. Remember there is just energy here, not people or things. So if you see people, go higher. It is from this place, that the "Creator of all that Is" can do healings that will heal instantly and that you can create in all aspects of your life.
After you go through this process you will feel that feeling of CONNECTEDNESS that you have been searching for. Join the conversation on the BLOG.

Day 32 of PURPOSE – Core Beliefs

Modern Science is coming out of the imperialism of its own dark ages and is now exploring the possibilities of power through thought. If we can send a microwave through the air that permits us to communicate with cell phones; It stands to reason that our brain can act in a similar way. Thoughts have real substance. A thought that you think over and over again becomes a belief. Did you know that beliefs actually go back generations? Sure you did, but did you know scientifically that within your DNA, is genetic memory that goes back at least seven generations. You're not just physical, you're also mental and spiritual energy as well. So, as we continue to talk about matching our beliefs with our desires to manifest what we are wanting, this is just the beginning. The process isn't that simple. However, as we get into the advanced stages of this course we will introduce a meditation process called ThetaHealing, which will help you modify your 'core beliefs' that are holding you back. Until then, tell us about your beliefs that may be holding you back. Join the conversation on the BLOG.

Day 31 of PURPOSE – What do you want?

What do you Want? We recently started a course and a discussion group on 'The Secret' and The Law of Attraction. Often times our daily conversations can be trivial and inconsequential. I sense that there are dormant forces in the human spirit that long desire meaningful and passionate conversations. Sometimes in trying to communicate what we want, we find ourselves with a desire that is ineffable "incapable of being expressed in words." However, we always know what we are feeling. Do you often find yourself, knowing what you are feeling, but not knowing what you are wanting? If you often find yourself in this situation, do you think that your clients are facing a similar obstacle to explaining to you what they truly desire. For as far back as we can remember, writing has been the creative gateway to expressing and discovering our desires. One does not have to be a poet, a journalist, or an author, you just have to think...................................................... think about what you are feeling, ponder it, explore it, write it and act on it. What do you want? Share it with others, invite your clients, and join the discussion.

Day 30 of PURPOSE – Identity Crisis

What do you do? Stop and think for a moment - you're standing in line at starbucks, having a great conversation with the person in front of you, when she asks you what you do? How do you respond - Are you a Financial Advisor? A mortgage professional? A Financial Planner? An entrepreneur? I could go on and on, I think you get the picture. I've often wondered why so many of us continue to be obsessed with job titles. Do you think people care more about what you do OR who you are?

Think of your heros; why were you drawn to them? Was it their job description or the difference they made in the world. When Bill Gates said that he would put a computer on every desk, he didn't simply create software; he changed the very nature of work. When Pierre Omidyar created E-bay, he didn't create an online person-to- person trading community; he created an entirely new marketplace, then added a bank, Paypal. Then a communication device, Skype. Today, E-bay has 180 million registered users, growing at 35% a year.

So what ideas are you fighting for? What’s your BIG purpose that will make the world a better place? Think about it and the next time someone asks you what you do - Answer why you do it instead. Happy weekend!

Day 29 of PURPOSE – Preserve The Core

I had a really inspiring conversation this afternoon discussing the topic of vision. I've always found this topic very intriguing because it is probably one of the least understood-yet most critical-concepts for building any great business. This is one topic that I can't discuss without referring to the great management thinker, Jim Collins. Not only did Jim teach us to embrace Big Hairy Audacious Goals, more importantly, he introduced us to the "preserve the core/stimulate progress" concept.

"The most enduring and successful corporations distinguish their timeless core values and enduring core purpose {which should never change} - from their operating practices and business strategies {which should be changing constantly in response to a changing world}. In truly great companies, change is a constant, but not the only constant. They understand the difference between what should never change and what should be open for change, between what is truly sacred and what is not. And by being clear about what should never change, they are better able to stimulate and progress in everything else."

Do you know what is core, and what is not?

Day 28 of PURPOSE – Straight from the Heart

One idea can change your life. And one person with the passion to serve, share and inspire can change the world. Thank you, Kevin Brunner for sharing your philosophy and your purpose. You're no ordinary 'financial advisor', and as you stated, your words and the words in this short video clip speak volumes for who you are and what you stand for. I urge everyone to read Kevin's blog post from yesterday and share this clip with anyone you truly care about.

Day 27 of PURPOSE – Never lose Faith!

If you had the opportunity to see the movie, Facing the Giants; I bet, you too were inspired by the power of faith. The story is about a high school football coach who, in his six years, never led his team to a winning season. When faced with seemingly insurmountable professional and personal crises, the idea of giving up has never come easier. It's only after an unexpected visitor challenges him to trust in the power of faith that he discovers the strength to persevere.

The defining moment in the movie came when the coach challenged his players to discuss 'The purpose of the team.' As expected, most felt that winning football games was the team's top priority; yet the coach challenged them to dig deeper. "It's not about You", he remarked, "You're playing for God." Thinking about our quest for purpose, I started to ponder the incredible power behind that statement - our day 1 of purpose. What would happen if each of us really shifted our perspective. How far can we go if we stopped thinking about closing that sale, and we started focusing on those we truly serve. Might our results change?

Day 26 of PURPOSE –Change the world!

