Jeff Goins's Blog, page 83

Why I Quit Drinking Coffee

It began with a simple question: “So what’re you giving up for Lent?” my friend Chad asked of our couples group from our church.

Most of us fidgeted uneasily, myself included. Some shared profound insights on the discipline of fasting, while others admitted they weren’t sure if they were giving up anything. When it was my turn, the silliest words imaginable escaped my mouth:

“I’m giving up coffee.”

Photo Credit: dongga BS via Compfight cc

I love coffee. Ever since a semester in Spain, I’ve had a lustful love affair with that dark drink. Several years later, it’s not uncommon for me to have two full carafes of Fresh-pressed dark roast every morning.

I need my coffee.

In an instant, though, I decided to give it up. Not for a day or a week or even a month, but 40 whole days. My goodness, what was I thinking?

I’ve been telling people this is probably “the dumbest thing I could do.” But I’m sticking to it — and here’s why:

Because I don’t like being controlled by anything. Caffeine is a drug. It just is. And the fact that I need this drug every morning in order to feel normal — or I get a headache — is not okay with me. So I’m kicking the habit to cleanse myself from my unhealthy dependence on this delicious nectar of the gods (I’m doing this with a little reluctance).
Because fasting can be a spiritual practice. By giving up something I think I need, I’m drawn to pray and reflect more, to consider what’s truly important and open myself up to what God might be saying to me.
Because one in nine people don’t have access to clean drinking water. Which is something I take for granted and even consider a “boring” beverage to consume. So it’s time for me to better appreciate what I have and use my privilege to help others.

The last reason is the most important. Recently, I was invited by a friend to join the 40 Days of Water Challenge, sponsored by Blood:Water Mission.

Blood:Water is an NGO that empowers communities to fight HIV/AIDS through clean drinking water (and other efforts). As part of the campaign, I’m setting aside the money I’d normally spend on beverages and instead giving it to charity.

Although giving up coffee might seem like the stupidest idea I’ve had in a long time, it’s going to be good for me. My hope is it’ll cause me to do some soul searching and become more compassionate toward those in need. Plus, there are also some legitimate health benefits to quit drinking coffee — which I’m sure I’ll enjoy once the headaches go away.

So if you live in Nashville and see me at a coffee shop, typing away at my laptop with a delicious cup of water by my side, try not to give me a hard time. It’s for a good cause.

And if you feel led to join me in giving up coffee (or all liquids other than water), here’s what you can do:

Watch this video.
Sign up for the 40 Days of Water Challenge.
Consider giving a donation to Blood:Water Mission to support the building of clean water wells in Africa (in fact, you can do this even if you don’t want to give up the beverages).
Stock up on the H20! (You may want to spend a few days weaning yourself off caffeinated beverages, as I did.)

Have you ever given up something for an extended period of time? Share in the comments.

Facing Failure: The Art of Eating Live Frogs

From Jeff: This is a guest article from Anne Peterson. Anne is a poet, speaker, and author of 42 Bible studies and 25 articles with Christianity Today. Her book,  Real Love: Guaranteed to Last is releasing today. Find out more by visiting Anne’s website, blog, or Facebook page.

“I can’t,” I said as a kid, growing up.

“There’s no such word as ‘can’t,’” Mom told me every time. And how right she was.

Photo Credit: Thomas Hawk via Compfight cc

Funny how some conversations burrow themselves deep into our brains. There’s no such word as can’t?  I wonder what would happen if we actually believed that — especially when it came to creative pursuits.

Consider the excuses we make every day and how they hold us back:

I can’t write.
I’m not as good as ____. 
I can’t share that (it’s too personal).
What would people think? 
I’m not ready.

Yes, you can…

The truth is you are already competent and capable. You just need to acknowledge the fact. Remember the children’s story of the little engine that could? When he changed his locomotive mind, he changed his destiny. You can do the same.

Henry Ford once said, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t — you’re right.” You have to start believing you can do it, whatever “it” is. Here’s an exercise:

Make a list of the things you’re avoiding because of what you “can’t” do. Maybe it’s submitting a piece to a popular publication or joining that local writer’s group. Maybe it’s even writing the story that’s been burning inside you for years.
Now picture yourself doing those things. See yourself pressing the “send” on that pitch to the editor or signing up for that group that intimidates you. Feel the relief that comes with taking the next step. You may wonder why it took so long to start in the first place.
Then imagine yourself doing what you’re afraid of all the time. Can you visualize the kind of person you’d be, constantly sharing ideas without fear of rejection, getting feedback without being defensive, chasing your dream without restraint?

