Jeff Goins's Blog, page 54

055: Losing Your Life to Find It: Interview with Eric Bryant [Podcast]

We graduate college entitled to a career getting paid for our passions. Reality requires a bit more humility than most of us are willing to offer.

Discovering our calling is an exercise in understanding where our skills and passions intersect with a significant need. Long-term success is found by first identifying a need and searching for the solution rather than crafting a solution and imposing it on others. No one likes to be told they have a problem.

In this episode of The Portfolio Life, author and speaker, Eric Bryant, and I talk about the relationship between community and calling, a counterintuitive approach to discover a dream, and the best way to create a better future.

Listen in as we dive into the dying art of apprenticeship, the blinding effect of self-obsession, and fostering the freedom to try.

Listen to the podcast

To listen to the show, click the player below (If you’re reading this via email, please click here).

You can also listen via iTunes or on Stitcher.

A calling is not a singular event

When we see someone on TV, pick up a New York Times best-seller, or hear the latest chart-topping song, it’s easy to think these successes happened overnight. Nothing is further from the truth. Achieving greatness is the result of tenacious focus and hard work over time.

The same rules apply to your calling. A true calling isn’t discovered in a single moment of inspiration, but rather is developed along the journey through grit, self-awareness, and humility. A sense of significant is the result of serving others with your craft, however that is manifested.

One thing Eric said during our conversation has stuck with me. He explained that pride is the enemy of purpose and will cloud the quest to find a calling. According to Eric, pride is manifested in two ways:

We think too highly of ourselves
We think too lowly of ourselves

The key concept in this hyperbole is we are thinking of ourselves in both cases. A calling is an exercise in learning from others and looking for signs in the world around us to provide direction and opportunities to serve within our natural bent.

Eric advises those chasing a dream to volunteer at an organization they want to align with and work themselves into a paying job. Historically, this was called an apprenticeship. People worked for free under the supervision of a master (or journeyman) until they gained the required skill and built a reputation worth paying for.

While not everyone has the freedom to risk so much, anyone can pursue their passion on the side and discover their calling in the process. A calling takes everything you’ve done up to a certain point and turns into preparation.

Show highlights

In this episode, Eric and I discuss:

What it feels like to find your calling
A key element to discovering your life’s work many overlook
The historic practice to determine what you were made to do
How community plays a significant role in providing clarity
The relationship between self-obsession and self-awareness
Why pride is hyperbolic when we think of ourselves
What viewpoint makes everything look like failure
A mindset shift we can practice to create more opportunities
Three ways to fail to set yourself up for success
Why understanding a need comes first
How to build something new while staying faithful to the old
The counterintuitive method to finding your dream
Which great leaders were willing to work with people who might let them down

Quotes and Takeaways

“Our callings aren’t simply answered, but developed through trial and error.”
Self-obsession does not lead to self-awareness
“We come to some sense of calling through the context of community.”
“Everything looks like failure in the middle.”
“Too often we let circumstances dictate what decisions we make.”
Serial starts can rob you of long-term success
Volunteer where you want to work and hustle so hard they hire you.
It’s okay to find an idea, chase it, and fail.
“The reason we are born is to not give up.”
“Fail early, fail often, and fail inexpensively.”
If you want to get paid to do what you love you have to show the world that you’re worth it.
Serve someone else’s dream until you find yours.

Resources

Eric’s blog
A Fruitful Life: Becoming Who You Were Created to Be by Dr. Eric Michael Bryant
The Art of Work

Are you living a fruitful life? Have you developed your calling? Share in the comments

Your Mistakes Don’t Define You, They Teach You

Sometimes, I even amaze myself at how many things I can screw up in a short amount of time.

Photo Credit: waynerd via Compfight cc

Just the other day, a friend pointed out I had inadvertently plagiarized his work on my blog. He was beyond gracious about it, but I was mortified.

Less than a week before that infraction, I realized I had, once again unintentionally, blown off someone I respected through an email mishap that made me look like a royal jerk.

And not quite a month ago, I miscommunicated with another friend, inviting him to come speak at an event I was hosting, only to realize he came a week early due to an unclear text message.

Now, you might see these as completely understandable misunderstandings and oversights. And you would be right. But one after another makes me want to throw in the towel. Little mistakes like these add up, running into each other like dominos, making me feel like a total amateur.

Am I the only one who experiences this?

You have a good week and before you can get a big head about yourself, something goes terrible wrong and reminds you of how perfectly imperfect you are? I think these times, as difficult as they can be, are essential to our growth.

No stranger to stupid

I am no stranger to stupid mistakes. I wrote the book on messing things up, royally (okay, not really, but that book would sell like crazy).

If you were somehow misled by the veneer of a well-designed website, let me set the record straight for you: I don’t have my stuff figured out.