The TED conference is one of the most remarkable and empowering gatherings on the planet. It takes place once a year in Monterey, CA and brings together more than 1000 of the most influential thought-leaders in Technology, Entertainment and Design ...... for four days of learning, laughter, and inspiration.

Each year TED honors three individuals who have shown that they can, in some way, positively impact life on the planet. The TED Prize, grants these individuals with one WISH to change the world. The winners may wish for anything and the TED community works together to make their wish come true. This year, former President Bill Clinton was one of the winners and courtesy of TED, here is the unedited version of his inspiring WISH. Please give a listen and share by clicking on the email link below.

Day 25 of PURPOSE – Room to Read

On Wednesday John Wood was a guest on the Oprah Winfrey show. Woods is the founder of a remarkable organization, Room to Read, which strives to provide children access to education. In 1998, John was an 'overworked Microsoft executive looking for the quiet solitude of a trekking vacation." While backpacking in Himalayas, John was invited to visit a school in a neighboring village, Nepal; little did he know that this short detour would change his life forever.

At the school, John came face to face with the harsh reality confronting millions of Nepalese children - very little resources; no opportunities to learn and most importantly, no books to read. As John left the village that day, the school headmaster made a simple request: "perhaps, sir, you will some day come back with books." His request inspired John to return home and begin an email campaign to friends and family asking for help in collecting books. Within 2 month, 3,000 books arrived. John returned to Nepal to deliver the books and made the decision to leave his executive position at Microsoft in order to devote himself to starting a new non-profit with a belief that "World Change Starts Educated Children." Room to Read has been a winner of Fast Company's Social Capitalists Award every year since The magazine and The Monitor Group began the Awards in 2004. I invite each of you to scan the Room to Read web site to get a glimpse of how one's person living his purpose, can change the world. Happy weekend.

Day 24 of PURPOSE – Oprah's Prayer

Oprah's one of the most amazing people on the planet and truly one of my heros. Her contributions to the world are without peer and her example inspires millions each day. My wife, Sherry, shared with me Oprah's daily prayer and I loved it and wanted to share with each of you:

Dear God,
I give this day to you.
May my mind stay centered on the things of spirit.
May I not be tempted to stray from love.
As I begin this day, I open to receive You.
Please enter where you already abide.
May my mind and heart be pure and true, and may I not deviate from the things of goodness.
May I see the love and innocence in all mankind, behind the masks we all wear and the illusions of this worldly plan.
I surrender to You my doings this day.
I ask only that they serve You and the healing of the world.
May I bring Your love and goodness with me, to give unto others wherever I go.
Make me the person You would have me to be.
Direct my footsteps, and show me what You world have me do.
Make the world a more safer, more beautiful place.
Bless all your creatures.
Heal us all, and use me, dear Lord, that I might know the joy of being used by You.
Amen.

Day 23 of PURPOSE – Happiness

Do you know what makes you happy? As you stop and ponder this question, you may close your eyes and begin to visualize a new luxury car, a vacation in Paris, a sumptuous meal, or that perfect relationship. However, when you project yourself into the future like this, you're likely to make a predictable set of errors. In his truly fascinating book, Stumbling on Happiness, Daniel Gilbert, professor of psychology at Harvard University discovers that "When we try to predict what will make us happy, we're often wrong. Research all over the world find the same predictable errors, whether the pursuit involves romance, a new car, or a sumptuous meal."

Happiness; therefore, is never as good as we imagine it to be and it never lasts as long as we think it will. But the same also holds true for unhappiness. So what's the secret to a happy life? According to Gilbert, start with the fact that happiness is not a permanent possession. It's a state that you move in and out of. "The fact that you're not always happy is not a problem, so don't look for a solution when there is no problem." he recommends.

Next, develop your own philosophy of happiness. " Look at your own life, and ask what has brought you the most Joy. Most times the answer lies in people, in friends and family. It comes mainly from relationships, not from stuff." He notes.
Finally, look to others who have already made the decisions you face. "Try to honestly figure out how happy they are." How's that for perspective!

Day 22 of PURPOSE – use your ‘story’

In the winter of 1961, 7 year-old Howard Schultz, founder and Chairman of Starbucks, was throwing snowballs with friends outside his family's apartment building in the federally subsidized Bayview Housing Projects in Brooklyn. "Howard, come inside," his mother yelled down from their 7th floor apartment. "Dad had an accident." What followed would shape him for the rest of his life. He found his father in a full-leg cast, after falling on a sheet of ice and breaking his ankle. As a result, he lost his job-and the family's medical benefits. Schultz's mother couldn't go to work because she was 7 month pregnant.

"I was surrounded by people who were working hand-to-mouth trying to pay the bills, who felt like there was no hope and they just couldn't get a break. That's something that never leaves you-never." His past influenced his whole approach to shaping, and leading a company. "I wanted to build the kind of company my father never had a chance to work for." Today, Starbucks employs 145,000 people, all of whom earn more than minimum wage, receive stock options, and get health-care benefits. Can you look back to one particular incident that inspires change?

Day 21 of PURPOSE – A Brand new thought!

"We absolutely love this piece by Cisco. It captures the future of human networks and the essence of iEvolution. Enjoy and please share!"