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This month in Say YES to Purpose, we talked about the purpose journey.  In today's vlog, Vaneese Johnson, Career Reinvention Coach, talks about purpose as it relates to your career -- Identifying Career Purpose http://tibayintl.com/identifying-career-purpose/

My eldest child plays soccer.  She's pretty good at it too.  And this year, her team moved up to Division 1 so things are exceptionally competitive.

When she was younger, the "Princess" was always ultra polite - one of those kids who all the teachers fawn over because she said, "please" and "thank you".  I suppose that's not a commonality much anymore.  But that streak of politeness doesn't work very well when you play competitive sports.  You have to be pretty tough and thick-skinned.

Now that she's older, the Princess still has a very quiet strength about her.  She is at the stage now where her feelings are fragile (she's a tweener), but she gets assertive on the field because her goal is clear as a Forward - be in front position to get the ball to and into the net.

This week, while she was targeting the goal, a kid on the other team recognized her skill and honed in on her.  The competitor started hounding her pretty hard verbally and physically...to the point that she was elbowing the Princess constantly.  At one point, she elbowed her so hard in the ribs she went down, tears in her eyes and a defeated look on her generally smiling face.  Things didn't look good.

I waited until half time and went over to check on her.  When I got there, I looked her in the eye and asked her how she was.  Although she responded quietly, "fine", I could tell her eyes were saying, "she's getting to me".  I told her I knew she was stronger than that but for the rest of the game, that girl took the fight out of my Princess.

You know I gave her 'the talk' on the drive home, right?  But in my heart I knew none of that would matter until SHE knew she was strong enough to overcome the pain and that much of it was in her own mind.

As I prayed about it later on, I had a revelation.  It was this -- how often do we allow our dreams to be sidetracked and wiped out because of FEAR?  It can creep up on you, whisper things in your ear that tell you "you're not good enough" or " you can't do this" and when you listen and let it knock you down, you lose sight of the goal -- the main reason why you're even playing the game.  Your business and your personal life suffer when you let Fear get the best of you.

Like I told the Princess, we have to never let our fear see us sweat - it may be there, but you look it in the eye and you show it just how good you are. Never lose sight of the goal. Because just like the game that night? We were destined to win and it happened anyway - in spite of what fear tried to do.  It can kick your butt and you may even need a little Tylenol afterwards, but don't let fear put you out of the game.

Get your theme song going in your head.  Mine is by Mary Mary and it's called Get Up.

Some of the words go like this,

"What are you afraid of? Don't you know what you're made of? One of God's greatest creations. Take this invitation now.
Get up, 'cause you can't stop. Get up, got a lot to do. 24 hours, almost gone.
Get up, don't sit back. Get up, if you wanna get there. Clocks don't stop and time won't wait."

Just remember, you have the power to choose - keep your head in the game, or let fear bully you into giving up. What's it going to be?

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About the Author: Tanya Smith is a creative business strategist and coach specializing in showing independent service providers how to simplify, save time & stand out with simple strategies that engage more quality leads and clients. Her company Be Promotable provides fresh actionable strategies and virtual resources to promote business owners as power players in their market. Get free tools to simplify and stand out online at: www.tanyasmithonline.com

I’ve come to believe that legacy projects do a lot to fulfill you. They hold tremendous value. This is the kind of work that not only gives you a sense of satisfaction, but it’s valuable to others and it’ll outlast you once you’re gone. Legacy projects produce legacy work. Legacy work is great work. The kind of work that will push you out of bed 3 hours in advance of having to do it. Great work keeps you motivated because it’s revolutionary and it leads to awe-inspiring innovation. It has synergy all it’s own because you’re depositing your best self into it. I love that type of work. Don’t you?