It’s a fun exercise, until you have to do it. When we apply these concepts to our actual lives, it can become altogether scary.

Swallow the frog

So… now what? Start small: Think of one thing you’re avoiding and then do it.

Mark Twain once said, “Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” What you need to do is identify your frog — your absolute worst-case scenario — and swallow it whole.

What would happen if your fears were realized? It’s probably not as bad as you think. Go ahead and get it over with now, so you can move on.

Remember the game Red Rover? You can almost hear the children chanting: “Red Rover, Red Rover let Jimmy come over.” And there you stood, shaking, as Jimmy — the biggest kid in third grade — came barreling down the field in your direction.

And what did you do? The only thing you could: You let go. You quit. Didn’t even try. And you probably regretted it for the rest of grade school.

Well, here’s another chance to take a stand — this time, without the threat of bodily harm. Grab hold of the thing you’re afraid of and don’t let go.

Failure isn’t final

At worst, you will fail. You’ll write something sub-par or have your art misunderstood. A critic will come along and tell you he hates your work. You’ll get your feelings hurt.

But failure is not the end. It’s something you encounter on your way to success. So please, stop trying to do things without failing; it isn’t possible. So if you’re going to do this, you might as well learn how to fail.

Doing anything well takes practice. Winston Churchill said, “Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” So, what’s holding you back? It certainly isn’t failure, it can’t be.

Believe you can do this, that you can achieve your goal, whatever it is. If you’re stuck, look for the frog and swallow it. If you’ve failed, try again. And remember, there’s no such thing as “can’t.” My mother told me so.

Note: Anne’s book, Real Love, is free on Kindle today and tomorrow only. Check it out!

What tips or tricks do you use for facing the threat of failure? Share in the comments.

How to Know You’re Headed in the Right Direction

This next book I’m working on is risky. Scary. I keep telling people that I don’t know if it’s the best idea I’ve had — or the worst. But still, I’m doing it, in spite of fears and reservations. In spite of my anxiety that it might not work. And maybe that’s the secret to doing anything important.

Photo Credit: B Tal via Compfight cc

I meet lots of people who tell me they’re thinking about doing something risky and new. It might be starting a blog or leaping out into the realm of self-employment. Heck, it could even mean starting a family or making the move across the country or globe.

And always I hear the same question, that same anxious wonderment. Sometimes, it’s implicit, and other times the person comes out and says it. But it’s always there — the question, lingering and taunting.

“How do I know?”

You might be asking yourself this right now, in some form:

“How do I know I’m supposed to get married?”
“How do I know if I should start a speaking career?”
“How do I know if I’m meant to go on that mission trip?”

We all experience these how-do-we-know moments every time we venture out into the unknown. And I believe that’s a good thing.

The truth is we don’t know. We don’t know whether we’re headed in the right direction or if this new idea will work — or totally flop. But not knowing was never a good enough reason to not act. (Go ahead and tweet that.) In fact, this is the perfect opportunity for faith, to put yourself out there and grow.

Clarity ain’t all it’s cracked up to be

A reporter once asked Mother Teresa what it was like to have absolute, total clarity in life, to which she responded:

I have never had clarity. What I have always had is trust.

When we don’t know, we avail ourselves to forces bigger than ourselves. We have to rely on God and other people and access something deep within ourselves that we didn’t know was there.

And guess what? It usually works out. One way or the other, we get to where we need to be. Not because we take all the right turns or make all the correct choices, but because we’re moving.

What to do (when you don’t know what to do)

So if you’re not sure you’re headed in the right direction, take heart; you’re in good company. Some of the most courageous endeavors in history started in security.

But don’t just wallow in what you don’t know; do something. And as you move, keep asking questions, paying attention to the answers that present themselves along the way. Sooner or later, you’ll figure it out.

Like so many times before, you’ll be just fine. I know it doesn’t feel that way right now, but it will — and sooner than you think. Until then, you’re just going to have to trust.

You know you’re headed in the right direction when you’re doing what so many people are afraid to do: moving forward. It’s not easy or safe, but it’s the only thing that gets you heading in a direction at all. Just don’t forget to take that first step.

