Have you ever read or seen something amazing and thought, “I’m definitely going to do that?” Why did you want to do it?

As I started to chase my dreams and transition to truly living I read every blog my eyes could handle. I listened to every podcast I could find about self-improvement on iTunes. I devoured content and was inspired every ten minutes, it was a blessing and curse!

As I started to take action and apply what I was learning something happened: it didn’t work!

What was going on? I studied, I came up with a plan and the people I learned from were really successful, so what went wrong?

Why is the engine that drives the car

I missed something very crucial, I couldn’t answer WHY I was doing what I was doing. I would write a certain way or even use a certain tool because that’s what I saw the big shots doing.

I would use social media this way, I would promote my books that way. I started this service or created that product, all because of what others had done with success.

The reason I didn’t have success and why you won’t either is because I hadn’t thought of why I should use that tool or why I should do things that certain way.

If I had thought of why I wanted to do this or that, I could have saved myself a lot of valuable time and resources.

Different situations require different actions

Great content and instruction is amazing and inspiring but not all of it is meant for you. You are unique and your dreams are unique, what worked for someone else might not work for you. (more…)

Oh yes, I can clearly remember the first time I got hated on, it still stings! As you can see from the screenshot, that person really didn’t like my writing, whoops!

Click on the pic to enlarge

The first time I read this review it was like World War 3 in my mind, I think I even screamed out loud! After the initial anger I got depressed, how could someone say that about something I poured my heart into?

As I thought about it more, I really started to believe the review, it really feed into the doubts I had in the back of my mind. We all know those doubts are always there lurking at the surface, this negative review was just what my doubt needed to bring it all out.

Since this first negative review I have accumulated a few more haters and they love to tell me how much I stink. I get a few emails a week from haters calling me names and putting my work down.

I have pushed forward and learned a few lessons that I want to share with you today because you will come across haters as you chase your dreams. Rest assured that as you make progress on your dreams, the haters will come out of the woodwork!

You are better than what they tell you

As we chase our dreams and change our lives, all of our doubts and fears will surface like crazy and we tend to believe them. The haters will feed on that and confirm what the doubts are telling you.

Here’s the thing though: they’re WRONG! You are great, you’re amazing, you’re one of a kind and the only YOU in the world. The things that the haters are telling you just aren’t true.

Now understand something, not everyone will agree with you and your message, I get that. When I saw haters I’m talking about the ones that go out of their way to be a poopy head (yes I used that word).  (more…)

I had an amazing time speaking in Atlanta last week, I even got to hang out with our friend Lincoln Parks.

When I got home some weird things started happening. My tongue went numb, I couldn’t taste anything for a couple of days. Then I started getting some bad headaches, after that I had problems with my left eye and the left side of my face.

I knew something was up but you know how it is, I figured I would be fine in a few days. After a few days I noticed something was differently wrong with my face, so I went in to get it checked out.

The long and short of it is I have Bell’s Palsy disorder. Bell’s Palsy is a condition that paralyzes one side of your face (the left side for me) and happens at least once to 80% of Americans.

There are a few things that can help like steroids (which I don’t want), some natural supplements but generally it clears up on its own, it just takes time. How much time? No one can really say. My brother had it and it went away in two weeks, my Pastor had it and it took two years.

So now when I talk it sounds different and most people stare at my face. I’m not in any pain, it’s just taking some time to get used to eating and not being able to use the left side of my face. My eye on the left side cannot close, so it is constantly watering.

Others have it worse

When we’re faced with difficult situations people often ask us how we feel or how we’re doing. We want to appear strong (some do believe this) so we say we’re good and we know others have it worse. I have said that a lot as people have asked.

Yet the truth is I’m screaming inside! Why me? Why now? I have conferences to speak at and how can I do that without being able to fully talk? I know others have it rough but this is rough for me right here and right now! When will this just go away? (more…)

I’m all about truly living, we only get one life to live and I’m going to live it to the fullest. In that spirit I try to take any chance I can to try something new that could better my life.