I am often late to meetings, disappointing the ones I love, and regretting dumb things I say. I wish it weren’t this way, but no matter how hard I try, I sometimes just can’t get it right. As my sister likes to say, “Sometimes, I suck at life.”

Don’t get me wrong, though. This isn’t a pity party. I am not resigned to my mistakes; I believe I can grow. This is just me being real and an invitation into the truth.

Because, I think, sometimes we all suck at life.

We all fall short, we all betray our consciences and let down those who matter most to us. And these things are not okay. But they are also not the end of the story.

Our struggles don’t define us. But they can help us grow.

Our struggles don't define us. But they can help us grow.Click To Tweet
The lessons of failure

When I have a week or even a month like the one I had lately, I’m reminded of a few things:

Failure means I’m still alive. When I die and go to heaven, things will be perfect. Until then, I will be surrounded by imperfect, especially my own. The good news in this is that it means I’m not dead.
Failure means there’s room to grow. I don’t know about you, but I hate the feeling like I’ve stagnated or plateaued. And I love the exhilaration of learning a new skill or growing at something.
Failure means I’m human. We don’t like talking about our failures very much, but I believe it’s the one thing we have in common with everyone. Remembering this, even sharing my struggles, is a great way to connect with my humanity (and with others who can relate).

I think we sometimes misunderstand failure. We think our mistakes either don’t matter or we believe that they define us. Neither of these is true.

The truth is with every shortcoming, we can learn something. We can grow. We can become more of the people we were born to be, instead of merely the shadow of a true self. And along the way, may we encounter the grace that keeps us going.

So that’s where I’ll leave this. Sometimes, I suck at life. I screw up relationships and miss deadlines and fail to keep it together. If you resonate with this, if you want to join this chorus of imperfection, I invite you to do so below in the comments.

Who knows? Maybe in sharing your struggle, you’ll give someone else permission to do the same.

How have you recently fallen short lately? Share in the comments.

054: How to Find Your Work That Matters: Farnoosh Brock Interview [Podcast]

We all want to feel significant, like our work really matters. We want to do things we love with people we care about. Essentially, we want to live a prolific life.

But what does it take to live such a life? Do you really have a choice where you live and work and who you spend time with? How can you practically pursue your calling with the limited time and resources you have?

The answers are simple, but not easy.

In today’s episode of The Portfolio Life, Farnoosh Brock and I wrestle with these questions and talk about the meaning of a holistic life, how an awakening experience pushed her off the edge into entrepreneurship, and the risky decision most of us make daily.

Listen to the podcast

To listen to the show, click the player below. (If you’re view in email, click here).

You can also listen at iTunes or on Stitcher.

Key mindset shifts of prolific living

Any substantial change requires a change in mindset. We must shift how we think about our work. Adapting what we believe about ourselves equips us to realize what we hope to achieve.

Mindset shifts begin with giving yourself permission to explore and fail. Overnight successes do not exist. Once you’ve discovered your calling, the next step is to define the gap between your current state and your calling. What skills and resources do you need to bridge the gap?

What I find compelling about Farnoosh’s story is how she dabbled in blogging on the side, yet never considered it more than a hobby. After attending a conference where online writing icons from ProBlogger and Copyblogger made an appearance, Farnoosh was left with a nagging sense of envy.

This envy and the question “If they can do it, why not me?” pushed her to consider transforming a blogging hobby into a business. Farnoosh recognized she was disenchanted with a corporate life that stood in stark contrast to the prolific life she desired. She took a leap and never looked back.

Self-awareness and listening to your calling can lead to places you never imagined.

Show highlights

In this episode, Farnoosh and I discuss:

What it means to live as a holistic person
Abundance as an attribute of prolific living.
The sad result of a relentless pursuit of money and success
The dangers of ignoring the path made for you
The power of envy to motivate us in the right direction
How risk has shifted and the most dangerous thing you can do
Making iterative moves to pursue prolific projects on the side
Encountering an identity crisis after sacrificing corporate success and security
Why a prolific approach leads to increased breakthroughs and frequent growth spurts
What it takes to push through periods of plateau
Essential mindset shifts to pave the way for a prolific life

Quotes

“We decide what we can achieve and what is out of reach.”
“Give yourself permission to experiment.”
“It’s possible to make a business out of anything.”
“Push through the plateau to pursue a prolific life.”
“Don’t call your product your ‘baby.’ You need a healthy level of detachment.”
“Keep pushing and pursuing until something works.”
“We can be too smart for our own good. We over-complicate a simple process.”
“No one wants perfection. They just want it to work and have it help them.”