That upcoming book that feels like a huge risk? Well, I just published an excerpt of it here: This Could be Real.

How do you know you’re headed in the right direction? Share in the comments.

The Secret of Success: Stop Trying to Be Famous

A friend of mine who’s a millionaire told me this story:

For years, all I wanted was to be known. I would’ve done anything — ANYTHING — to get you to recognize me. I thought that was all that mattered. But it wasn’t until I stopped caring about being famous that I really started to succeed.

It’s an interesting thought, isn’t it, especially in a culture where we often equate fame with success? But, friends, the two are rarely the same.

Photo Credit: Stuck in Customs via Compfight cc

Copywriter and entrepreneur Brian Clark recently tweeted about this, saying that some of the smartest people he knows are low-profile people. I agree. In fact, the inverse is often true: The most influential people are rarely the smartest or most gifted; they’re just really good at building influence.

Never discount someone’s skills because of a low profile. The smartest people in online marketing are low profile. Except for me, of course.

— Brian Clark (@copyblogger) November 20, 2012

Scary, isn’t it, that the most trusted voices in your industry may not be the best ones to listen to? Makes me wonder if pursuing fame is all it’s cracked up to be. And I bet I’m not alone.

So what do we do about this? Great question.

First: Ask, “Do I want to be famous or successful?”

Of course, success doesn’t have to mean making money; it can mean whatever you want it to mean. Except fame.

The world is full of famous people who haven’t done anything significant. We don’t need another Kardashian. We need more than charisma; we need your contribution, your art, your gift to the world.

So let’s assume you decide that success is more important than fame. What now?

Second: Fall in love with the work, not the results

Humans are terrible at recognizing genius when it’s in front of them. It often takes us years to ignore the best sellers and catch on to true brilliance.

Vincent van Gogh didn’t reach the peak of his fame until after his death. James Joyce (voted one of the Top 100 Most Important People of the 20th Century) was called “unintelligible” by contemporaries. Harper Lee only wrote one book — the only one she needed to write.

So what do we artists, who sometimes obsess with accolades, do? We stop creating for results and learn to embrace the love of the work itself. Because the work, after all, is the reward.

Third: Hone your craft

In this world of platforms and instant connection to everyone, the stakes for creating great work have never been higher. Because it’s so easy to game the system, to trick your way into influence without actually doing anything remarkable, we have to be careful.

We have to avoid the temptation of fame and instead do the quiet work that leads to true success. [Tweet]

This is not easy or efficient, but it’s what’s required if you want to leave a legacy. If you want to do work that makes a difference long after you’re receiving royalty checks.

You need to sit down, shut up, and reach your 10,000 hours of practice.

Does this mean you can’t blog or publish your work or do anything until then? Of course not. Just don’t focus on the promotion when you should be getting better. Because all those tweets and posts and shouting matches take energy — energy that you should be spending on the work, not the marketing.

And once you’ve practiced and honed and created a lot of crap (because we need to do bad work before we can do good work), make your contribution. And then, my friend, you can die.

What’s your goal: success or fame? Share in the comments.

The Short Guide to Launching a Self-Hosted Blog in 8 Minutes or Less [Screencast]

I’m gonna cut to the chase: You need a blog. The world is changing and moving on without you, and it’s time you had a platform of your own to share your message. The best and easiest way to launch a self-hosted blog is with WordPress.

Photo Credit: dreadfuldan via Compfight cc

There are over 60 million blogs on WordPress, one of several platforms that helps you to publish online. This number, according to one source, represents only 43% of all blogs, making the total somewhere around 160 million blogs.

These blogs are viewed by an audience of over 400 million people each month — and that’s only one place people are connecting online. Incredible, isn’t it? You’d be hard pressed to argue there’s not a tremendous opportunity here. But are you taking advantage of it?

It’s never been easier to connect with an audience and get your message heard… but are you engaging in the conversation? [Tweet that]

The opportunity you don’t want to miss

Forget for a second all the technological hurdles and learning curves you think are associated with blogging. And imagine for a minute: If you had the chance to share a message with the world, what message would you say? What would happen if people listened?

We all have something to say, and blogs not only make that possible. They make it easier than ever before. All you have to do is act.

It’s time to dive in and figure out what it takes to get your message heard, to see your cause spread. The cost of not doing so is just too great.

