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Passioneer® of the Month, Debbie Harvey, Co-Founder of Helping Haitian Angels

May 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment

[private][private]We recently interviewed Debbie Harvey, Co-Founder of Helping Haitian Angels, and selected her to be our May Passioneer of the Month.  In support of her nomination, 25 supporters wrote in testimonials/quotes, some which we share below.  She will be joining our Blog Talk radio show as a guest on June 2, 2010. Here are some of the many quotes from supporters who “voted” for Debbie with their emails.  We also share her Passion Q&A below.  Thanks Debbie and Happy Passioneering!  You can reach her at www.HelpingHaitianAngels.org,

Dial in live via 347-205-9038 or the Blog Talk Radio radio show site:  www.blogtalkradio.com/passionsandpossibilities

Quotes from Supporters for Debbie’s Passioneer of the Month Award

  • They have been faithful to help those less fortunate than themselves and have a great passion for those Haitian orphans! They have regularly put this mission before their own comforts and desires.
  • She is more passionate about helping these needy children than anyone I know or have ever known. She is truly doing God’s work, asking nothing in return.
  • Reading about Helping Haitian Angels and e-mailing back and forth with Debbie Harvey I can feel her passion for their angels and for HHA’s mission. Someone who has inspired me and I am sure others that you truly can make this world a better place.
  • Debbie is a wonderful, caring person who has committed so much time and energy to helping the children of Haiti.
  • She’s passionate about street kids in Haiti!
  • UNselfish efforts in the behalf of the less fortunate and personal time and finances to make a difference in the lives of these children. Tireless efforts not to accept defeat even in the eyes of the Earthquake that just occurred in Haiti.
  • Bill and Debbie have been successful at getting the word out about the great need in Haiti. You can’t mention their name in our town without people knowing that they are the couple with the orphanage in Haiti.
  • Unequivocable Determination!!
  • Long before the earthquake, Debbie and Helping Haitian Angels were there lending support to the Haitian people. She has made this her life’s work. She is an inspiration to many of us. Her spirit and generosity is infectious.
  • This is the most amazing group of volunteers — what started as a simple mission trip a few years ago has led to a mission to help so many orphaned haitian children. They have founded and funded an orphanage, built playgrounds after the devastation in haiti with this last earthquake. They have hired a full time pediatrician to provide medical care, food, clothing and schooling for these children. They rebuilt a home and raised funds to provide new, healthy mattresses for the children to sleep on. The list goes on & on. Debbie Harvey is an inspiration and example by which so many should follow. It’s all about paying it forward, and she does that beautifully in a way that makes a difference in the lives of so many others. She is truly a GREAT PASSIONEER!!!
  • The Harvey’s manage to help others around the world while being busy with their own families, kinds, and careers.
  • I had the pleasure of assisting with the cause in Jan, and I fell in love with all involved. As I mentioned before, I have never been surrounded by so many selfless people at one time.
  • Debbie is a tireless supporter of the children in Haiti – she displays such passion and excitement and outright LOVE when she speaks about them – she is not only a great help to them, but a real inspiration to her family, friends and community. She is an ANGEL herself!
  • Debbie has personally helped the orphans in Haiti by working with them by helping improve their living conditions. She has also shown strong leadership here in the U.S.on behalf of the Haitian orphans by doing news shows and public speaking forums to help spread the news regarding the great need in Haiti.
  • A woman who is changing the lives of children, housing them feeding them, educating them so they too may become productive citizens in their home land of Haiti
  • I am a part of this awesome passioneer. I love these kids, and will always do my best to make their lives better. I support them monthly, and go to Haiti to see them 3 times a year. I am one of their mamas, and being a part of this has changed my life for the best.
  • This organization has done so much in helping the beautiful orphaned children of Haiti. They’ve brought the children clothes, provided monies for food, education and even built beautiful playgrounds. It’s an honor to nominate Debbie and the entire staff of Helping Haitian Angels.
  • Bill and Debbie are selfless and caring people that want the best for humanity. They back-up their beliefs with action and positive results.
  • Her devotion, enthusiasm and constant daily thoughts and actions for Helping Haitian Angels is EVER PRESENT. It’s amazing and contagious!
  • She has always ‘walked her talk’, and is continuing to do so much to help others. She follows her intuition/Spirit, which has led her to playing Tibetian and crystal bowls in both concert settings and individual healing sessions. She is a constant source of motivation for the possibilities that await someone if they just ‘go for it’! She’s a beautiful person and very much deserving of recognition. Thank you for providing a means by which that can be done publically and ‘officially’.