Unfortunately, so many of us don’t get an opportunity to create legacy projects because we’re doing good work. Don’t get me wrong, good work is useful. It’s productive and there’s nothing wrong with it.  It’s even comforting; when you leave out of your house in the morning you know what you’re going to do, how you’re going to do it and how long you’re going to do it for that day. Actually, it doesn’t take a lot of thought to do good work. You may even break from that good work and reward yourself with an hour of free time – let’s call it lunch. But, you know you have to hurry back from your 1 hour of free time to do your good work for the remainder of the day. Usually doing good work spans over a 20- 30 year period and before you know it, it’s time to go. You feel proud that you’ve accomplished all of that “good work” but was it really for you or for someone else who got all the glory for it? You even hope that all of that good work that you’ve done is remembered, but unfortunately, once you get that plaque and luncheon, the reality is – no one wlll.

Legacy projects = legacy work = great work = SATISFACTION = PURPOSE.

Do you see yourself here? Are you the person who outputs good work on a daily basis? Do you want more for your life – something that will give you purpose and provide a legacy beyond yourself? If so, think about making a strategic shift. NCCA offers a 12-week Professional Life Coach or Health and Wellness Coach Program.  If you have what it takes to be your own boss, there are no limitations to stepping out and doing it. You can have new tools to start your own coaching practice in as little as 12 weeks. Make time for something new in your life. Classes are starting in January 2013.

So many of us are unhappy and unsatisfied with how we are managing our lives. Though most of us are grateful for the ability to have an income during this tough economic season, I believe the #1 desire is to do what you love to do. A great percentage of time and energy is directed toward doing alot of busy work. Unfortunately when that's the case, we have no say so in the qualty of life for 7-12 hours of the day. That's a whole lot of time doing what you know doesn't offer satisfaction.

Operating in your passion is the most important thing you can do in life, because it causes something on the inside of you to bubble up. You feel euphoric. You're motivated, inspired and built up and you have a feeling of satisfaction at the end of the day, not dread that you got through it.

So what occurs when you are not connected to your passion?

• You have no joy. It's all over your face.
• You lose your sharpness.
• You take less risks in life because you don't see the benefit of going against the grain.You become comfortable with where you are and what you're doing. You have found a way to be comfortable even though you are unhappy, joyless and unmotivated.
• You miss out on opportunities to reach people with your gifts and talents. You're not changing lives. At the end of the day, you should ask yourself,"whose life have I changed today?"

You know I can list more, but I think you get the message. We were not created to live this way. I've found that people who are passionate about life are:

• Productive daily.
• They are not afraid.
• They follow their calling, take risks, and see challenges as opportunities to expand.
• They are in synch with who they really are and it's revealed in what they say, do and think.

Until you discover your core DNA, you are living a life of mediocrity. Take intentional steps to do the great things you were meant to do. You owe it to yourself!

Have you had that feeling of "envy" rearing it's jealous head when you come across a friend, peer or colleague who has accomplished something you have LONGED desired? What is so different about them than you? How come they have been able to make it happen and you haven't? What is their secret?

I attempt to answer this question in this video...the answer may surprise you

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Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must
fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act.
There is no other route to success.

~Stephen A. Brennan~

Do you have goals for your life and business?

I'm sure you do. Are you achieving any of your goals?

Even when you've set a "good" goal - you can run into some

challenges along the way... namely, motivation. Without motivation,

even the most ambitious person will get sidetracked. Here are the strategies that
will keep you on track to achieving your goals:

Write it down

It's one thing to set a goal and yet another to write it down.

You're making a step towards committing to your goal when

you write it down. I know it seems obvious, however, you'd be

surprised at how many individuals

don't complete this step.

Determine what achieving this goal will do for you

Give life to your goals. Write down what it will mean or what it

will do for you to achieve this goal. Visualize it and write it down.

Place yourself in the moment. This is also a key to manifesting

your goals.

Focus on success.

Being overcome by negative thoughts or "what if" scenarios can spell
disaster, even death, to your goals. When you start out by finding a
million ways why your plans won't work, your energy is getting diverted
to dealing with failure that hasn't even happened!

