Yes, You Really Can Get What You Want

Getting what you want in life is a simple (though not necessarily easy) process. First, you need to know where you want to go. Second, you need to plot your journey and arm yourself with the right information to get there. And third, you need a factor that all successful people have. Today, one of my best friends, Bedros Keuilian, explains exactly what that is.

Craig Ballantyne

"Don't be afraid to ask for help." - Bedros Keuilian

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How to Get What You Want

By Bedros Keuilian

You and every single successful person you know are alike. In fact you have every capability that the most successful person has. And you've got access to the same (if not better) information then many of the ultra successful people started out with.

So what does it take to succeed? You're about to find out the answer from experience. Over the past decade I'm made friends with some very well off people who have created their own success and freedom like I have all based on "The Formula."

But before we get to the formula, you need to hear a little story about the American Dream.

You see, in 1980 my folks brought the family to America from Armenia, then a communist country. I was five years old. We got here with two suitcases and less than $200 in cash for a family of five.

I didn't know a lick of English and we were broke to levels you probably couldn't even believe. Imagine this. As a chunky five year old kid with a funny hair cut and second-hand clothes, I'd get lifted into dumpsters behind supermarkets so I could pull out fruits, vegetables, breads, and other "expired" food that hadn't turned rotten, yet could no longer be sold.

And that would be dinner.

(Let me just say that most food has different levels of "bad" and you'd be surprised to know that your body can tolerate "bad food.")

But that was just the start of the trial and tribulations I went through on my success journey. Over the years I went to three elementary schools, two junior high schools and two high schools. I dropped out of college and at one point - due to a bad business decision - was evicted from my apartment and lived in a Toyota pick up truck as a last resort.

But today, I own and live on an acre estate in southern California that cost seven figures.

In addition we have multiple rental homes that provide an additional income stream for us.

I own or co-own four corporations that collectively generate multiple seven figure incomes annually and the workload that it takes to run them is pretty manageable for the most part.

I've owned and own practically every dream car I've ever wanted.

My family and I take vacations when we want where we want for as long as we want.

None of this is to brag. Instead, it's to prove a point to you, that I, a foreign kid with more learning disabilities than the average person, am living the perfect life of freedom and abundance, and I have no boss - there's no one that tells me what to do or when to do it.

In case you didn't figure it out already, I dislike authority and wouldn't make a very good employee.

But, what's more important is to observe where I started, what I went through, and where I am now.

What takes most people an hour to do, takes two hours. For example, even typing out this simple article is taking me twice as long as it would for a normal person. And while it might take you just a day or two of preparation for a presentation takes me a week or more - and that includes me studying and practicing the presentation three to four times per day.

The real lesson is that if I can succeed, anyone can - so long as you take action, have a burning desire for success, and commit to working hard. 

My success is based on this formula:

1. I LOVE what I do
2. I'm a workhorse and NOTHING will stop me. 

So in all reality YOU are better equipped than ME for success. But you also need this one very important characteristic (and I'm sure that you DO have it).

The one thing that EVERY successful self-made person has is heart. And those that are unsuccessful lack it.

I truly believe this. I truly believe that we're all the same in every way. We've got the same capabilities and the access to the same information, and the same number of hours in a day...

... but the thing that makes all the difference is HEART.

Heart to realize that you deserve more, even if you were brought up on crumbs like I was.

Heart to want to change your circumstances.

Heart to want to step out of your comfort zone.

Heart to be willing to do whatever it takes to get whatever you want.

Heart to realize that you are going to fail (often) and knowing that failure is the price that you must pay from time to time. But, I also believe that you've never really failed if you get back up and try again. It's the folks who fall down and stay down that end up as failures for life.

And you need...

Heart to make the HARD decisions that others won't.

Heart to take the actions you know you need to take even if it's going to hurt.

Heart to be willing to take a risk.

And heart to be willing to deal with fear, doubt, rejection and uncertainty.

Listen, if you're sitting around waiting for some major secret to success then you're probably feeling pretty let down by now. And anyone who says they have one magic secret to make you successful is full of it.