Debbie’s Passion Q&A

Debbie:  In 2008 I went to Cap Haitien, Haiti and found 40 starving, dying, abandoned children squatting in an abandoned building.  I decided I had to see that these kids did not die.  Without thinking (that’s where the passion comes in!) I had a party, raised enough money to feed these kids, applied for a 501c3 and now have an orpahange where these same children (and many more) get 2 meals a day, education, church, and LOVE.

SO: Your definition of “passion” – your “WHY” for being on the planet?

I believe passion is an energy that’s observable and cannot be faked. It means taking a leap of faith. It means doing something you love for hours and the time flys by.  It means holding and loving profoundly poor children that have no one.  Some tell my that my passion is “contagious” and that’s why I’ve gotten the support  I’ve been blessed with.

SO: Your biggest passions for serving others, and how you’re expressing them (include hobbies, volunteering, if you wish)?

Helping Haitian Angels is my passion…serving orphanaed, hurting children in Haiti.  I also serve the youth at Park Valley Church in Haymarket, Va.  I lead the Bull Run Middle School EDGE club (a middle school teen christian club).

SO: Your biggest challenge(s) in expressing your passions for serving others and how you’ve addressed them?

My biggest challenge is knowing that there are so many abandoned, abused, and starving children in Haiti.  I would love to  help them all.  I know that’s not possible.  We are working now on opening a second orphanage in the country area of Cap Haitien.

SO: They say that when you do what you love, the rest follows.  What has been your experience of prosperity, as you define it?

Oh have we prospered at HHA.  We have 35 beautiful healthy, loving children that have shelter, a bed to rest on, a school where what they learn could lead them to change the country of Haiti, they have food that sustains them and most importantly they have adults who LOVE and CARE for them.

SO:  What’s the biggest lesson that you’ve learned in making the leap?

I’ve learned that you MUST take the leap!  How will you ever know if you could have lived your passion or dream if you don’t take the leap?  It may be overwhelming, scary, but it’s worth it.

SO: What’s your support system look like; how did you create it?

I have a wonderful support system. My husband and I have a group of 8 people that help with all operations, fundraising, support etc.  We didn’t have to create our support system, it created itself with people that went on trips with us to visit our orpahange and decided they wanted to be a part of HHA.

SO: What wisdom do you have for someone who’s scared/discouraged about their own leap?

God will provide if we do what we’re called to do…what we have a passion for.  When you have passion you can make anything happen.

SO: What’s your next big milestone?

Opening our 2nd orphanage is our BIG goal for 2010.  We want to get 40-50 kids off the street, get them in school (education is freedom), church, and to a place where they’re comfortable and loved.


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Guest Blog on Passioneering Courage, Alyson Mead, Best-Selling Author

May 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment

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Each month, we are thrilled and grateful to share a guest blog by a Passioneer on that month’s theme.  May is the month of Courage, and we a featuring a guest blog by best-selling author Alyson Mead (contact details below).  Thanks Alyson and Happy Passioneering!  If you or someone you know would like to share their story and/or guest blog, please let us via our  Contact Form.

Passioneering Courage

By Alyson Mead

Sometimes, you can’t plan it any better. I had started writing this guest blog when my overworked mind gave out. Why had I volunteered to do this in the first place? What did I know about a huge and lofty subject like courage?

For the first day, I stared at the computer screen. Then I was saved by the beginnings of a cold. I’m not an avoider by nature, so my behavior puzzled. What did I fear might happen if I actually wrote this?

On the fourth day, it hit me. I was afraid of nothing; I was afraid of everything. Crap.

I looked up the word courage in the dictionary: ” The state or quality of mind or spirit that enables one to face danger, fear, or vicissitudes with self-possession, confidence, and resolution; bravery.”

I wrote a few sentences, erased them, began again. After two hours, I wondered if my brain had evaporated. The last time I checked, I made my living as a writer.