Resources

Books by Farnoosh:

Green Juicing Guide
The Healthy Juicer’s Bible
The Healthy Smoothie Bible

Farnoosh’s Links:

Blog: Prolific Living
Positive Affirmations: You Are Enough. Start Believing It.

Digital Mentors:

Darren Rowse of ProBlogger
Sonia Simone of Copyblogger
Brian Clark of Copyblogger

What is standing between you and your calling? What part of your life will look more prolific as a result of what you learned? Share in the comments.

3 Important Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Find Your Calling

I recently launched The Art of Work Course, which teaches you everything you need to know to go from dream to launch with your calling. But before we get to that, I want to ask you a few questions.

Photo Credit: pakmingc via Compfight cc

These questions might make you uncomfortable, and that’s okay. In fact, answering them may make you a little defensive, but they’ll help you get to where you want to go with your dream.

These questions are important, so read carefully. Take a deep breath, and be honest with yourself. Ready? Let’s go.

Question 1: How much longer can you stand to not do what you’re meant to do?

Seriously, how long can you stand it, not living out your dream? This was one of the reasons I did the 48-hour passion challenge. I wanted to demonstrate that waiting for the right moment to pursue your dream means you will be waiting for a long time — probably forever.

If you’ve put it off for so long, you might have noticed that it’s stopped bothering you as much. This is the most dangerous place to be in life, in my opinion, because you risk getting complacent and settling for mediocrity. And that’s not where you want to be.

Question 2: Why haven’t you found your calling?

I realize this may not apply to everyone, but in my experience it applies to most. Most people haven’t found their calling. They might know what it is, but they’re certainly not living out their purpose.

It’s not a rhetorical question. Really take the time to ask yourself “why haven’t I done this yet?” There are a few possible reasons:

1. Lack of self confidence?

Perhaps you’ve bought into the myth that only the elite people in the world get to do what they’re meant to do. Maybe, like me, you want to be a writer but sincerely don’t think that’s possible.

So here’s a myth buster for you: Writers write. That’s it. That’s what makes you a writer. If you get nothing else out of this post, do this. Stand up right now and declare you are writer or an artist or whatever it is you want to be.

Then, do it. Write something, Launch something. In the inimitable words of  Andy Dufresnee: “Get busy living, or get busy doing something.”

2. Fear?

We all are afraid of something. Maybe it’s failure or rejection or something we don’t even quite know. All we know is we are afraid. But here’s the thing: bravery isn’t about feeling brave and then acting; it’s about doing things afraid.

And don’t forget: you don’t have to do this alone. As my friend Jon Acuff says: “Fear fears community.” When you are connected with the right people, people who share the same journey as you, fear becomes not so scary.

Every story of success is a story of community.

3. Lack of time?

Maybe you think you need all day to be what you’re meant to be: a writer, an artist, an entrepreneur. Maybe you think it’s impossible to write books, or speak for a living, or make money doing what you love.

But it’s not. The truth is this is more a process of building bridges than it is about taking giant leaps. Small steps over time create the momentum you need to go pro with your dream.

I’ve done it. And I can show you how. Whether it’s lack of self-confidence, fear, or lack of time holding you back, The Art of Work Course will show you how to pursue your calling and start living it.

Question 3: Do you have a plan for your passion?

I don’t love analogies. But here’s one that works: Think of a plan as a GPS system for discovering your calling. Yes, you could drive around in circles, make all the wrong turns, and end up lost in a creepy small town. Or you could use a GPS.

A GPS saves you time, energy, and heartache (and maybe some strange stares from the locals). That’s what The Art of Work Course is intended to be.

When it comes to chasing your dream, I’ve made just about every mistake you can make. I’ve gone down all the wrong paths, burnt unnecessary bridges, and felt completely lost. But here’s the good news: with me as your guide, you don’t have to do that.

If you don’t have a process for pursuing your calling or if your plans in the past have failed, here’s my encouragement: find a way to get started.

You and I both know you won’t end up where you want by accident. Doing what you’re meant to do and becoming a writer doesn’t “just happen.” You’ll have to be intentional. You’ll need to follow a proven path.

I can show you that path.

I want you to do what you’re meant to do: to stop waiting for lucky breaks and start making things happen. I believer you deserve to become the person you were meant to be; in fact, I think you owe to the world — and to yourself. And I would love to help you in that process.

If that means joining my course, great. But if not, please do something. Don’t wait for perfect. Just get started.

The Art of Work Course

If you’re interesting in taking the next step in pursuing your calling, you should check out The Art of Work Course, which is only available a few times a year.

If you sign up for this course and complete the material, you will:

live with more passion, purpose, and fulfillment;
find greater joy in your everyday work and learn how to use your current situation to get where you want to be;
finally earn the attention your work deserves;
and start reaching who need what you have to offer.