What happens if you don’t do this? Well, nothing. You keep getting what you’ve gotten, which probably means:

No more attention
No more trust
No more permission to share

You stay invisible, and your message remains irrelevant. If that’s okay with you, keep doing what you’re doing; but if not, maybe it’s time for a change.

For years, I dreamed of having a personally-branded website I could have full control over. But once I started getting bogged down by the technical aspects of blogging, I froze Then I’d stall and eventually give up. But you don’t have to do that.

Setting up a self-hosted blog sounds technical but is, in fact, pretty easy if you do it the right way. And yes, I think it’s worth investing a little money into having full control over your website.

In this post, I’m going to show you exactly what you need to do (if you already have a blog set up like this, feel free to share this post with a friend).

Launch a self-hosted blog in less than 8 minutes

In this eight-minute video, I share what I wish someone would’ve told me years ago when I started blogging. It would have saved me a lot of time and pain. And I would’ve been able to start sharing my message sooner. I hope it does just that for you or someone you know.

Note: In this free tutorial, I share my affiliate link to Bluehost, a hosting company I recommend that makes this whole process extremely easy. If you click the link and buy, I get a commission at no extra cost to you. Due to the amount of traffic I get, I don’t use Bluehost for this blog, but I do use it for other sites. Please know I only recommend products I use and love, and offering affiliate links is one way I am able to keep this blog going.

Five steps to launching your own blog

If you prefer reading text versus viewing a video, here are the quick steps you can take (however, the video shows you everything you need to do):

Get a host. A web host is where your website “lives.” You own it, but you pay a small fee to keep it online (kind of like paying property taxes to the government). I recommend Bluehost for less than $5/month.
Register a domain. You can get a domain name (e.g. goinswriter.com) through your hosting company. I recommend doing it this way, so you can keep everything streamlined. With Bluehost, this service is free with a hosting plan (as opposed to paying extra through a service like Godaddy.com). If you’ve already registered a domain through another service and need to host it, you’ll either have to transfer your domain registration or point your name servers to the host (here’s a video on how to do that).
Install WordPress. Blogging requires software, and the best that I’ve found is WordPress. It’s easy, quick, and best of all, free. You can set up WordPress through your host (Bluehost does this for you for free). Otherwise, you have to go through WordPress.org to download the software and then upload it to a host. (Note: Using WordPress.org is different from signing up for a free blog at WordPress.com. This infographic explains how.)
Get a theme. When you start using WordPress, you get access to a bunch of beautiful blog designs (called “themes”), many of which are free. For those just getting started, I recommend Platform; it’s a simple, elegant theme. I used it for the first year of my blog, before upgrading to a custom theme.
Log in and start blogging. The URL for your dashboard (which redirects to the login page if you’re not logged in) is yourblogname.com/wp-admin/. Once logged in, click “Posts” on the left-hand sand, and then select “Add New.” Write a title and create some content for your new blog, and you’re off to the races!

And that’s it; now you’re blogging. Which is where the hard, but good, work of writing begins. If you’re ready to jump into this world of blogging, click the image below to get started with Bluehost. See you on the other side.

Bluehost is an excellent hosting service.

What if you have already have a domain name?

If you already have a domain registered with another service like Godaddy.com, but need a place to host it, you have two choices:

Transfer the domain registration to Bluehost.
Change the name servers on your domain to point to your new host.

This video will show you how to do that:

For more on getting started with a blog, check out: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide to Launching Your Own Blog. If you’re ready to get started blogging with Bluehost, you can use my affiliate link to save $2/month.

If you want to share this with someone, please do. Feel free to link to this post or embed the video on your website. You can find the screencast on YouTube and Vimeo.

Do you have your own self-hosted blog? If you do, what do you love about it? If not, what questions do you have? Share in the comments.

The Short But Sweet Guide to Launching a Blog in 8 Minutes or Less [Screencast]

I’m gonna cut to the chase: You need a blog. Why? Because the world is changing and moving on without you. And it’s time you had a platform of your own.

Photo Credit: dreadfuldan via Compfight cc

There are over 60 million blogs on WordPress, one of several platforms that allows you to publish online. This number, according to one source, represents only 43% of all blogs, which are viewed by over 400 million people each month. And that’s only one place people are connecting online.

You’d be hard pressed to argue there’s not a tremendous opportunity here. But are you taking advantage of it?