A quick walk around the block produced little more than an accelerated heart rate.  Some sitting meditation revealed the usual suspects: Martin Luther King, Jr., Gandhi, the Dalai Lama. Surely these folks knew what it was to face danger with self-possession. But what was the common denominator?

I read up on their early lives — struggle, leadership skills and great finesse with words. Certainly, they could communicate their ideas to large groups. In fact, more than a few of them were ready to die for these ideas.

My temples felt like they were going to burst when my cell rang. It was my grandmother. We have an old-fashioned correspondence by letter, and rarely speak by phone.

“Hi, dear. It’s Gram.”

“Hey, Gram.”

“What are you up to? It’s raining here.”

“I’m trying to write a piece on courage.”

“A dirge? That’s too bad. Did someone die?”

“No, it’s on courage.”

“There’s a joke about that — Dutch courage.”

I laughed. “Gram, I can’t write about alcoholism.”

“No, it’s from history. When the bubonic plague hit England, the Dutch were the only ones who would deliver supplies to the people there.”

“Wow.”

“They did want extra rum for their services, but …”

“All right, Gram. I should go. But thanks.”

“I’m sure you’ll get it done, dear.” That made one of us.

When I hung up, it hit me. Of course there’s courage in delivering supplies to sick people (rum notwithstanding), or standing up for your beliefs. But that’s not the whole picture. Courage isn’t confined to a grand gesture or historic moment. It lives in all the smaller ones that make them possible.

Gandhi wouldn’t have been able to do his work without the farmers that sustained him, or the weavers making his clothing. The Dalai Lama wouldn’t be half as effective if there were no airplane pilots, book publishers or translators.

Similarly, it’s the way we get through each day with some sort of crooked grace that starts to get at the idea of courage. It’s the process of doing what we adore that encourages the rest to fall into place. It’s in the moments we allow the strange and humbling events around us to blossom into being – even if that is a 92-year old woman pointing out the seemingly obvious.

Alyson Mead is the bestselling author of Wake Up to Your Stories and Wake Up to Your Weight Loss.  Her fiction, essays and articles have appeared in over thirty publications, and she has received the Columbine Award for Screenwriting, the Roy W. Dean Filmmaking Grant and awards from Writer’s Digest and USA Book News.  Her next book, Signs Point to Yes, chronicles her time working as a phone psychic while[/private][/private]

Filed Under: Authors, Blog, Passioneers Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Passioneer™ Shelly Rachanow, Inspirational Author and Speaker

May 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

[private][private]Shelly Rachanow comes from a long line of butt-kicking women.  She is the author of If Women Ran the World, Sh*t Would Get Done and What Would You Do If YOU Ran the World?, two books that celebrate all the amazing things women do.  Her mission is to inspire and empower women around the world to recognize how fabulous they are.   She joins our radio show today at 5pm PST.  We welcome your input, questions, and comments by dialing in to (347) 205-9038.  .  She can be reached at www.ifwomenrantheworld.com.

SHELLY’S PASSION Q&A

SO: What’s your definition of “passion”?

I think passion is that sense of aliveness we experience when we give ourselves permission to pursue our dreams.  I know I feel the most passionate when I am doing what I love and living how I want to live.  For me, it’s the opposite of that stifling feeling I experience when I’m trying to please others at the expense of what’s really important to me.

SO:  What are your biggest passions for serving others, and how are you expressing them (also include hobbies and volunteering)?

One of my favorite quotes is Eleanor Roosevelt’s, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”  My dream was always to be an author who writes books that inspire people and help them recognize that anything is possible, which is what books have always done for me (reading is one of my biggest hobbies).  It’s really through my writing and speaking engagements that I’m expressing my passion and serving others.

SO:  Your biggest challenge(s) in leaping into your passions for serving others, and how you have addressed them?

I originally worked as an attorney, but I was really unhappy in that profession.  A few years back, after a friend in his late twenties died instantly of a heart attack, I realized I didn’t want to live the rest of my life doing something I didn’t love.  That’s what gave me the courage to pursue my dream.  I made a promise to myself that I would never again live with any regrets or what if’s, and once I made that decision, there was no stopping me!

SO: Your experience of “prosperity,” as you define it, in making the leap?