I know this, because I’ve coached thousands of people in this process. I’ve done it myself and helped many others. The question is: do you really want it for yourself? You’re going to have to take action.

If you are ready to take the next step and join me and others pursuing their calling (as writers, artists, and entrepreneurs), watch the video below to learn more about The Art of Work Course.

Don’t forget: There’s a 30-day money back guarantee, so you take no risk in jumping in. If this isn’t everything I promise, I’ll give you a full refund. Click the link below to learn more.

Learn More About The Art of Work Course

Have you found your calling yet? Why not? Share in the comments.

3 Important Questions to Ask Yourself (Registration Closes Tonight!)

I recently launched The Art of Work Course, which teaches you everything you need to know to go from dream to launch with your calling. But before we get to that, I want to ask you a few questions.

Photo Credit: pakmingc via Compfight cc

These questions might make you uncomfortable, and that’s okay. In fact, answering them may make you a little defensive, but they’ll help you get to where you want to go with your dream.

These questions are important, so read carefully. Take a deep breath, and be honest with yourself. Ready? Let’s go.

Question 1: How much longer can you stand to not do what you’re meant to do?

Seriously, how long can you stand it, not living out your dream? This was one of the reasons I did the 48-hour passion challenge. I wanted to demonstrate that waiting for the right moment to pursue your dream means you will be waiting for a long time — probably forever.

If you’ve put it off for so long, you might have noticed that it’s stopped bothering you as much. This is the most dangerous place to be in life, in my opinion, because you risk getting complacent and settling for mediocrity. And that’s not where you want to be.

Question 2: Why haven’t you found your calling?

I realize this may not apply to everyone, but in my experience it applies to most. Most people haven’t found their calling. They might know what it is, but they’re certainly not living out their purpose.

It’s not a rhetorical question. Really take the time to ask yourself “why haven’t I done this yet?” There are a few possible reasons:

1. Lack of self confidence?

Perhaps you’ve bought into the myth that only the elite people in the world get to do what they’re meant to do. Maybe, like me, you want to be a writer but sincerely don’t think that’s possible.

So here’s a myth buster for you: Writers write. That’s it. That’s what makes you a writer. If you get nothing else out of this post, do this. Stand up right now and declare you are writer or an artist or whatever it is you want to be.

Then, do it. Write something, Launch something. In the inimitable words of  Andy Dufresnee: “Get busy living, or get busy doing something.”

2. Fear?

We all are afraid of something. Maybe it’s failure or rejection or something we don’t even quite know. All we know is we are afraid. But here’s the thing: bravery isn’t about feeling brave and then acting; it’s about doing things afraid.

And don’t forget: you don’t have to do this alone. As my friend Jon Acuff says: “Fear fears community.” When you are connected with the right people, people who share the same journey as you, fear becomes not so scary.

Every story of success is a story of community.

3. Lack of time?

Maybe you think you need all day to be what you’re meant to be: a writer, an artist, an entrepreneur. Maybe you think it’s impossible to write books, or speak for a living, or make money doing what you love.

But it’s not. The truth is this is more a process of building bridges than it is about taking giant leaps. Small steps over time create the momentum you need to go pro with your dream.

I’ve done it. And I can show you how. Whether it’s lack of self-confidence, fear, or lack of time holding you back, The Art of Work Course will show you how to pursue your calling and start living it.

Question 3: Do you have a plan for your passion?

I don’t love analogies. But here’s one that works: Think of a plan as a GPS system for discovering your calling. Yes, you could drive around in circles, make all the wrong turns, and end up lost in a creepy small town. Or you could use a GPS.

A GPS saves you time, energy, and heartache (and maybe some strange stares from the locals). That’s what The Art of Work Course is intended to be.

When it comes to chasing your dream, I’ve made just about every mistake you can make. I’ve gone down all the wrong paths, burnt unnecessary bridges, and felt completely lost. But here’s the good news: with me as your guide, you don’t have to do that.

If you don’t have a process for pursuing your calling or if your plans in the past have failed, here’s my encouragement: find a way to get started.

You and I both know you won’t end up where you want by accident. Doing what you’re meant to do and becoming a writer doesn’t “just happen.” You’ll have to be intentional. You’ll need to follow a proven path.

I can show you that path.

I want you to do what you’re meant to do: to stop waiting for lucky breaks and start making things happen. I believer you deserve to become the person you were meant to be; in fact, I think you owe to the world — and to yourself. And I would love to help you in that process.

If that means joining my course, great. But if not, please do something. Don’t wait for perfect. Just get started.

The Art of Work Course

If you’re interesting in taking the next step in pursuing your calling, you should check out The Art of Work Course, which is only available a few times a year.