It’s never been easier to connect with an audience and get your message heard… but are you engaging in the conversation? [Tweet that]

Don’t miss this opportunity

Forget for a second the technological hurdles and learning curves associated with acquiring a new skill. And just imagine: If you had the chance, what message would you share with the world? What could happen if people listened?

Time to dive in to this thing called the blogging and figure out how to get heard. The cost of not doing so is just too great. What happens if you don’t do this? Well, nothing. You keep getting what you’ve gotten, which probably means:

No attention
No trust
No permission

You stay invisible, and your message remains irrelevant. If that’s okay with you, keep doing what you’re doing. But if not, maybe it’s time for a change.

For years, I dreamed of having my own personally-branded website that I could have full control over. But once I started getting bogged down by the technical aspects of blogging, I’d freeze. Then stall. And eventually give up.

But you don’t have to do that. Setting up a self-hosted blog sounds technical but is, in fact, pretty easy — if you do it the right way. (And yes, I think it’s worth investing a little money into having full control of your website.)

An eight-minute walkthrough [video]

In this eight-minute video, I’m going to share with you what I wish someone would’ve told me years ago when I got started with my blog. It would have saved me a lot of time and pain.

Four steps to launching a blog

Get a host. A web host is where your website “lives.” You own it, but you pay a small fee (less than $5/month) to keep it online (kind of like paying property taxes to the government). I recommend Bluehost.
Register a domain. You can register a domain name (e.g. goinswriter.com) through your hosting company. Which I recommend so you can keep everything streamlined (with Bluehost, this service is free with a hosting plan). If you’ve already registered a domain through a service like Godaddy.com, you can either transfer your domain registration or point your name servers to the host.
Install WordPress. Blogging requires software, and the best I’ve found is WordPress. It’s easy, quick, and free to install. You can do this through your host (another reason I recommend Bluehost: they do this for you). Otherwise, you’ll have to go through WordPress.org to download the software and then upload it to your host. (Note: this is different from signing up for a free blog at WordPress.com. This infographic explains how.)
Get a theme. When you join the rest of the cool kids on WordPress, you get access to a bunch of beautiful blog designs (called “themes”), many of which are free. For those just getting started, I recommend Platform. I used it for the first year of my blog, before upgrading to a custom theme.

That’s it! Now you’re ready to start blogging — and that’s where the hard work of writing really begins.

For more on getting started with a blog, check out: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide to Launching Your Own Blog. Or if you’re ready to get started with Bluehost, you can use my affiliate link which saves you an additional $2/month. Click here to begin.

Disclosure: Some of the above links are affiliate links, which means if you buy something through them, I get a commission. This happens at no cost to you. I only recommend products and services I use and love, and it’s my way of keeping this blog going.

Do you have your own self-hosted blog? If you do, what do you love about it? If not, what questions do you have? Share in the comments.

The Most Inspiring 20-Something I’ve Ever Met

Note: I just got back from Guatemala. I wasn’t able to blog during the trip but have several stories I want to share. This is the first of a few. Make sure you’re signed up for free updates so you don’t miss anything.

His name is Marlon, and he’s been raising his brothers and sisters since he was six years old.

Marlon

A new father and husband, he dreams of a better future, a future that doesn’t involve daily scavenging through the city dump.

This young man is short and rarely smiles. There is a softness to his eyes, but even in the most tender moments of his story, he doesn’t show much emotion.

Listening to him share his struggles, I relate to certain aspects of his life. He had a rebellious streak as a teenager; during the tough times, there were people pouring into his life, encouraging him; now, he has a baby.

But that is where our similarities end.

If the circumstances were different — perhaps if Marlon had been born in Chicago instead of Guatemala City — we might have had similar fates. But he’s only 20 years old; and nearly 10 years his elder, I am just beginning to grasp the lessons of responsibility he’s dealt with for 14 years.

The six year-old breadwinner

A man prone to violence, Marlon’s dad was murdered when his children were very young. Despite the fact that for years he abused and neglected his family, the father’s departure still left a gap.

The family needed a breadwinner.

Three days after his dad’s death, six-year-old Marlon had a dream in which his father told him to take care of the family. Marlon said he would. At an age when he should have been learning to ride a bike or read a book, this boy went to work.

It started with taking over the family business, which meant visiting the city dump early each morning to scavenge for scrap metal, used electronics, and clothes.