I see prosperity as being able to do what you want to do when you want to do it. Giving myself permission to pursue my dream of writing books has helped me be able to do just that.  I’m no longer slaving away at a job I dislike.  Instead, I wake up everyday excited about the projects I’ve chosen to work on.

SO: What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned in making the leap?

To never settle for less than what I really want.  That I am worthy and deserving of the life I want to live.

SO: What’s your support system look like; how did you create it?

Richard Bach once said, “Argue for your limitations and sure enough they’re yours.”  I’ve made a point to surround myself with friends and family who remind me that I can do anything I choose, and who never let me tell myself otherwise.

SO: What wisdom do you have for someone who’s scared/discouraged about their own leap?

Sometimes a fresh start really can be the start of something amazing.  You don’t have to make major changes all at once if you’re not ready.  Just be willing to take that first step.  It’s the only way you can get somewhere new!

SO:  What’s your next big milestone?

Beginning my next book![/private][/private]

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Passioneer® Gil Gido, Social Media Expert, Asian American Business Leader

May 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

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We’re honored to be interviewing Gil Gido on our blog talk radio show today to share his Passionography and how he leaped fully into his passions.

Gil Gido is the Seattle chapter President of the National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP) and is passionate about building leaders in
the Asian community. Previous to that he co-founded and led the Microsoft Asian Professional Society. He recently left Microsoft to start his own social
media company and is the Principal Consultant at Ulysses’ Social Media Marketing Company (USMMC). He can be reached at www.gilgido.com.

Thanks Gil and Happy Passioneering!

Gil’s Passion Q&A

SO: Your definition of “passion” – your “WHY” for being on the planet?

Passion is an energy that pulls one forward. There’s no resisting this energy because it’s so
strong. It’s also illuminating. People can see it. It’s very difficult to hide when you’re passionate.

SO: Your biggest passions for serving others, and how you’re expressing them (include hobbies, volunteering, if you wish)?
Everyone wants in some way wants to make a difference, so as a leader I create and share about
opportunities for them to express and to fulfill on that need.

SO: Your biggest challenge(s) in expressing your passions for serving others and how you’ve addressed them?
I believe that your own worst enemies are within you; that is fear and self-doubt. I find someway
by having people around me that support me and want me to succeed, namely my family, friends,
and mentors.

SO: What have been the key factors in your success?

While there’s no substitute for hard work and commitment, I believe you need to share what you’re
doing and allowing people to participate. It’s amazing how if you’re passionate about something,
it’s a magnet and people by nature want to be a part of whatever you’re being passionate about.

SO:  What one word/quality best describes your journey?

Unpredictable

SO:   What has been your experience of prosperity, as you define it?

Prosperity means Celebrating the small wins and being acknowledged by others.

SO:  What’s the biggest lesson that you’ve learned in making the leap?

Go big. Get out there and share your passion with others.

SO: What’s your support system look like; how did you create it?

I  joined a lot of groups (both in person and online) and took many classes.

SO: What wisdom do you have for someone who’s scared/discouraged about their own leap?

It’s really all in your head. Have conversations with people in your support groups about what will
work. When you can talk about your vision with clarity, it’ll work because you’ll know what actions
to take

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Filed Under: Blog, Entrepreneur, Passioneers Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Passioneering Tip #11: Feel the Fear and Jump Anyway

May 3, 2010 By Leave a Comment

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Passioneering Tip #11

“I would say take the plunge! You have absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain. Ask yourself what is the worst thing that could happen?”

Passioneer™ Dr. LaVerne Adams

Quote

“If we’re growing, we are always going to be out of our comfort zone.”

John Maxwell

Weekly Passion Challenge

Take at least three baby steps out of your comfort zone this week.  Bonus points for requesting support from someone else.

*****************

Enjoy and Happy Passioneering![/private][/private]

Filed Under: Blog, Passioneering Tips Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Staying Motivated to Live Your Passion – Aimee Gallo, March’s Guest Blogger

March 1, 2010 By Leave a Comment

[private][private]Aimee Gallo is a Licensed Primary Sports Nutritionist and Certified Holistic Health Counselor helping people lead happier, healthier lives through nutrition, fitness, and uncovering abundant joy. She coaches in person in San Diego and nationwide by phone. Her mission is to provide unparalleled support in helping others live the best life they can imagine!  She’s our guest blogger for March, and can be reached at www.vibrancenutrition.com.   Thanks Aimee, and Happy Passioneering!