If you sign up for this course and complete the material, you will:

live with more passion, purpose, and fulfillment;
find greater joy in your everyday work and learn how to use your current situation to get where you want to be;
finally earn the attention your work deserves;
and start reaching who need what you have to offer.

I know this, because I’ve coached thousands of people in this process. I’ve done it myself and helped many others. The question is: do you really want it for yourself? You’re going to have to take action.

If you are ready to take the next step and join me and others pursuing their calling (as writers, artists, and entrepreneurs), watch the video below to learn more about The Art of Work Course.

Don’t forget: There’s a 30-day money back guarantee, so you take no risk in jumping in. If this isn’t everything I promise, I’ll give you a full refund. Click the link below to learn more.

Learn More About The Art of Work Course

Have you found your calling yet? Why not? Share in the comments.

How to Learn a New Skill and Get Paid for It in 48 Hours

Last weekend, I posted a public challenge to stop dreaming about one of your big ideas and take action — to “potty-train” your passion in 48 hours. I chose something I had been thinking of doing for years.

I always wanted to learn to roast coffee beans.

Hundreds of people responded with all kinds of crazy projects, including mastering the art of calligraphy, learning how to edit video, and even writing a book. So of course, I had to get into the game.

My challenge was to apply what I teach in the Art of Work course and to take a passion and go pro with it. So I decided to learn how to roast coffee and try to sell a bag before Monday afternoon.

The rules (which were suggested by my friend Bryan Harris who had completed a similar challenge and talked me into it in the first place) were:

You can’t use your existing platform. “You have to do it like a regular Joe,” he said.
Bootstrap the whole thing. Everything had to be free or really cheap so anyone could easily replicate the process.
You have to make a sale. “Can’t I just give it away?” I asked. “You’re teaching people to go pro, right? Pros get paid.” Fine, I said.

So I posted on this blog, announcing the challenge, and that’s when I got really nervous. But since I teach this sort of thing in my new course, I figured I had to give it a shot.

Step 1: Learn a new skill

First thing I did was message my friend Marissa who had moved to Raleigh and gotten involved with a coffee company to tell her what I was doing.

“You have to connect with Joe!” she told me.

Ten minutes later, I was texting with Joe, the owner of Raleigh Coffee Company, asking him about how I could sell coffee online in 48 hours. I thought he’d laugh at me, but instead he said, “I love this idea.”

Joe wasn’t shy to tell me my beans weren’t very good and offered to send me some better ones. He also recommended getting a good story and “hipster” brand.

I was eating some goat cheese at the time and looked at the label.

Spanish cheese

“How about Tipsy Goat?” I said.

“That’s perfect.”

That’s how Tipsy Goat Coffee Roasters was born (before I even had roasted a single bean of coffee).

Step 2: Practice the skill

I had never roasted coffee before. So I began Googling. A few sources popped up, and I clicked one. After watching a five-minute video on YouTube, I thought, “That looks pretty easy. I could probably do that.”

I made plans to roast the green coffee beans that had been sitting in my cupboard for over a year. I had bought them 15 months ago during a trip Africa and had been waiting for the perfect moment to roast them, which never came.

Pre-roasted green beans.

That night, I followed step-by-step online instructions to roast the beans, using a skillet. The end result was what looked like a medium roast.

Yay! I didn’t set the house on fire.

The next morning, my wife came downstairs and said, “Why does it smell like pee down here?”

After brewing a cup of coffee made from my freshly-roasted beans, I had to admit she had a point. You win some, you lose some. But at least I had a product.

Step 3: Create a brand

Somewhere around midnight, after the beans were roasted, I realized something. Why was I, a writer, trying to launch a coffee company? Wouldn’t it make more sense to start a coffee blog?

Exactly.

So I did just that, using Bluehost to register and host the domain for $11 total. And just like that, CoffeeSnobber.com was born.

My new blog!

In minutes, I had a WordPress blog online. I created a logo using WordSwag, wrote a post for the blog, set up Twitter and Facebook handles, and called it a night.

Step 4: Find early adopters

I had my beans roasted, some social media accounts set up, and a new website. Now, I just needed people to show up.

The next morning, I texted a few friends, telling them about my new hobby and asked if they were interested in hearing more about it. Those that said yes were added to a new email list on Mailchimp.

Then, I searched #coffee on Twitter and followed and engaged with several people who came up. Then I messaged a few Facebook friends, sending them a link to the blog, telling them I was working on a new project.

By the afternoon, I had an email list of about 10 people.

Step 5: Build a community

Now, I needed to grow. So how would I, a new coffee roaster, attract the attention I needed to make a sale in the next 24 hours? I put myself in the shoes of my audience: What would I want?

Free coffee, of course.

Someone say free coffee?

That evening, I texted my new friend Joe and asked if he’d be willing to donate some coffee for a giveaway I was doing. He was all in. I couldn’t believe this guy.