My wife and daughter

One thing our family decided to do this year was Tae Kwon Do. It was something I always wanted to do as a kid and I knew my kids would love it. The only problem I foresaw was the schedule.

Things are a little bit busy these days so taking on something new…….. We have been doing Tae Kwon Do for about two months and at first I was there every night.

As time has gone on my wife and kids have continued to go but my attendance has slipped. As I get closer to my book launching, as I head out to speak at events worldwide, I just haven’t been able to make it.

I noticed something today that I think I’ve been afraid to say out loud: it’s OK! 

For the last few weeks as my family has continued to go and progress and I’ve continued to miss class and fall behind, I’ve felt very guilty. I’ve had all kinds of thoughts running through my mind telling me I’m not living what I preach, telling me that I’m not trying hard enough.

I had to remind myself of a couples of things that I want to share with you today if you’re in the same boat or if you experience this guilt in the future.

You can’t do it all

As much as I try to practice my superman skills (which I don’t have), reality reminds me that I can’t do everything. I have to let you in on a secret, neither can you!

I know that many of us have big goals this year which will require a lot of work and maybe a lot of tired days but at some point you’ll reach your limit. If you are pushing ahead with your goals and make progress, cut yourself a little slack if you can’t do everything right now.  (more…)

I’ve talked about this a few times before but several years ago I was addicted to TV. I would get done with work and get excited to watch five hours of TV everyday (seriously).

On one of my favorite episodes of the show The West Wing, one of the main characters was the chief of staff and was super busy. He had two phones that were constantly ringing, he had hundreds of emails, he had meeting after meeting.

His schedule was out of control and as soon as I watched that episode I wanted that to be me (dumb I know). For the next few months I tried to duplicate that schedule and took on way too much. I had to find out the hard way that what works for a TV show doesn’t really work in real life. I completely crashed and burned.

Now fast-forward until today. I have a pretty crazy schedule these days. Between speaking literally all over the world , my first published book coming out May 1 (you can still join the launch team), coaching, consulting, creating products and courses. And oh yeah, being a husband and father to three kids and everything else that life sometimes throws at you, my schedule now does feel like that TV show.

It’s OK to embrace the quiet moments

Sometimes I want to scream but I wouldn’t trade this for anything in the world because I’m living out my dream. However, today I noticed something: I have completely forgotten how to embrace the quiet moments. (more…)

One of the honors I have is talking to so many amazing people, it get overwhelming at times but I love it. As a result I got to read two amazing books and interview the honors. What that shared will help and inspire you. So without any further delay:

Kim de Blecourt

 

2. What is your dream “life” and “work”, what would an ideal day look like for you? SEE MY FAMILY OFF TO WORK/SCHOOL, RETURN EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE, BLOG/SOCIAL MEDIA UPDATES, WORK ON MAGAZINE ARTICLES, SEEK SPEAKING CONTRACTS AND CLOSE THE LAPTOP UPON THEIR RETURN HOME — PRETTY MUCH WHAT I’M DOING NOW.

 

3. What led to writing your book? MY JOURNEY WITH GOD THROUGH OUR INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION WAS SO AMAZING, THERE WAS NO WAY I COULDN’T SHARE WHAT GOD HAD DONE. I EXPERIENCED GOD IN AN ENTIRELY NEW WAY. OUR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WAS TAKEN TO A NEW LEVEL. I HAVE OFTEN WONDER WHAT I WOULD DO IN A TIME OF TESTING. THIS BOOK IS MY ANSWER.