Staying Motivated to Live Your Passion

By Aimee Gallo

Living your passion can be a full-time job. Sometimes it requires significant amounts of overtime, and for most of us there is no time-and-a-half or honorary plaque to put on the wall. When the rewards for our work seem far away the motivation to continue can weaken. 

My personal ups and downs along the way have allowed me to gather a fine set of motivational tools. These re-invigorate and reinspire me when my energy and stamina are faltering:

1)      Personal Inventory: Do I need to pull the radical self-care card? Have I forgotten myself in all this? If my cup isn’t full, I cannot be the support and encouragement my clients count on. The first thing is to take a moment and self-reflect on what I am feeling and what I need. It may be as simple as extra sleep or emotional support from a friend or it may be something more monumental – like reorganizing my business to accommodate who I am as a person now versus when I started. Sometimes the answers come right away and sometimes I need to sit and allow them to percolate. But first, first we must ask the question. To assist with this, I keep a list of things that invigorate me that I can refer to when I get overwhelmed. Journaling and running also release stuck mental blocks and allow space for my creative brain to find solutions.

2)      I look to my own sources of inspiration to find the drive to continue. Who refused to give up? Abraham Lincoln, Colonel Sanders, my father, Oprah Winfrey, Mohandas Gandhi…read a biography, talk to someone in the field you admire, or consider the alternative – giving up your dreams (unthinkable!) and let this pull you up.

3)      Take a trip down memory lane: What have you already weathered? How was it worth it? How did you feel when you first began? What initially inspired you? Your own story can serve as a powerful motivator. As the author, you determine which direction the story now takes and how it unfolds. What will you choose?

4)      Watch your Mouth: How is your self-talk? When you say, “I can’t do this” or “This is too much” you do not give your infinitely creative subconscious permission to find an answer. Switch your mentality to “How can I make this work?” “What is it that inspires me?” and brainstorm with others as needed for answers.

It’s perfectly normal to have your passion and inspiration wax and wane; none of us can be 100% all the time! When you find yourself struggling, reach both internally and externally for support and motivation to continue living your dreams. It’s not how you do on any given day (or week, or month…) but how authentic and true you are over the journey of your life. May your travels be exciting, rewarding, and abundant!

Aimee Gallo is a Passioneer® inspired by forests, glitter, and how her own body functions. She coaches others on living the best life they can imagine for themselves through food, exercise, and radical self care. She loves to share stories of others’ successes as tools to motivate. To reach her, visit www.vibrancenutrition.com or call (206) 227-1231[/private][/private]

Filed Under: Blog, Health & Fitness, Passioneers Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Weekly Tips to Do What You Love and Have the Rest Follow

February 28, 2010 By Leave a Comment

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They say that when you do what you love, the rest follows.  Our hundreds of interviews with those who have leaped fully and prosperously into their passions (aka “Passioneers”) attest to this quote.  Each week, we summarize the insights and wisdom of these Passioneers into tips, quotes, and affirmations, that you can receive weekly…all spam-free, simple and self-empowering. 

If you or someone you know would like these weekly tips, please sign up via this Constant Contact link or by emailing us at passioneers AT yahoo.com.  Below is our fifth Passioneering Tip for 2010, and we’ll be sharing these every week to subscribers on Tuesday mornings.  Happy Passioneering!

Passioneering Tip #5

 …It is not as scary as it appears. You’ll plan, but at some point you need to make a leap and have faith in yourself and your abilities to make your dreams come true. I always felt that if someone else did it, I can do it too.

 ~Passioneer Brian Peters

Founder, NoDebtTravel.com

Quote

A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow.

~ G. Patton

Affirmation

This week, I make time to plan my upcoming steps…AND I keep taking the necessary leaps, boldly and courageously.[/private][/private]

Filed Under: Passioneering Tips, Passioneers Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Passioneer™ Rocky Reichman Shares His Literary Magic in the World

January 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment

[private][private]We interviewed Rocky Reichman, founder of LiteraryMagic.com, on our Blog Talk Radio show, on January 6, 2010.  He’s a brilliant young man, Renegade CEO (thanks to Shonika Proctor)  who’s received many accolades in the literary community, including from William Safire!