Instead of funneling your time and resources into negative thoughts and
processes, make the decision that you're not going to entertain any
ideas of failure. If it happens, it happens. You don't have to spend
your precious resources worrying about it now.

"What you focus on expands." ~ Author unknown

Chart your progress.

A great motivation is to create a visual graphic to represent your
progress towards your goal. Think of those thermometers that elementary
schools place outside on a busy road, measuring how close they are to
achieving their fund-raising goal for the new community pool or
library. A similar, physical chart that you can update with progress
will do wonders to keep your attention focused.

When you're doing this step, think outside the box. If you're trying to
spend more time at the gym, why not post a map of the US on your wall,
and draw an inch from one coast to the other for each hour you spend on
the treadmill? Visual reminders are fun ways to keep your goals in the
forefront of your mind.

Don't be afraid to ask for help or turn to an expert for advice.

Some individuals feel guilty about asking for help or admitting that they
need help. Or you may think that you need to do everything on your own.
Nothing could be further from the truth! Alcoholics Anonymous has
sponsors, Michael Phelps has a coach, and Jack Welch had an advisory
board. No one has to be alone in their goal-setting efforts. Trying to
eat healthier? Nutritionists will help you fine-tune your diet. Working
out to get fit? Trainers will help you find the most effective
exercises to achieve your physical goals. Trying to get clear on your
vision, goals and stay focused or maybe even get unstuck? Coaches such
as

myself can assist you in this area.

There are business mentors and coaches who can help you figure out social
media, launch a new information product, create action plans, stay
focused, streamline your finances etc.. You can also find tons of
books, videos, and websites to help you reach your goal, no matter what
your goal happens to be. Don't go it alone. You also need an
accountability partner. Many times this is the missing piece.

Need more support in setting and/or achieving your goals? I invite you to
contact me for a complimentary life and business breakthrough strategy
session. Where I'll help you create a vision of where you'd like to go,
uncover some of the things that may be holding you back

and more. You'll leave our session re-energized, empowered and more focused.

Send an email to info@RobinTramble.com put "Life and Business

Breakthrough strategy session" in the subject area.

Someone will contact you to set up your session with me.

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Do you dread going to work? Feel like you were made to something else with your life other than working for “the man?” Or is your hobby starting to pay you more than your day job? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then it’s time to move on and follow your purpose. But first, we must identify the risks and rewards of quitting your day job and becoming an entrepreneur. Finally, we will learn 10 key strategies for implementing your purpose because although entrepreneurship may be calling you, are you really ready for it?

Okay! Let’s be real, here. There are risks to quitting one’s job, but many are just plain myths that need debunking because they are preventing you from following your purpose. Here are the top five myths to reasons why not to quit your day job:

· I will have no Health Insurance

· I will lose or not have Retirement Funds

· I will be homeless

· I need thousands of dollars to start my business and to survive

· There is no security in entrepreneurship

Now here is reality. First, you can purchase private health insurance that may cost more, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Google health insurance options online such as www.ehealthinsurance.com or call your local insurance agency such as Nationwide Insurance or State Farm. Second, you can rollover your 401(k) plans or others into a ROTH IRA. Talk to your financial advisor/planner for more information as they are a resource that everyone should use to help make sound financial decisions like quitting one’s job. Third, your home can be protected through insurance and other special programs. Again, speak with your financial advisor/planner to learn about your options. Fourth and most pivotal to your success, is plan, plan, plan, budget, budget and here, again, is where your financial advisor/planner will come in handy. Are you beginning to see a pattern here? Visit your local Small Business Administration technology center or go to their website at www.sba.gov. They can provide you with a plethora of information on funding options and more. Finally, tomorrow is not promised to anyone. If you plan smartly and be clear about your objectives, quitting your job will not lead you to the unemployment line.

Now, as previously stated, you must plan smartly and be clear about your objectives. Quitting your day job is a big step, and one must not become caught up in the myths about the rewards of being your own boss. So, here are some myths about the rewards of quitting your day job.