If you're waiting for permission to become successful. I give you permission. Better yet, look yourself in the mirror, and give yourself permission because no one is going to give it to you.

You've been given access to the tools, tactics, resources, action steps, systems, strategies and ideas to make yourself as successful as you want to be.

But what I can't give you is heart.

What I can't do for you is take action.

What I can't instill in you is the work ethic.

I don't know where you are on your success journey right now, but what I do know is that if you're reading this article then you probably want more money, more freedom, and probably to be your own boss, right?

Well, all you need to do is put the information you have to work for you, and you need to have a burning desire for getting more out of your life.

But never forget this: Getting information and APPLYING information to your life are two different things. See, I know plenty of people with all the information they need to succeed but that still struggle.

There are lots of folks like that in life. They are known as "information gatherers" but not action takers. They talk but don't do. They're afraid of getting out of their comfort zone. They claim to have a burning desire to succeed but really they do everything possible to self-sabotage.

Why am I telling you this? Because the harsh truth is that YOU need to take responsibility for your failures, successes, and lack of action. That is the number one reason people never get what they want. No personal responsibility. And with that they don't take action and then 12 months go by and at best they're in the same place in life that they were last year... only older.

But I know you're different. I know that you want more from your life. You want more time with your friends and family, more clients, more money and more freedom. All you need to do now is get out of your own way and get it.

The Abundance Vision

By Craig Ballantyne
So, you have an idea for a business or product or any new opportunity and are wondering how to make those first moves into turning it into a real, successful venture.

A crucial part of starting up your own business or pursuing any new opportunity is to identify where you want to go with it, and what you want to achieve. Knowing this helps you answer a lot of the other questions including what you might be able to accomplish further down the road. A helpful exercise in understanding this is visioning.

You must create a vision for your new business or venture. A simple way to do this is to write a post or a document as if it is five years into the future, describing it.

Answer the following questions in your vision statement.

• How much money are you making?
• What do you do?
• Who are your clients and how do you work with them?
• How do people feel about your brand?
• How many hours a week do you work?

It is important not to focus only on the more obvious measures of success, like the bottom line, but also things like perception of your business, because knowing what you want them to be at this future point helps you to drive your business practices and behaviors while you are starting out.

If you know where you want to be in 2017 then you have a clear direction on where you want to go. Your vision will guide all of the big decisions you make in your business. For example, if you know that you want to go in a specific direction with your idea, but someone comes along and asks you to get involved in an unrelated project, it will be easy for you to say, “No” because you understand this new project doesn’t get you closer to your vision (and in fact would take you further away from your vision).

There can be exceptions, of course, but using your vision in your decision making process is helpful because there will be a lot of cool new things that come up as you go along, and you really have to focus on what’s important to you.

When writing your vision you must be authentic, honest, and transparent. Be brave and write down what you really, really want to accomplish. Be specific about where you want to be. Don’t hold back. This is your life. These are your dreams.

Once you’ve written your vision, you may choose to share some of it with your partners, friends, or team or you may choose to keep it all to yourself, but don’t be intimidated or embarrassed to spell out your true vision.

It is also important to think big. If you’ve read Jim Collins’ “Good to Great” book then you are familiar with the big hairy audacious goal (BHAG) recommendation. The BHAG is a goal that is set just outside your comfort zone. It should make you think, “There’s no way I could do that, or is there?” There needs to be that slight belief that you could. This is fun and motivational, but you still need to be as specific as possible.

Donald Trump, who has done pretty well for himself, once said “It is easy to think big.” And it really is. It’s just as easy to think big as it is to think small. Use this vision exercise to think big. Put your big goal out there to the world. Be clear and concise, and recognize this is much different than just a simple daydream. This is your roadmap for success, and requires you to take action.

Use numbers and specifics, and clear, unambiguous statements.
As you write from the future about where you want to be, think in exact terms. Don’t think, “I want to be making enough from my Internet business that I don’t need to do any other kind of work,” or “I want to be rich,” instead think of the exact amount of money that you would like to be bringing in, and the specific lifestyle that will afford you. It is really important to know what you want to do and where you want to go.