And thus, the Win a Year’s Worth of Free Coffee contest was born.

I sent the link to my small list of friends, posted it to my small but surprisingly growing social media accounts (both were in the two digits), and went to bed.

Step 6: Make the sale

That next morning, I checked Mailchimp to see I had over 70 email subscribers on my list. Apparently, people like contests.

Can You Master a Skill & Get Paid for It in 48 Hours?

I’m not going to see The Avengers this weekend, because we are holed up at home, potty training our son Aiden.

Photo Credit: Scott SM via Compfight cc

Honestly, we probably waited too long for this (he’s almost three), and now we’re regretting it. The past week, we’ve been teaching him how the potty isn’t something to be afraid of and pooping your pants isn’t as cool as it sounds.

We’re putting him in underwear and whenever he starts doing a little funny dance, we pick him up, and race off to bathroom. He sits there for anywhere for a few minutes up to half an hour, reading books and waiting for it to come.

This morning, the third time we did this, he peed. In the potty. We danced. We sang. We celebrated. A star on his potty chart and oozing pride from both of his parents ensued. And you should have seen him beam with confidence.

Potty training wasn’t as difficult as we thought — not for us and not for Aiden. But what it did take was:

The decision to start.
The determination to see it through.
The discipline to stick with it until the end (we cleared our weekend calendar).

This reminded me of the way we approach our passions. We worry. We stall. We never begin.

Maybe you have a passion you’ve probably neglected in some way. Call it fear or resistance or just plain laziness, but most people struggle to start things because they’re afraid.

Really, what I think this is is learned helplessness.

The Potty Train Your Passion Challenge

So I’m issuing a public challenge. It’s called The Potty Train Your Passion Challenge (#PTYPC). Over the next 48 hours, you’re going to pick a passion and take measurable action on it. And I’m going to join you.

Here’s how it works:

Decide. Pick a passion. Make it something easy to do on your own that doesn’t require any extra money or resources to implement.
Learn. Watch or listen to somebody else doing what you want to do. Spend no more than 30 minutes doing this. Then get to work.
Do. We don’t learn best by listening or watching. We learn best by doing. So get started, practicing your passion.
Share. This can look like hitting publish on that blog post, bringing your product to market, or making your first sale. The point is feedback. You MUST deliver some kind of result (e.g. X amount of new visitors to my blog, Y amount of book sales, Z amount of money from my new product) that involves interacting with someone else.

This will last 48 hours (it ends on May 4 at 3:00 P.M. CT). Anyone who participates will get a chance at one-on-one coaching with me (plus free membership to the highest level of my new Art of Work Course). I’ll be picking three winners and sharing their stories on this blog.

In the next 48 hours, I’m going to figure out how to roast my first batch of coffee beans and sell them. I have no clue how to make, much less, sell coffee, but I’m going to try. (I’ll be using all the techniques I teach in my latest course and sharing what I learn along the way via Twitter.)

Warning: You may fail. The point of this challenge isn’t to succeed. It’s to do something and learn as you go. The product will be greater confidence and clarity (and maybe some cash in your pocket).

Are you in? Just post a reply (“I’m in”) in the comments with a little detail about what your #PTYPC project will be. Let’s get started!

Early Bird Special on My New Course Ends Today

Today is an important day. The early bird special for my new course goes away at midnight. Don’t miss it!

Photo Credit: cgc76 via Compfight cc

This could be a day you look back on and say, “That was the day I made a commitment to pursue my calling. That was the day I stopped dreaming about it and actually started doing it. That was the day I took action.”

You can look back on today, this very day, and say all of those things. Or you can look back on this day and say, “Man, I missed it.”

The difference between successful and unsuccessful people

Here’s what I believe. I believe you have a stirring inside of you. Right now, it’s calling you, urging you to step away from what others expect of you to become your true self.

And let’s be honest. You’ve felt this for a while now. You just didn’t know what to do about it.

Or maybe, you were afraid. Afraid to risk and fail. Afraid to try and get rejected. But I believe that what separates successful people from everyone else is they take action while others wait for the perfect moment.

What separates successful people from everyone else is they take action when others wait for the perfect moment.Click To Tweet

So, it’s time to act. Which is why today is such an important day. You have a chance to take advantage of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity (and I really mean that) — to become a pioneer member of The Art of Work Course.

This is a course I created for those who feel called to take their dream and go pro with it. People like you.

Maybe your problem is you don’t know how to get started. This will help.

Maybe you’re still unsure if being a writer is truly your calling. This will guide you.

Maybe you know your calling but building the platform and growing your audience seems impossible. This will show you how… every step of the way.

