When life isn't going as you planned (and let's face it, how often does that really happen?) and you aren't excited about where you are or what's going on, you have options. You can:
When I found out my friends Nick Mohnacky and Chris Callahan, co-founders of SurfrApp, were opening Startup Palm Beach, an entrepreneur resource center, I was beyond excited. A chill space where entrepreneurs can gather together to not only get work done, but also bounce ideas...
I've been doing a lot of self reflection over the past few weeks . I have been thinking about all of the things I've done, the decisions I've made, the cool people I've met and of course what the future holds. We all go through it....
Do you believe you have more to contribute to this world? Do you lay awake at night thinking about starting a business? Or maybe you have an awesome idea, but keep talking yourself out of bringing it up to your boss.
You read inspirational quotes about making a living pursuing your passion, but then you start thinking about the bills you have to pay and the people in your life who depend on you. We're all pretty good at talking ourselves out of the things we want most, aren't we?
We all have a passion. That one thing we can't go a day without thinking about and deep down believe is necessary to create and get out into the world. Some people figure out how to pursue it while others choose to believe there is no way they can achieve their dreams.
I believe that whether you own a business or work for someone else, you can start something that provides the opportunity to fulfill your passion which is why I was very drawn to author and speaker, Pamela Slim. I had the opportunity to meet her at a conference last year and she is awesome.
Her blog, Escape From Cubicle Nation, has been recognized as one of the best business blogs around. First of all, the name alone is pretty cool and resonates with many people and second, her content is extremely helpful to anyone who is looking to start something new and figure out a way to pursue work they enjoy doing.
Is there something you have been meaning to do with your life? Learn a new language, read more, volunteer, start a blog, change careers, start investing your money, etc.? You think about it every day and your intention is always to get started. In fact, most days you believe that today will be that day.
But then you get out of bed and the craziness of life happens and before you know it another day has passed and you are no closer to accomplishing that one idea you are passionate about pursuing.
Why do we do this? Why do we allow ourselves to get comfortable with the way things are instead of taking even one small step towards the things we want most?
It is so easy to go about our days doing the same thing over and over. We are creatures of habit and get comfortable with our routines. This isn't always a bad thing, but when we have a desire to make changes in our lives and start something new, we have to be bold and step outside of our comfort zone.
Do you ever wonder how some people get so much done? They create oodles of content on a regular basis, are out and about connecting with people, building their business, and still make it to the gym and spend quality time with their family and friends.
Highly productive people fascinate me. I love learning what gets them up in the morning and ultimately motivates them to go out and fiercely pursue their dreams and make big things happen. I recently read an article in Fast Company magazine featuring 11 Expert Tips to Help You Be More Productive in 2014. It's a good read so check it out and get your productivity on.
One tip shared was to put your brain on autopilot for the small stuff. I laughed when I read that Prerna Gupta, Chief Product Officer of social music app Smule says she’s able to tackle big picture problems by eating the exact same thing for breakfast and lunch every day. I used to think I was boring for eating the same breakfast most mornings, but now I'll chalk it up to improving my productivity. Love that.