His interview follows below:

SO: What’s Your Definition of “Passion”?

Passion is something that’s more than just an interest. It’s something that fuels you and makes you willing to dedicate hours of effort, a day or even your entire life to.

SO: What Passions Are You Expressing?

My biggest passion is writing.  I first started to express that by writing novels. When I was 12, I wrote my first novel, when I read the Magician’s Apprentice.  That took about three years.  …My second book took three days.  One January vacation, for Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday, I sat down from 8am to 11 at night and just wrote, wrote, and wrote, and got that book out.  I decided to publish my own online literary magazine, Literary Magic.  I also got into etymology, which is the study of the roots and history of words.

SO: So Has This Been in Your Heart and Your Skill Set?

Through Literary Magic, I’ve really come into contact with amazing people.  Writers and editors around the world.  I’ve not only learned about these people, but also how to interact:  customer service, marketing.   I’ve written some short stories, some columns on literary sites.  Once I discovered Twitter and everything, I met Shonika Prcotr, who has been very helpful to me.   One of my editors sent an article of mine to (the late) William Safire, of The New York Times, who responded and even called me a ‘word maven.’  someone at McGraw-Hill was shown my website by my father, liked it, and asked me to come in.   They subsequently offered me an internship, which ended up lasting four years.   That gave me even more opportunities to learn about entrepreneurship and the world of business.

SO: What Are the Challenges that You Have Face and How Have You Move Through Them?

With Literary Magic, it’s been the business model, and building readership.  As a writer, writers love their works, and put all of this effort into their creation.  So if an editor wants to make a change, sometimes that writer is not always open to that change.  So definitely phrasing, giving, learning to give criticism in as positive a manner as possible, that’s always been a challenge.  In my personal life, when I had some family losses, that was definitely a challenge; however they’ve led me to build up resilence and create new projects from that.  When my father passed…he used to tell us these stories.   …So one day we decided to type them up, and we now have it in the published version.

SO: What Else Would You Say to Somebody Who Is Making the Leap?

No matter what, you have to get it out.  Don’t let anyone tell you that what you have to say isn’t worth anything.  It’s always worth anything.  First of all, to you it’s worth something.  And also to your friends and family.  And likely the information or advice or even just the message that you have to share can radiate and help people anywhere.

SO: What Would You Say to Someone Who Doesn’t Know What Their Passion Is?

I think you have to try different thing out.  Read a lot of fiction, even if you don’t want to be a writer, because fiction isn’t just entertaining.  It teaches us about life.  A lot of people think “I’m a non-fiction person, I only read to get information.”  Fiction can open us up to different worlds and possibilities.  Another idea is to go to a college website and look at all of the different subjects, and you really get a feel for what you can do.  Whether it’s writing or biology or if you want to be a doctor or a scientist or law enforcement.  There are so many possibilities.  I was lucky enough to once I read that book Magician’s Apprentice, I knew I wanted to write and kept doing it.  Never wall yourself in.  Of course you want to focus, but never say “I have my passion, and this is all I want to do.”  Always be open to new experiences.  Try something that you normally wouldn’t be exposed to. And then see what happens.

SO: How Have You Stayed Focused?

I like to write a lot of stuff down, write plans, and goals.  I always make sure that on one day, if there’s only time to do one thing, then I get that thing done.  And then I have a task list…if I end up having surplus space then I can do this or that, but I always have one thing that I know must get done that day.   Another thing, which isn’t totally going off focus, but if something comes in, like a quick email…something under 4 minutes, I will try to do it right then.  Otherwise those things just pile up.  Then it can ruin your schedule later in the week.

I didn’t read Getting Things Done, but I did read an article by the same article that shared the same topic.  I learned a lot about productivity and time management from there.

SO:   When I Say “Do What You Love and the Rest Follows,” Would You Agree?