You can do this for any aspect of your life, too, it is not limited to new opportunities. You can do this for your family, for example, and you could start by writing, “In 2017 I want my family to be in this position, living here in this part of the country, and the kids going to school here. I want to be giving them these specific opportunities.”

You can cover any details you want, if they are important to you. What car do you drive in 2017? Where do you go on vacation? What do you want your cholesterol levels to be? The vision exercise is an incredible tool because it gives you a roadmap for your life. It also forces you to think not only of what is possible, which can be a very motivating idea, but also what is truly important to you. Knowing this will help you drive your life in the right direction.

Refer back to your vision and mission as you progress, and use them to help shape your business and enable you to stay on the right track to make your original vision a reality.

Get Angry the right way

Aristotle said: "Anyone can become angry, that is easy. But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose and in the right way – this is not easy!"

Why can people be difficult? People often feel under pressure, rushed, insecure, angry or even stressed. However, how difficult it is to deal with somebody depends on your self-esteem, confidence and professional courage.

What should we do to change our behaviour? Lesley suggested:

a)    Listen – so you understand the concern
b)    Relate – apologise without justification
c)    Propose – try and come up with a solution.

Lesley invited our guests to discuss situations they had faced, or were facing, which led the group to build strategies for the future.

Top tips to manage our response to challenging behaviour:

• Take a step back – no-one can make you feel anything
• Don’t hold a grudge
• Write down the exact problem and your desired resolution 
• Take control of the situation – arrange a meeting, do it privately and be armed with the facts
• Ensure your strategy is not formulated on the basis of ‘winning’ or ‘losing’
• Look to solve the problem, not the person
•  Role play so you can get used to aggressive behaviour
• Express yourself. Write down all the negativity – get it out of your system – then throw it away!

How to Overcome Overcapacity

By Craig Ballantyne
Back when I was 13 years old, working away for $3.10 per hour at the local garden center, one of my tasks was to take the empty flats (the plastic container in which you get your petunias) and stack them up in an old warehouse until they were needed again the next spring.

Of course, the old warehouse was already overflowing with flats, pots, boxes of Christmas decorations, soil, tools, and even tractors. It was already over capacity. Somehow, I still managed to cram in another stack of flats in a dark corner. But it was far from optimal.

This is also how we treat our minds and as a result our work and relationships suffer.

We cram our mental faculties full of information; appointments, deadlines, commitments, ideas, and even “bucket lists.” We end up giving halfhearted attention to a laundry list of activities instead of sustained, quality attention to fewer, more important objectives. Our careers, stress levels, relationships and health all suffer.

As I discovered back when I was 13, the real problem wasn’t trying to cram more stuff into an already disorganized space. Oh no, the real problem came later when you tried to find things and extract them efficiently.

Likewise, the real problems in our minds arise when it comes to giving focus and attention to problems that matter. When we have halfheartedly committed to a dozen people, activity, committees, events, fundraisers and groups; all of them suffer, particularly the projects that demand our greatest focus.

It’s time for a politically incorrect solution to dealing with the overcapacity in our lives.

Recently two friends and business colleagues emailed me to set up a phone call to explain their new businesses and how I could partner with them.

I thought about scheduling calls with each of them as both opportunities were interesting and each could be successful for us and beneficial for the people we would help. But each call would need to fit between my deadlines for ETR, Financial Independence Monthly, my fitness business, and the Underground Online seminar, without cutting into the time I have dedicated for my family or health and fitness routine. The call would also need to revolve around my travel schedule.

As I thought about finding space in my schedule and in my mind for the extra responsibilities that these new opportunities would bring, my head exploded.

Boom.

Maple syrup-glazed Canadian brains everywhere. Have mercy on my poor assistant who will need to scrape out my grey matter from between the keys on my laptop.

Okay, my head didn’t explode. But it FELT like it was going to explode. My anxiety and blood pressure rose just thinking about trying to shove another opportunity into my already full to the brim mental warehouse.