· I don’t have to answer to anyone

· I can set my own hours and work when I want

· I have an idea that is going to make millions

· I can go on vacation when I want to

Stop right there! If these are the reasons you want to quit your day job, you and your family are in trouble. The reality to entrepreneurship is that you do have to answer to someone – YOUR CUSTOMERS/CLIENTS. Entrepreneurship is not an 8 hour job, but a 24 hour job. Most businesses, depending on the industry, do not see a profit for the first 2-5 years. And can you say TAXES, EMPLOYEES, MARKETING and RENT/LEASE FEES? Finally, who’s going to cover the shop when you are on vacation? Many entrepreneurs have not made that leap to business owner where the company can now function without the owner/founder’s presence. You are the sales clerk, janitor, cashier, secretary and CEO until the business has “arrived.”

The bottom line is that the decision to quit one’s job is very personal and subjective. It is not something that can necessarily be predicted as being the right thing or the wrong thing to do at the time of the decision-making process. But is something that can work to you and your family’s advantage if it fits in line with your purpose and with careful planning.

So, are you ready to turn in your resignation? Wait! I want to leave you with 10 key strategies for implementing your purpose before you take that leap of faith into entrepreneurship.

10 Key Strategies to Implementing Your Purpose

1. Create a list of the things you are good at and enjoy doing: What is your calling? Write down your vision

2. Create a list of pros and cons about your current job: Be real and not just make up excuses here. Perhaps you will find that you might not need to leave the job just yet, but can leverage a raise or a newly created position tailor-made for you.

3. Plan a long-term and short-term list of goals that relate to 1 & 2: Speak with a counselor at a local women’s business center to help with this.

4. Tell your Crying Angel Network or your business consultant/coach your ideas and goals: Get a fresh perspective from someone who is not your family or circle.

5. Before quit job, see if you can negotiate a part-time deal: Don’t leave until all avenues have been exhausted – keep a part-time job until income from purpose super cedes or matches income from job.

6. Research access to capital: Capital can come in many different forms such as friends, family, loans, and savings. Bottom line: you must have a money plan.

7. Live within your means: You should start a budget and have been living by it at least 3 months before quit your job, if possible. If not, call your financial advisor/planner immediately.

8. Network, Network, Network: You can use the traditional (i.e., BNI groups, workshops & seminars) and/or non-traditional (i.e., post office, birthday parties, grocery store), but you must learn how to network and use your net to work for you.

9. Talk to your spouse before you jump into the water: Get their support or understanding, if not both, because this decision will impact them for a long time to come. They need to know where they stand in all of this because they will be making sacrifices with you. This is not about just you.

10. Keep a sense of humor because you are going to need it: That’s right! Laughter is the remedy for insanity and depression, so keep laughing and enjoy the journey.

One of my favorite inspirational quotes says, “Ambition knows no obstacles” (Chinese Proverb). I want to add to that that ambition is a curse without careful planning. That is not to say that you will be able to plan everything out, but when the bumps come up - and they will - you, your company and your family will be better equipped to handle them.

~Copyright © 2010 Rebekah L. Pierce. Mrs. Pierce is the Founder and President of The Girlfriend Connection (formerly Average Girl Magazine LLC). She is also a playwright, former radio talk show host, motivational speaker, teacher, wife and mother. Visit www.thegirlfriendconnection.yolasite.com for more information.

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I have definitely defied the odds and can speak from experience that “it’s not about where you’ve been, but where you’re going! Growing up poor in Stockton, CA with limited resources, I fought hard for the opportunity to attend college and become somebody. I barely escaped the hands of death at the age of eighteen when I attempted to take my own life to flee the harsh road and lies that were whispered into my spirit about my self-worth. But my mother’s hard work and struggle to give my siblings and me better opportunities superseded those lies and gave me the strength to press on and become the women I am today.