Life in the trash heap

One of 11,000 people who live and work near the dump, Marlon has had to learn how to navigate through trash heaps quickly and efficiently.

Getting to the dump before sunrise is essential to finding good scraps, he says; otherwise, if you wait, they’ll be gone by noon.

Among those who are first, scavenging is particularly competitive and dangerous. It’s not uncommon for two men — or children — to fight over a potentially valuable piece of trash.

On a good day, Marlon can make up to 90 Quetzales ($12 USD), which he uses to feed his entire family. On a bad day, it’s much less.

Following in his father’s footsteps

When he entered his teenage years, Marlon assumed other aspects of his father’s role, particularly the abusive side.

Becoming despondent, he turned to drugs and sex and even made a pact with the Devil. His outlook on life grew dark, and he became irritable and angry. Terrified of their older brother, his siblings kept their distance, swearing they could see evil in his eyes.

Were it not for the intervention of a local NGO called The Potter’s House, Marlon may have never escaped this downward spiral.

The Potter’s House runs a program that tries to reach the 6500+ children working in the dump: feeding them, educating them, and helping these young ones see themselves differently.

From scavenger to treasure

Locals call children who work in the dump “scavengers.” But The Potter’s House has another name for them: tesoros. Treasures.

Due to the personal investment of a few staff members of this nonprofit, Marlon started seeing himself differently. He found a purpose beyond scavenging and subsistence.

Hearing this young man speak, I see a strength that comes only through the hardships of a tough life. But I also see a tenderness and humility that flows from faith.

Marlon believes God was watching over him and his family when his dad died. He believes his life was spared many times, that there is a reason for everything that’s happened to him. Such beliefs give him hope, something he’s been searching for ever since he was sent scavenging in the dump at six years of age.

“The best sermon I’ve ever heard”

When asked about his dream, Marlon doesn’t hesitate; he’s ready for the question. He wants to some day share his story in a stadium full of people, encouraging others to trust God and believe in a bigger story.

Listening to this young man finish his tale, I wipe away a few grateful tears. What a life, I think. And he’s only just beginning. Quietly, I make a few promises to myself and my family that I’m honestly not sure I can keep, but I need to.

Standing, we applaud Marlon, but not nearly as much as he deserves. One person says this is the best sermon they’ve ever heard, and I have to agree.

Thanks for the inspiration, Marlon. I don’t know that I’m able to live up to the standard you’ve set, but I intend to try.

Have you ever met someone whose story inspired you to live a better life? Share in the comments.

Who’s Going to Guatemala with Me and How You Can Join Us

Tomorrow, I leave for five days to join 19 other people on a vision trip to Guatemala. Although I can’t take you all with me, I’d still like you to be part of the experience (if you want).

Photo Credit: DaveWilsonPhotography via Compfight cc

Our team will be traveling to Antigua, where we’ll spend a few days visiting various ministries that Adventures in Missions works with. But that’s not why we’re going — not exactly.

Why are we going?

We’re going, because we’re not satisfied. Because we believe there’s something more to life. And that something isn’t “me.” We have a hunch, an inkling, that the best way to live is not for ourselves, but others.

We know we can’t find this life on our own. We need an experience; we need to be wrecked.

For five days, we’ll have an opportunity to step outside our comfort zones and catch a vision of what a more meaningful life might look like. The trip is relatively short, but the point is what happens after, when we all go home.

I explore these concepts in my book, but it’s one thing to write about something and quite another to live it. Each person on the trip (including me) is looking to take the next step in living a more generous, sacrificial life. I’m excited and at the same time nervous, not sure what to expect.

A few of us are bringing our laptops to share the experience with you. I’ll tell you more about that in a minute, but for now let’s see who’s going to Guatemala with me…

Who’s going

Even though you’re not going with us — this time — I thought it might be fun for you to “meet” the team. We have people from all over the world participating; here’s who’s going:

Clint Bokelman (leader)
Angela Aston (project coordinator)
Stephanie May (videographer)
Christine Niles
Jeff Dolan
Jason Smith
Alene Snodgrass
Eric Paliga
Chris McArthur
Sara McDaniel
Laura Harris
Katie Axelson
Matthew Schwartz
Emily Gallimore
Dawn Muench
Dayna Bickham
Susan Stilwell
Sheila Campos
Carolina Sizemore