In The Art of Work Course, you’ll learn:

How to pursue your calling practically, using every opportunity currently available to you.
What it takes to get people onboard with your dream and the secret to getting influencers and mentors to invest in you.
How to bridge the gap between where you are and where you want to be so that can finally go pro with your dream.
What to do with failure and how to use it to your advantage.

There is something in this course for every step of the journey to help take your dream and finally go pro.

Why is today the day?

Because today is the last day for early bird pricing for The Art of Work Course, which is available in two different tracks — one for writers and one for non-writers. This is the lowest price it’ll ever be.

I’m also bundling this course with some exclusive resources you can’t get anywhere else right now (including access to my premium writing and blogging courses). Sold separately, these products are worth more than twice what I’m charging for them.

Whatever your dream is, The Art of Work Course will help you get closer, providing a proven path to help you overcome obstacles and start taking action today. And now is the best time to get it.

Why pay more for the same thing? Act today and you can take advantage of the lowest price ever:

Learn More about The Art of Work Course
Learn More about The Art of Work Writers Track

Make sure to register before April 30 at 11:59pm PT to get the early bird pricing. After that, the price will go up.

Join The Art of Work Course Today!

053: The Truth Behind Achieving Superhuman Results: Interview with Tim Ferriss [Podcast]

Kids dream of the impossible. As adults, we think we know better and put those dreams on a shelf. Over time they collect dust and we resign ourselves to defeat. What if this isn’t reality?

Few of us are blessed with mutant genetics like Michael Phelps. But the Olympic podium being out of reach is no reason to avoid jumping in the pool. What if you could achieve superhuman results without being superhuman?

In this episode of The Portfolio Life, Tim Ferriss and I talk about his latest project, the true opposite of happiness, and the surprising myth surrounding mastery. Despite a tenacious pursuit of new experiences, Tim’s humble mission is helping others discover a thirst for learning and to teaching them how to pass it on.

Listen to the podcast

To listen to the show, click the player below (If you are reading this via email, please click here).

You can also listen via iTunes or on Stitcher.

Superhuman skills are within your reach

Tim Ferriss is best known for the insane success of his 3 books, The 4-Hour Workweek, The 4-Hour Body, and The 4-Hour Chef. Each title hit the #1 spot on the New York Times best-seller’s list. With three consecutive wins it’s natural to assume Tim is sitting on a beach drinking Coronas or pounding out another 4-Hour-themed masterpiece.

Surprisingly, Tim rejects both options.

Instead of repeating a proven formula, he is trying something new. During our conversation, Tim confessed writing fatigues him and the solitary practice is difficult. With 4-Hour projects requiring 3–4 years of lonely effort, Tim was left feeling neurotic and self-obsessed. Not a healthy state of mind for anyone.

Tim’s latest project, The Tim Ferriss Experiment, not only afforded the opportunity to explore a new medium, but to practically reveal the mystery behind world-class performers in skills like parkour, poker, tactical hand gunning, Brazilian jiu jitsu, speed chess, drumming and more.

In the first season of 13 TV episodes (which just dropped House of Cards style here), Tim demonstrates a pragmatic approach to bridging the gap between amateur and master within five days.

One of the things I found most interesting was The Tim Ferriss Experiment suffered a colossal setback before it had the chance to hit our screens. Were it not for Tim’s audacity, determination, and a tweet from Kevin Spacey, his newest work may have been doomed to a dusty shelf forever.

Tim’s pursuit of excitement and continuous exploration serves as a prime example of the superhuman skills an ordinary human can experience despite humble, challenging beginnings.

If you ever put a dream on a shelf, you just might discover the path to a fulfilling life by trying a few experiments of your own.

You can hear more from Tim by catching his first appearance on The Portfolio Life where we discuss how to become world-class at anything right here.

Show highlights

In this episode, Tim and I discuss:

The trials Tim navigated to rescue his orphaned content
The process of filming The Tim Ferriss Experiment
The limitations of text as a medium of spreading content
Why Tim chose to create 13 TV episodes instead of writing another book
Which Kevin Spacey tweet Tim has pinned to his computer
Tim’s not-so secret formula to finding lasting happiness
Debunking the assumptions behind the 10,000 hour rule
How intensity, focus, and depth relate to mastery
Living walls (it’s a real thing)
Tim’s methodology behind creating new content
Why debates about mastery and expertise or fundamentally flawed
The simple approach to performing a skill at world-class levels
Tim’s ultimate mission in life
How Tim defines his new show in 3 words

Quotes

“Nothing travels faster and persists as long as text.”
“Some times the things you think will make you happy won’t.”
“Focus on excitement and what excites you.”
“You don’t have to get everything right to have a spectacularly successful life and feel spectacularly successful.”
“Most of my time is spent making mistakes.”
“Can anyone do anything? No.”
“I implore people to tackle something they’ve put on a shelf. Dust it off. Give it a go. Just for the fun of it.“
“It’s easy to lose track of wonder and joy as adults.”