 

4. What would you say to someone who is just starting out on the journey to chase their dream? LEARN AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ABOUT THE INDUSTRY. ABSORB THE INFORMATION, FOLLOW TOPICAL BLOGS, AND BEGIN YOUR JOURNEY SLOWLY. NO MATTER HOW PREPARED YOU THINK YOU ARE, YOU WILL MAKE MISTAKES. YOU MAY LEARN MORE FROM THEM THEN YOU CAN IMAGINE RIGHT NOW. DEVELOP A CIRCLE OF FRIENDS IN THE SAME AREA OF INTEREST. TREAT THEM WITH RESPECT AND VALUE THOSE CONTACTS. LAST, START NOW — NO WAITING FOR THE “PERFECT” TIME — IT DOESN’T EXIST.

 

5. So let’s talk about your book, what’s it about? MY FAMILY TRAVELED TO THE POST-SOVIET COUNTRY OF UKRAINE TO ADOPT OUR YOUNGEST. WHAT WAS TO BE APPROXIMATELY A MONTH OF TOTAL TIME IN COUNTRY TURNED INTO ME LIVING THERE FOR ABOUT A YEAR. I LEARNED RUSSIAN ON THE FLY, SPENT MY TIME IN HIDING, AND FACED HUGE OBSTACLES COMPLETING OUR ADOPTION. “UNTIL WE ALL COME HOME” FOCUSES ON THAT ONE YEAR OF MY LIFE, GOD’S EXTREME LOVE FOR THE ORPHAN AND MY FAITH JOURNEY THROUGH THE MOST FEAR-FILLED EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE. IT IS MY RAW, TRANSPARENT TELLING OF THAT STORY.

 

6. What do you hope people learn from this book? What’s the message you’re spreading? THAT AS CHRISTIANS, WE ARE MANDATED TO CARE FOR THE ORPHAN. WE HAVE BEEN ADOPTED BY GOD IN THE LOVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT AND OUR ADOPTION INTO HIS FAMILY IS WHY WE CALL FELLOW BELIEVERS BROTHERS AND SISTERS. OUR GOD IS FAITHFUL AND CAN BE TRUSTED. NO MATTER WHAT SITUATION YOU MAY FIND YOURSELF IN, THERE IS A GOD WHO LOVES YOU MORE THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE. HIS TIME TABLE MAY NOT MATCH OURS, BUT HIS TIMING IS PERFECT. STAY CLOSE TO HIM. HE WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU.

 

7. Where can we find out more about you and where can we find the book? YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MY CONTINUED JOURNEY WITH GOD AT MY BLOG, NOURISHEDHEARTS.COM. THERE YOU WILL FIND MORE INFORMATION ON ORPHAN CARE, INFORMATION ABOUT THE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION I SUPPORT, FOODFORORPHANS.ORG, AND THERE’S A CONTACT FORM. I’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR A FREE SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE FOR “UNTIL WE ALL COME HOME” AFTER THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR. “UNTIL WE ALL COME HOME” CAN BE FOUND AT FINE BOOKSTORES THROUGHOUT NORTH AMERICA, GREAT BRITAIN AND AUSTRALIA, AND AT YOUR FAVORITE ONLINE BOOKSELLER. EVERY COPY SOLD FEED APPROXIMATELY 9 ORPHANED CHILDREN IN SIXTEEN COUNTRIES, INCLUDING THE U.S. (more…)

This is a guest post from Ryan Ridgway who is the founder and a key contributor to WeeklyHustle.com. He is an avid entrepreneur, always exploring new opportunities. Blogger, hustler, avid fitness enthusiast, and adrenaline junkie are all great terms to describe him. He loves open networking; connect with him on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Google+. If you would like to guest post here email a post to kimanzi@talesofwork.com and I’ll review it.

“What you say is what you get.”

Cliché right? But really though, have you ever stopped for a moment to dissect that statement and find if it’s actually true? A poor man is poor because he utters the phrase “That would be nice if I could obtain that.” On the other hand, a rich man is rich because he uses the phrase “It will be nice when I obtain that.” Whether we realize it or not, our lives are carefully constructed of what we expect, and the attitude we give to every single situation that comes our way. As the title of this post precludes, an affirmation is simply a declaration of what is true, and as far as I’m concerned just about anything can be true, and it all starts from the words that come out of our mouth.