So I said, “No, thank you, I’m sorry.” I went on to explain why I just could not get involved in any additional projects right now. Here’s what I wrote.

“I apologize, but I don’t have the mental capacity to give this conversation and your opportunity my full attention and preparation. As a business owner, I’m sure you’ll understand how we are being pulled in many directions, so you know where I’m coming from. I appreciate your interest in sharing this with me, however at this time I am fully committed to other projects and people.”

It felt great to say this. It felt even better to know that the strained attention I have for my current list of projects would not be diluted any further. And while there’s still a lot of work to do on cutting out more unnecessary tasks from my day, saying “No” to random opportunities that come my way is a start to reducing mental clutter.

The politically incorrect truth is this: You have to stand up for yourself. Listen, you don’t have time to talk to everyone about every single one of their problems. You can’t fix the world. Of course, you should certainly decline the invitations politely, but at some point you have to say no.

As much as you want to help everyone, as much as you want to jump into every new project and opportunity that comes along, you must remember that you have a limit on your mental capacity for quality work, meeting deadlines, and dealing with people.

All of these decisions are to be made with a big picture in mind. You want an uncluttered brain so that it is able to deliver focused attention on major projects. Avoid having your attention diluted by multitasking or chasing every shiny new object that comes your way.

On an even bigger scale, remember that every time you make a decision to get involved in a new project it will take time away from other aspects of your life.

With each new opportunity, ask yourself this:

What am I willing to sacrifice from my current life in order to insert this new opportunity into my limited mental capacity?

Each time I am tempted to overindulge my desire to be involved in every exciting new opportunity that comes my way, I remind myself to review Kekich Credo #2 that states:

“Cherish time, your most valuable resource. You can never make up the time you lose. It’s the most important value for any productive happy individual and is the only limitation to all accomplishment. To waste time is to waste your life. The most important choices you’ll ever make are how you use your time.”

For all of us, no matter how much we want to take on everything that comes our way, eventually something has to give. We can either take control and choose what gets cut, or we can find out the hard way through experience as to what part of our lives ends up suffering.

Make the choice. Reduce capacity. Do fewer things well rather than a lot of things halfheartedly. Eliminate the demand on your already strained systems, and give more focus and attention to the priority projects in your life that will make the biggest difference.

Flirting

I don't watch much television, but my favorite programs are the
ones on nature.  I've seen several different episodes on animal
courtship and I find it fascinating what some animals do to attract
a mate - or just to mate.  Some dance, others build elaborate
nests, many strut their stuff and several even fight other
potential suitors to get the female to notice them.

Humans do some of the same things to attract potential mates.  For
many of us, a courtship begins with the act of flirting.  Playful
teasing, winking, a gentle touch to the arm and other gestures
usually signal to someone that you find him or her interesting,
engaging and attractive -- that you would like to spend more time
with him or her.

The problem with flirting is that some men and women don't realize
it is part of courtship.  Some see nothing wrong with flirting with
other people even if they are in a relationship.  They come up with
faulty reasoning such as "it's ok to look at the menu as long as I
don't order anything off it."  How many times have you been full
after a meal but a peek at the dessert menu tempted you to order
that luscious slice of pie anyway?

For many who have had affairs, it began with flirting.  When
someone flirts with you (innocently or not) you are flattered.
They are signaling that they find you fun and attractive which
makes you feel excited and happy.  Your emotions begin to flow.
Perhaps you remember this stage of new love in a previous
relationship and those euphoric feelings come back.  Despite what
your mind knows is best, you begin to reciprocate with the
flirting.  Soon the gentle touch to the shoulder might move to the
arm, then later to the elbow and then to the hand. And whether or
not you have the willpower to keep it from leading to an affair of
the body, it has already led to an affair of the heart. Millions of
men and women do not set out to cheat on their mate.  It often
begins with what they think is harmless flirting.