Resources

The Tim Ferriss Experiment
The Tim Ferriss Experiment Bonus Content
The 4-Hour Workweek
The 4-Hour Body
The 4-Hour Chef
“Productivity” Tricks for the Neurotic, Manic-Depressive, and Crazy (Like Me)
Tim Ferriss YouTube channel (book trailers, interviews, and more)
Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
If This Is a Man / The Truce by Primo Levi
Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis
The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

Reminder: The early bird discount for my new course goes away tomorrow. Click here to find out more.

What skill are you going to dust off and try? Share in the comments.

The Bad News About Turning Pro as a Writer

People often ask me what it takes to turn pro as a writer, and I’m happy to tell them. Because that’s the easy part. But the truth is that isn’t what they need.

Photo Credit: x1klima via Compfight cc

Last week, I hosted a webinar and was amazed at the feedback I received. Lots of people told me how, as a result of the live training, they committed to pursuing their calling as a writer. One attendee, Bruce, tweeted: “Guys, fantastic. I’ve been to a few writer webinars. This one? Seriously, the best.”

Wow! I love hearing that. As someone who seeks to add value to the lives of others, I get a huge boost of energy from comments like that. It shows people are enjoying my content, which is always great to hear. But honestly, that’s not enough.

Don’t get me wrong. I love the affirmation. But just because people know what to do doesn’t mean they’ll do it. You have to take what you learn and put it into action. Otherwise the information is worthless. Another webinar attendee, Jaina, said it best:

Thanks so much for all the encouragement — time to go write & make it real!

She’s right. What we need is not more information. We need to take what we know and make it real.

So here’s the bad news…

Pursuing your calling, especially as a writer, is not an easy process.

In fact, it can be one of the scariest, hardest, and most frustrating things you’ll ever do. When I first got started, I often felt lonely and depressed. Even now, I’m not immune to the discouragement of critics and the sting of failure.

This is hard. That’s the bad news. But in the midst of the difficulty, there’s something satisfying to hold on to. Though it can be difficult to chase a dream, the good news is: it’s worth it.

The process can be hard and even sometimes scary, but I don’t regret making the decision two years ago to quit my job and go full-time. Because I would rather do hard things that matter than easy things that don’t.

I would rather do hard things that matter than easy things that don’t.Click To Tweet

When you’re up an hour late and up again two hours early the next morning to meet a deadline, you remember this is the good stuff. The striving, the pushing, the journey. That’s what you signed up for. That’s what you should expect.

What it really takes to turn pro

Maybe you’re like me. Maybe you had a crazy idea once of wanting to chase a dream and wondered if there was any way to actually make a living off it. And maybe like most people, you didn’t do anything with it.

Why is that? Because, like most people, you probably weren’t taught how. Your parents didn’t teach you, your friends aren’t doing it, and school didn’t prepare you.

What’s worse, the stories of those who are doing their dreams seem too unrealistic to follow. It can feel like you have to have some sort of superpower to do what you’re meant to do. But that’s not true. Finding your calling is really just about paying attention to your life and taking action.

For the next few days, I’m opening registration for a new coaching program called The Art of Work Course, which will teach a practical process for figuring out exactly what your dream is and how to go pro with it — the smart way.

Learn More About The Art of Work Course

This course includes video teaching, group discussions, and live coaching from me. And just for the next few days, I’m bundling it with some of my best resources for writers, artists, and entrepreneurs.

If you want to pursue your dream but don’t know the next steps, this is for you. (I’m also offering a more basic, non-writer track here if your dream isn’t to become a writer.)

I’ve never bundled these courses before and likely never will again. This is only available for the next week or so, which includes the early bird pricing which goes away Thursday, April 30.

Here’s the thing…

Whether you join the program or not, here’s what I don’t want you to miss: Finding your calling is a difficult process, but one you don’t have the luxury of missing.

You can continue to wonder “what if?” You can keep saying “some day.” You can even hold out for your “big break.” But chances are slim that those strategies will lead to success. Or you can choose to grow.

You can invest in yourself, counting the cost and doing the work even when it’s hard. You can choose to make your own breaks, finding opportunities where none seemed to exist, and learn what you need along the way.

As Jaina said, it’s time to make it real. I submit that such a decision begins with you. It’s something you can do today, regardless of circumstance.

I once asked best-selling author Steven Pressfield, “When does a writer become a writer?” He said: “When you say you are.” The same is true for you. I’d love to help you take the steps that follow.

Learn More About The Art of Work Course

What’s holding you back from turning pro? Share in the comments.