I have a large mirror in my room. I don’t use it to see if I have anything up my nose, nor do I use it to see if my outfit would pass a test. I use this mirror to empower myself every morning. I’ve written around 20 phrases on my mirror that I read aloud every morning. It’s a task that is often overlooked by many, but try it out and tell me at the end of the day that it wasn’t one of the most productive days you’ve had in a while? Written upon my mirror, you’ll find phrases like “I will make my first liquid-million by age 25″ – “No Drama, Only Results” – “You are a gentleman” – among many other phrases and reminders. A note card placed on your desk or on your car’s dashboard can also be a great constant reminder of what you’re chasing after. (more…)

Every day I read or listen to some amazing content that I learn so much from. Sometimes when I read or hear some of this content I just want to scream to someone but no one is around.

A light bulb went off the other day and I realized that I could share this great content with you. I know many that read this blog are chasing their dreams and there’s a wealth of FREE material that can help you with that.

So here is some amazing content from all over the web that you should definitely check out:

Tim Ferriss

Tim Ferriss is the author of two NY Times best-selling books: “The Four Hour Work Week” and “The Four Hour Body”. This past week he released his third book: “The Four Hour Chef” which is a lot more than a cook book, it’s a book that teaches you a new way of learning anything.

The thing that really caught my attention and why I’m telling you about it is how Tim launched his book. I know many here have or will release books so you should take note of the things Tim did.

First, he signed a publishing deal directly with Amazon which upset 1,100 bookstores that decided to BAN his book, the biggest of which was Barnes and Nobles. Can you imagine trying to have a major book release and not have your book in one of the biggest book stores? (more…)

This is a guest post by Jared Latigo who believes in a world where we all work in our strengths and for the good of others. He wants to help you understand your place in this world and the awesome gift you’ve been given. Check out his blog at JaredLatigo.com or download his free ebook, Symphony: A Manifesto of Purpose. You can also follow him on Twitter. If you would like to guest post here, send a post to kimanzi@talesofwork.com and I’ll review it!

For many of us trying to figure out this “living your dream” thing, we run into roadblock after roadblock. It seems that no matter where we turn, we spin our wheels.

But through it all, we know that it’s important to push through. Why?

Because there’s so much as stake.

Never Compare Your Beginning to Someone’s Middle

I know I’m not the only one that looks at what another person has achieved and think, “I’ll never get there.” Or, even worse, “Why am I even trying when they’re already doing the same thing way better?”

And then I remember that they all started where I am. Some with less opportunity than me. It takes time. Patience. Persistence. Stepping out of your comfort zone. And more. (more…)

Note from me: I will be away this week speaking in Kenya, Africa. My good friend Dan Black will be moderating my comments. Thank you Dan!

Look, I already know that I’m over weight and I’m doing something about it. So I don’t need the extra motivation, right?

I still get that motivation and much more every time I fly. I’m writing this post right now in Nagoya,Japan. I’m heading home from speaking in Manila,Philippines. I was convinced with this being an international flight that they would have wider seats, makes sense for 18 hours of flying, right? I guess not every airline can be as good as Virgin Airlines!

I got on the plane in Chicago and was disappointed to see the same size seats as in a domestic flight; I knew it was going to be a long trip.

Sitting in that tiny seat for an 11 hour flight from Seattle to Tokyo really got me thinking about motivation and the need to push harder. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been eating pretty good and hitting the gym, the weight is coming off slowly but surely. However, those seats were like being poked with a hot poker while you’re running, how fast would you run to get away from that?

Now I’m thinking about going back home and right away starting to push even harder. When there’s a temptation to justify something that’s “not that bad” I’m going to scream NOOOOO! When I’m at the gym and I’m tempted to have an easier work out, I’m going to remember how red my sides were from the arm rests digging in. It’s been long enough; it’s time to take this finally journey home. (more…)