How can you tell the difference between someone who is flirting and
someone who is just fun natured?  Someone who flirts will only be
"flirty" to those they find attractive.  If they playfully tease or
touch everyone they meet, then they probably aren't flirting.
However, there is still the danger that too much play can be
misinterpreted.  Before you know it, you have some stranger calling
you in the middle of the night, showing up at your office, sending
you love letters or even planting an unexpected kiss on you - just
because they thought you were flirting (beginning a courtship) and
it got their hormones racing.  Flirting is a powerful tool in
attracting a mate.  Used correctly, it can reap wonderful rewards.
But if you are already in a relationship, it can bring disaster.

Making Our Lives Golden

By Mark Ford

I have always been a strong opponent of television. But, K and I recently started watching it together. Just a little bit here and there, but enough to get me thinking about the way people spend their recreational time... and make me wonder if the kind of activities we engage in during our down time really make a difference.

I've also pointed out that the more time you spend working, the more successful you're likely to be - but acknowledged that even the most ambitious and hardest workers need to take at least a few hours out of the day to do something that gives them pleasure.

Something that isn't work.

The question then becomes, "What should that 'something' be?"

As I said, just about any activity we choose to do can fit into one of three categories. It can:

1. Damage us in some way
2. Improve us somehow
3. Leave us more or less the same

Think of the best choices - the ones that improve you - as Golden. Think of the neutral choices - the ones that just help you pass the time - as Vaporous. And think of the worst choices - the ones that hurt you - as Acidic.

It's up to you how much Gold, Vapor, and Acid you are going to have in your life.

When I think of my own choices - good, bad, and neutral - I notice that they have the following characteristics:

Golden Choices

My best experiences tend to be with activities that are intellectually challenging and emotionally engaging. Because they demand a lot from me, I shy away from them when I am low in energy. But when I do get into them, they build my energy and thus make it easier to continue. When I am through with such an activity, I feel good about myself and content with how I have spent my time.

Vaporous Choices

These activities are easy to slip into and easier, too, to stay involved with. They are the choices we make when we don't feel like making choices. The time we spend when we don't much care how we spend our time. Welcome to the Vapor zone, the neutral, happy world of poker and sitcoms and gossip.

When I'm ready for some relaxation, my first impulse is always to choose a Vaporous activity. Having "worked hard all day," I want something simple and mindless so I can gear down. And most people would probably say the same thing. Getting into the Vapor zone is easy - and staying there is easier still.

The big problem with Vaporous activities - and this is a very big problem for me - is that they leave me feeling enervated instead of energized. And empty. Vaporous activities do for me what Vaporous foods (i.e., comfort foods) do: They fill me up but tire me out.

Acidic Choices

Everybody has vices. At one time or another, I've had just about all of them. I have never smoked crack, but I've done plenty of other things to destroy, reduce, or disable myself.

Why I do these things, I can only guess. Sometimes I think I need the challenge of surviving self-imposed obstacles. Whatever my reasons, the result of making those choices is generally the same.

I get a dull pleasure that is mixed with a barely discernible level of pain. Even when the pleasure is intense, it is clouded by a foggy brain. It feels like I'm having a great time ... but I am not sure. And if the actual experience of Acidic activities is mixed, the feeling afterward is not at all ambivalent. It is bad.

The interesting thing about Acidic options is how attractive they can be. Nobody would argue that they are good choices. We pick them because we are too weak to pick anything else, and we use what little mind we have left to rationalize our self-destruction.

Let's Take a Closer Look at These 3 Categories

When we are at our best - confident and full of energy - we can easily choose Golden activities over all the rest. When we are feeling just okay, we can usually reject Acidic choices but find it hard to opt for Golden moments over Vaporous ones. And when we are at our worst - low in energy and full of doubt - that is when we are most susceptible to making Acidic choices.

Golden activities include:

• Meditation
• Yoga
• Watching an educational and inspiring documentary
• Listening to complex, uplifting music
• Appreciating art
• Watching a really, really good movie
• Reading a very good book
• Making love
• Tasting a really good wine

Vaporous activities include:

• Getting a massage
• Going to a sporting event
• Watching most "entertaining" TV like Friends, CSI, The Tonight Show, etc.
• Reading "beach" novels and page-turners
• Listening to most mood music, including most rock 'n' roll
• Having sex
• Drinking beer or whiskey

Acidic activities include:

• Getting drunk
• Listening to rap music
• Watching stupid/degrading TV shows like Jerry Springer, Cops, and The Bachelor
• Doing things you'd be ashamed to talk about

You may not agree with some of these designations. Not to worry.