For everyone I have interviewed, this has been one of the underlying tips that they have all advised:  “That you have to find a way to do what you love and get paid for it.”  If you first don’t succeed, you can always try again.  You can even have a job and make sure that you do your passion on the side.  Like if you’re a lawyer or doctor, then you still have time to write novels on the side.  I know some people at McGraw Hill that works crazy hours and are writing fantasy novels on the side.

SO:  What About Prosperity, the Money Aspect of Doing What You Love?

I think doing what you love, you don’t need to make money at it.  You’re doing it because you like it.  You’re not doing it because you want to make money.  Of course, one of your end goals might be to make money from it.  If you can, then that will ultimately give you more time to focus on your passion, and not to worry about other ways to make money or retirement or college savings.

Don’t think that in order to be an author to have a chance you have to quit your job and dedicate your entire to writing.  Even if you do get your work published, there are lots of writers out there.  For all the ones that are best-sellers that can take off the day, there are many more writers that have to have other jobs, who might not want to sit writing all day.  You can get a job, pay the bills and work on the side. Plan it out.  Write an hour a day.  Write five pages a day.  If you do the calculations, it won’t take too long to get your book out, maybe a few months.

Write or brainstorm some of it now.  Right after this interview ends.  If you want to write a book and haven’t had the time to do it.  Stop what you’re doing and take five minutes to brainstorm what it is. Maybe even write a sample paragraph or a log line – a line about what your book will cover. Just jump right into it.

Thanks Rocky and Happy Passioneering![/private][/private]

Filed Under: Authors, Blog, Entrepreneur, Passioneers Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Defining Passion on Your Own Terms

January 3, 2010 By Leave a Comment

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We have been asking Passioneers(tm) about their definition how of “Passion.”   The answers are very unique, and yet you can see common themes of heart, connection, and giving.  Please send us your definition!

“Passion is more than fun.  It’s more than just an interest. I think it’s something that speaks to your values and to your gut.  Something that really propels you forward.  For myself, I’m passionate about all things career.”  Carol Ceniza-Levine, Founder of Six-Figure Start

“Doing something that you love, and loving what you’re doing when you’re doing it!” Beverly Flaxington, Author, Coach, Consultant, Creator of Understanding Other People

“A passion is an enthusiastic interest in anything.  Somebody who follows their passion is able to spend their days doing what they love most.”  Dr. Joanna Dolgoff, Child Obesity Expert and Creator of www.DrWeigh.com.

“That which you believe in to your toes whose pursuit gives your life purpose, meaning and fulfillment; something, that once you find it, to live without it, would be to not live at all.”  Robyn O’Brien, Founder of AllergyKids. 

“I believe if you’re living a vision, if something is revealed to you that is scary yet exciting and you’re pursuing and going after it, you’re living a passionate life. It doesn’t make any difference what it is.  It’s that something that you caught from Spirit that is uniquely yours and also could be someone else’s.  You caught it and are taking it by the reins and are riding it, however it takes you and wherever it takes you.”   Rev. Michael Torphy, Senior Minister, Center for Spiritual Living Fresno, www.cslfresno.org

“I think of drive, of motivation, really putting my heart into something.  Throughout business and life, I’ve had a passion for what I do.  I’ve had a love. You can tell and you can see it in my eyes. It’s filled with love and is something I believe in.  Love, drive, focus, and determination.”      Keith J. Davis, Jr., Renegade CEO, Author, Entprepreneur, www.keithjdavisjr.com

“That thing, that essence that animates me, that makes me smile, and makes my heart and my soul smile.” Ellen Whitehurst, CEO of The Empowered Life, www.ellenwhitehurst.com

“It’s something that is so deeply rooted in your soul and in your heart that you have to do it.  It’s something that is so near and dear to you, that you feel it, you have to go after it. Your life’s not complete unless you really go for it…”     Jasmine Graham, Founder of Pace 4 Success, www.pace4success.com

“Aligning my everyday activities and my intentions with peace, ease, joy, love, and fruitfulness. I want to know that my passion is also growing fruit. …in a nutshell, it’s living my light, and understanding what my light is.”  Elisabeth Manning, Founder of Conscious Conception, www.consciousconception.net

“Something that keeps you really inspired, that doesn’t’ really feel like work; keeps you in a high vibratory state; gets your juices flowing   Feels like bliss You just don’t think about it, you just do it.”  Elisa Goodman, Founder of Curmudgeon Cards (www.curmudgeoncards.com)