How you can “join” us

If you want to follow along, here are three ways you can do that:

Read the stories. Make sure you’re on my email list to get free trip updates. I won’t be blogging about anything else but this trip for the next few days. You’re welcome to sign up now and unsubscribe later, if you want. You can also follow along on Twitter (we’re using the hash tag #wreckguate ) and Facebook.
Pray for the trip. If you’re the praying type, we’d certainly appreciate your thoughts and prayers, especially as we travel on Saturday and Wednesday. During the trip we’ll be visiting a hospital and some local ministries.
Give a donation. Any money given to the trip will cover additional expenses and on-the-ground ministry (travel and lodging is covered by participants). Make a tax-free donation here.

Have you ever traveled to another country? What advice would you give to someone who’s a first-time traveler? Share in the comments.

6 Steps to Successfully Launching a Dream

From Jeff: This is a guest post by Andy Traub. Andy is a blogger, podcaster, and founder of the Take Permission Network. He also just released his first book.

There’s a profound impatience for those of us who are building our own platforms. We want what we want — and we want it now. But we sometimes fail to see what it takes to see a dream through to the end.

Photo Credit: samthe8th via Compfight cc

We see Seth Godin fund his Kickstarter project in hours.
We watch Michael Hyatt launch a book, WordPress theme, conference, and community all in the same year.
We see a quiet guy named Jeff get hundreds of people to sign up for his online course and sell tens of thousands of books without leaving the comfort of his home.

So how do you do that? How do you and I get what those people — those successful influencers and authors — have? How do we successfully launch our dreams?

We can read the books and buy the courses (and I suggest you do), but at some point we must take action for creating our own art. Because it’s not enough to dream; we must do the work.

Do what they do… not just what they say

Dave Ramsey says if you want to be rich, then you should do rich people stuff.

I want to grow my platform, so I’m doing what people with larger platforms have done. I’m following the advice my teachers have taught: not just taking the tests, but doing the homework.

I didn’t just study; I applied the concepts. And it worked.

Here was my dream for this year: Self-publish a book in every format imaginable for my readers — and do it four more times in the same year. I’ve already done it once. Here’s what it took:

1. Decide to do it

No one picked me. No one said “You’re a writer.” I had to choose myself. I didn’t ask permission to make my work matter; I had to take it. And after years of reading books, I finally decided to act.

Convinced I could create my own art, I decided I wanted to write a book. And I did it.

2. Fall in love with 5 a.m.

My friend Jon built a powerful personal brand in a short amount of time. How did he do it? By being selfish at 5 a.m.

There are no excuses before the sunrise, nothing holding us back from writing that book or working on that business plan. Other than our own laziness, of course.

I get up early, because I have three very young kids. For me, it’s the best time to get my work done and still be a good dad and husband. Chances are, you’ve got your responsibilities, too. The secret to pursuing a dream is doing it before your world wakes up.

3. Follow a process

Success is not an accident. Not for those who build powerful platforms. It’s a result of consistency and following the habits of those who have come before.

A little course called Tribe Writers helped me identify my worldview, build habits to become more consistent in my craft, and determine the best route for publishing a book.

Without an intentional process, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.

4. Be transparent

Admit it: In an age when everyone can have a voice, we’re drawn to people who don’t have it all figured out. It pays to be transparent — and that’s part of the beauty of building your own platform.

You have to pretend to know everything; in fact, it’s more interesting when you don’t.

The best part about being transparent is you don’t have to pretend. People want heroes, but they also need sojourners. Fellow travelers. Your goal is to be both.

5. Be generous

When Michael Hyatt launched his book, he gave away a ridiculous amount of content to his readers — just for buying a $25 hardcover. Most of us love to consume abundance, but we’re afraid to give it. It’s just human nature.

In less than a month, over 600 people signed up for free copies of my book. It took me three years to build my email list to that many people, and in three weeks, I doubled it. Generosity wins.

What’s more, the most common feedback I’ve gotten from those who downloaded my book is that they loved it so much they’re playing on buying it, anyway.

6. Ship your work

If you are hesitating to ship something — and “shipping” means it’s in the world, not on your hard drive — then post a public deadline.

I’d never written a book before, but I put out a deadline of mid-January for my book. And I stayed on schedule. Not because I tried to be perfect, but because I shipped.