You can (and should) make up your own list. But in creating that list, consider the following:

When Choosing Gold...

• The activity/experience is intellectually challenging. It teaches you something worth knowing or develops a skill worth having.
• It is emotionally deepening. It helps you understand something you hadn't understood before and/or makes you sympathetic to experiences and/or situations you were closed to.
• It is energizing. The experience itself charges you up spiritually, emotionally, and intellectually. You have greater strength and more endurance because of it.
• It leaves you happy with your choice. During the experience and afterward, you have a strong sense that you are doing the right thing.
• It builds confidence. Because you know that you are improving yourself, choosing Gold makes you feel better able to make wise choices in the future.

When Choosing Vapor...

• The activity/experience is intellectually and emotionally easy. It feels comfortable and comfortably enjoyable. You have done it before and it amused you, so you are sure that if you do it again you will be equally amused.
• It is usually passive rather than active. It is watching TV rather than going to a stage play. It is getting a massage rather than practicing yoga. It is chugging a brewsky rather than savoring a good wine.
• It tends to be habit forming. Because it feels good (in a medium-energy sort of way) and is so easy to do, you find yourself doing it over and over again.
• Doing too much of it is not good for you. Whether it's eating starch and fat or sitting on the couch and staring at the TV screen, a little bit doesn't hurt. But too much leaves you with of the unpleasant feeling that you've wasted your time.

When Choosing Acid...

• The activity/experience is physically or mentally damaging. Often, it kills brain cells. Sometimes, it gives you cancer.
• Although it is bad for you, it is alluring. There is something about the way the experience takes you out of yourself that you find attractive.
• It attracts bad company. Since most healthy people don't approve of it, you find yourself doing it with another set of friends. Eventually, you reject the friends and family members who don't "get it." They are too straight-laced or lame to understand, so you figure you don't need them in your life.
• It disables you intellectually, emotionally, and physically. During the moment, you are less capable of performing complex skills or dealing with complex emotional or intellectual issues. If you engage in Acidic activities a lot, you become less capable of peak performance generally.
• Acidic experiences have ever-extending thresholds. What gets you off in the beginning is never enough to get you off later on. You have the mistaken notion that more is always better.

Will This Make a Change in the Choices You Make?

Once you've drawn up your own list of Golden, Vaporous, and Acidic activities, use it to keep track of the way you're choosing to spend your time. (A good way to do that is to make notes in your journal.) You may be surprised - and disappointed - by what you discover. Make your own list. Track your own life. Ask yourself what you could become if - starting right now - you began making better choices.

In the meantime, I am going to have to talk to K about our plans for installing cable TV in our house. I will tell her my fears:

• that I will become addicted to it
• that I will begin to watch the worst kind of shows
• that in watching more and more Vaporous TV, I will spend less time on Gold activities

She will point out that she is content watching her three or four favorite shows on video while she is on her Stairmaster. She will tell me, "Do what you want. It makes no difference to me" - and she will mean it. Which will make me entirely responsible for figuring out how much of my free time will be Golden or Vaporous or Acidic.

What about you?

Escaping the Status Quo: A Road Map to Freedom

By Jason Leister

When I was in elementary school, I always pictured the principal's office to be this dangerous, dark and scary place where people went in but never came out.

I was really scared of the principal.

I don't even remember if I ever actually visited his office. And that only allowed the picture in my mind to grow and to become more foreboding over time. Even now when I think back, I just get this image of an evil dictator sitting high up on his throne of judgement... watching everyone who muddles about down in his kingdom. Just waiting to strike someone down. Eek!

As far as I can tell, that's where my fear of authority started. And it controlled my life, on a very deep level--for a very long time.

Becoming a Brave Coward

Over the years, that fear transformed into something a bit darker: disdain. That's when the rebel in me was born. That's when my subversive side started to show.