“Passion is just listening to your heart and not intellectualizing too much.  Go with what you really  feel called to.  Passion really comes from a deep part of your core of your heart: the motivation for who you are.  It can range from being a world class flutist to caring about keeping your plot of a garden organic and sustainable.  To me, there’s nothing too small to be passionate about. ” Pamela Hawley, founder and CEO of UniversalGiving(tm) (www.UniversalGiving.org)

“Something that you do or strive for that you don’t do for recognition (monetary success or social recognition) and something that you won’t let anything else stand in the way of your doing.” Sam Schmidt, founder of Sam Schmidt Motorsports and Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation (www.samschmidt.org)

“The fire in your soul that propels you.  For me, passion – I almost think of it as an assignment from the Universe.   It’s your path.  People come to me for spiritual counseling looking for what they’re supposed to be doing in this life. They know or at least feel that they’re here for a purpose, but they have never connected with it.  That’s the passion.”  Mama Donna Henes, an Urban Shaman (http://www.donnahenes.net/)

“That which takes you down the path and keeps you putting one foot in front of the other.  It makes you stay on the path no matter what.   I’ve certainly had a lot of distractions along my path.  But if you stay on the path, wherever it leads, that is your passion.”  Toni McSorley, Ph.D. 8th Dan, Art of the Samurai, (www.wayoftheopendoor.com)

“Passion is really the pursuit of your authentic self.  By that I mean, it’s daring to go through a continual sense of discovery with a sense of purpose that illuminates you life, and in turn, it’s what gives your life meaning. ” Jan Wellborn, Co-Founder of Market Arts Creative (www.marketartscreative.com)

“What makes you smile; what gives you energy what gives you bounce in your step; what gets you out of bed in the morning; what makes you miserable if you don’t have it.” Bailey Earith, founder of Bailey Fiber Art Studio (www.baileyfiberart.com)

“I’ve discovered that throughout my life, I learned what passion was from my mother, a holocaust survivor.  I didn’t know what that meant until I was old enough to fully understand what she endured.   She instilled in me this unbelievable positive life force.  She saw the good in everyone, she took risks, she wanted to make sure that she was always helpful, she was protective of her children…I grew up with the feeling that I needed to go after what I felt was important to me and that nothing was impossible if you worked hard.   I always hold that feeling close to me as I reach out to help others.   June Salin, founder of Mandoob and children’s author (www.manadoob.com)

“It’s hard to put into words.  It’s something that’s so strong underneath your skin, vocalizing it can be difficult.  The drive and the excitement, the  two really need to be together.  To fulfill your soul’s longing.”   Aimee Gallo, nutrition coach and counselor (www.vibrancenutrition.com)

“Finding out what truly inspires you and really makes you feel good about your self.”  Sarah Shaw, Entreprenette (www.entreprenette.com)

“Something, whether it’s  a subject or politics or a person, that deep in your heart really matters to you. It’s a driver and a motivating force.  Energy that fuels and empowers you.  Worth any risk.”  Michele Harris, founder of Smarti Solutions and handbag designer (www.smartisolutions.com and www.savorthesuccess.com)[/private][/private]

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Passioneer® Chappale Burton Shares His Passioneering Story

December 23, 2009 By Leave a Comment

[private][private]We interviewed Chappale Burton recently on the Blog Talk Radio show, The Passions and Possibilities Project.  Chappale BurtonHear his inspiring story in archive!

At a very young age Chappale Linn Burton witnessed the tragic murder of his stepfather and biological mother while playing on the play ground in his birthplace of Chicago, Ill. He has not only forgiven the assailant, but has now dedicated his life to sharing tools and techniques that he used to overcome the would be negative effects this could have had on his life. He is also the author of How to Choose Happiness…Most of the Time: 30 ways in 30 days.

He has a degree in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh. One of his notable accomplishments during his time at Pitt, was walking on to the Division 1 track team, earning an athletic scholarship and becoming the most valuable player (MVP) and team captain by his senior year.  He has been a student and teacher of self development principles for the last twenty years and has helped and continues to help many people make positive choices in their day to day lives.
Thanks Chappale, and Happy Passioneering!

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