As an African-American military veteran and prevailing entrepreneur, I know that my purpose is to give a voice to women from all walks of life through the pages of my publication, Average Girl Magazine, now The Girlfriend Connection, and through the sharing of my story. I know that stepping out on faith when the odds are stacked against has set me on a path that only God knew I could handle.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I have had many a days that every first stage entrepreneur who steps out on faith dreads: hearing that your idea is great, but because you have no resources (i.e., money), you'll never make it happen. In the past four years, I have heard every excuse from high powered business persons to those just starting that there’s no way I will be able to grow this company because I don’t have those thousands of dollars behind me. If I had a quarter for every time I heard that, I'd be able to buy a condominium...in the Hamptons.

So, when does one "give up"? Or in business jargon, "when do you start executing your exit strategy?" When every door closes in your face? When you turn off your cell phone to avoid the bill collectors? When your spouse starts to give you that "this is bull*&^%" look? When you run out of faith? My entire life has been about battling the odds and taking the road least traveled. There’s something in me that just has to march to a different drum beat.

The day that I tried to take my life was the actual beginning of my journey through faith. I let my doubt about who I was and what I could be cloud my vision and distort my faith. As I swallowed those pills, though, something whispered to my spirit that I was worthy…that my family needed me more than I knew. God told me that I would always be somebody to him…if only I would believe and have faith. He told me that he had a gift in me that needed to come out…if only I would believe. I have been moving and walking in faith since that day.

I will admit, though, that there are days when I do feel like giving up on everything. What human being doesn’t? I think aloud everyday about giving up this “foolish” idea of entrepreneurship and going back to work for someone else because at least then I'd have a steady paycheck, health insurance and the coveted 401 (k). But then my spirit would die and that scares me more than not having a paycheck. Sometimes, I think that I must be an alien. Why else would I risk my security to save my spirit?

This past Christmas, I was sitting in a Christmas play called “The Gift” when I heard a character say something that gave me an “Ah hah!” moment. The character said: “God’s gift to you is potential. Your gift to God is what you do with that potential.” How profound for me that statement was because what I realized was that my potential is my purpose, and my purpose is my gift to God, but only when I move in it. The blessings don’t come until you MOVE.

One of my favorite inspirational quotes is by Maya Angelou: “I can be changed by what happens to me. I refuse to be reduced by it.” What this means to me is that no matter what happens with my business or in my life’s purposeful journey, I will not let it change the essence that is me. I am a child of God and He has given me my purpose…no matter the odds, I have to fulfill it. I can see it, feel it, touch it and even smell it. That’s purpose!

So what’s yours? What steps have you taken to pursue your purpose? There’s an ancient Chinese proverb that says: “Ambition knows no obstacles.” I think now is the best time to be ambitious and purposeful. Whatever you call the Divine Being, know that He has blessed you with potential, purpose - a gift. Use your faith to guide and move you towards fulfilling your purpose.

Know that this is the year of your completion…whatever that may be for you. Believe in your gift; work on your gift; and share your gift. But more importantly, write it down on a piece of paper and carry it with you in your wallet or purse, and when you have a moment when you feel as if the world is coming down on you – and it will because that is life – take it out and repeat it to yourself until you feel calm enough to put it away again and go on with your day.

Remember! Life isn’t easy. If it were, we wouldn’t have the chance to show God, the Divine Being, what we can do with his gift to us. Your purpose is waiting for you. Get started on your purpose plan today and don’t let your past be the roadblock to your purpose-driven life. MOVE! It’s time to step out on faith.

~ Copyright © 2009 Rebekah L. Pierce. Rebekah L. Pierce is the Publisher and Editor in Chief of Average Girl Magazine, a motivational magazine for women in searc h of change, purpose and prosperity. For more information, visit www.thegirlfriendconnection.yolasite.com or call (804) 274-8976.

Women have many hats to fill and the demand is great on their time and because of the lack of support, training and/or
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