I didn't get what was happening at the time, but I started to have a severe lack of respect for people in my life who were in positions of authority.

It wasn't because of anything they did, it was just because of me.

My fear had begun to bubble up to the surface. And it came out as anger. I was becoming braver about confronting the status quo, but I was still a complete coward.

I guess you could say I was a brave coward, if there is such a thing.

You see, I wasn't brave enough yet to publicly state I was "breaking free," but I was bold enough to take those actions in private.

I was the kid who was perfectly sweet when the teacher was looking, but as soon as they'd turn their back, I'd do anything I could to subvert their power.

The Personal Revolution Begins

Soon after college, things got so bad that I started blowing up life situations as a way to relieve some of my "anti-authority," "anti-status quo" pressure.

"Once in a lifetime" jobs I got would quickly get shattered as I struggled with how to be a "free man."

I wasn't very good at it, I can tell you that.

Back then, I had no idea what freedom was all about. I had no idea where it was hiding. And I had no idea how to build it into my life.

To me, accepting the status quo meant accepting the authority of another (in this case, the thinking of another) over my own.

I had no idea what to do about it except to get angry. And I got very, very angry.

It was all bottled up of course. After all, I was a nice kid. My training was complete enough to allow me to suppress what I was really feeling and wear an outer persona much more acceptable to the people around me.

Eventually, I blew everything up and abandoned it all.

The music career... gone.

The great job right out of school... gone.

All of the connections I'd spent years building... gone.

All of the "potential" I had to pursue a life as a musician... kaput.

I got rid of all of it.

Gone in favor of something real. Something for me.

That's the only thing I could think of doing in order to give myself a fighting chance of breaking free.

My acceptance of the status quo was too complete for the "slow and steady path."

I needed a revolution, and I got one.

My Roadmap to Personal Freedom

I finally realized there was really only one path for me to tread. And that was a path of my own making.

This is easier said than done. Because it meant I had to redefine everything I knew about who I was and why I was here. I had to redefine:

The status quo regarding my family...

The status quo regarding my  work...

The status quo regarding my time management...

The status quo regarding my spiritual matters...

The status quo regarding how I view myself and the inherent value I bring to the world...

It was painful, turbulent and frightening. It was also the best thing I've ever done.

First, understand that personal freedom begins in your mind, body and soul and grows from that place.

It is an ideal that you cling to. And ideal that you build upon. Eventually, that internal fuel makes its way into the physical world

The road to personal freedom and the escape from the status quo begins with waking up to each and every decision you make in your life.

This is a difficult habit to plant, in my experience. Years and years of shallow thinking have invaded most of our lives. We do things without really thinking about why we do them. We create entire lives for ourselves that are based on other people's ideas and agendas.

Today is your opportunity to change that.

Today is your opportunity to break free from allowing the status quo to control you.

The truth is, it can't control you unless you allow it.

The day you stop accepting the status quo is the day you start living your life.

You escape by understanding that you are on a journey worth taking.

Today is the day to escape.

You escape by understanding that the prize is worth a life.

You escape by understanding that you have been given a gift that is completely without measure: the ability to decide what direction you will travel today, tomorrow and the next day.

But I have to warn you, the journey probably won't be easy. Especially at first.

There's a middle ground, a limbo of sorts, where it feels like you're out there all by yourself. It feels that way because you are all by yourself. For the time being anyway.

You are 4-5 steps away from the herd. They see you there, and they don't like it.

That's the time to persevere.

If you keep paddling, you'll soon come upon another land. A better land if I might be so bold. This land is where all of the people live who have abandoned the status quo in search of something better--in search of something more fulfilling, more real.

They're on a similar journey. And seeing them gives you great strength. It shows you that you are in very good company. The best company there is actually.

You are an independent being. You are free to make your choices and to take action on those choices. You are free to do this today, despite the best efforts of "the herd" to keep you in line.

What do you get in exchange for all of this trouble?

You get the life that is meant for you. And that, dear Reader, will make all the difference.