Perfection is a myth and more often an excuse to not ship. Thankfully, I’m not a perfectionist; but unfortunately, I’m not a great finisher. Publicly declaring a deadline has been exactly what I needed to ship. And it caused me to finish.

Maybe by following these six steps you’ll be able to do the same.

Note: Andy just released his first book, Early to Rise. You can join him on his publishing journey (and learn more about how he self-published this book) here.

What’s your dream? How have you launched it? Share in the comments.

The Most Important Part of the Creative Life

Everyone wants to reach creatives: that special class that until recently was made up of mostly misfits. But now we’re all weird. There are innumerable resources — books, seminars, coaching programs — all geared towards aiding the creative process.

So what’s an artist to do?

Photo credit: Gary Radler

If you make art, your skills have never been in higher demand. There have never been more people willing to help you do your work. There’s just one problem: You will still be misunderstood.

Your work will be misrepresented, and you won’t be appreciated — in spite of being popular. At times like these, when the spotlight is on you, it’s important to remember the most important part of the creative life:

SPACE.

Without it, you flounder and get frustrated. You burn out and blow up. But what does this mean — space? The very absence of something is hard to explain, but essential, nonetheless. Especially when it comes to creative work.

If God created the universe from chaos — if he spoke earth into existence amidst nothingness — then we have good reason to believe that having a little space to create is a good thing.

There are three types of space every creative must consider:

1. Physical space

There is a relationship between the place you work and the work you do.

If your space is cluttered, you will feel anxious. At times, a little nervous energy can be a good thing, but if all you ever do is work in a mess, don’t be surprised if you feel unprepared for the Muse. And don’t be surprised if she doesn’t come at all. She’s waiting for you to get your crap together.

When I find my creativity flustered, I do the following:

Do the dishes (because this actually relaxes me).
De-clutter (throw away old magazines, pay bills, etc.)
Clean off my desk.
Put papers into neat piles.
Move junk out of sight.
Find a clean space to create (or make one).

Whatever I need to do to focus on the work, that’s what I do. And if you want to create something compelling, you must do the same.

2. Mental space

If your mind is consumed with worries and concerns — pending deadlines and to-do items — you won’t be thinking clearly. And this will affect what you write, paint, or design.

The best way to overcome this? Finish your chores.

Whatever is upsetting or distracting you, just do it. Get it over with. Walk through the discomfort and get back to work.

Here are a few things that hold me back, mentally:

A confrontation with a coworker that I’m procrastinating.
A lot of email piling up in my inbox.
A long list of household chores.
A bank statement I haven’t reconciled.
A bunch of windows open on my computer.
A cluttered desktop.

Whatever it is, my mind will not rest and won’t be able to focus until I get it done. So I make the mental space to be able to create. And maybe you’ll need to do the same.

3. Spiritual space

Creativity is a spiritual act, a work of the heart. If my internal life is messy, can you imagine what that means for what I’ll create? You guessed it — a mess.

The pain and plight of the artistic life is too romanticized. Creativity and suffering are closely connected, but not dependent on each other. Art exists in spite of pain, not because of it. And as an artist, you will always be rebelling against injustice, always pushing back darkness.

You can create begrudgingly or gratefully. The difference is how you face the pain:

Is there brokenness in your life? Acknowledge it.
Unresolved conflict? Deal with it.
Hurt from your childhood or issues with your parents? Voice them.

Whatever you fill yourself with, it will come out in the work you do. If you want to share joy and beauty with the world, you must fill your life with those things.

At times, this is hard, because as artists we’re often resisted. But as Anne Lamott reminds us, this feeling of being “blocked” is, in fact, emptiness. And here’s the rub: Emptiness and space are not the same.

Space is something you make in your life, amidst the busyness, so that you can fill it. Emptiness is a spiritual void that cannot be filled, no matter how much you create. If you find yourself empty, it means your life is lacking space.

Space to dream. Space to think. Space to believe.

Before you can create, you have to make sure your soul is filled. This may require you to face some demons and slay a few dragons. But once you do, you’ll be ready to make your contribution to the world — and all the more grateful for doing so.

What about you? What space do you need to create in your life? Share in the comments.

Join the discussion

If you write your own post on “creative space,” share it below.

This post was inspired by the Luminous Project , a conference for creatives and communicators that I’ll be speaking at. As a special discount to my readers, you can get 35% off when you sign up, using the code: BRINGitHERE.