Real You: Getting started, staying motivated

     So here I sit. My debut novel Here, Home, Hope has been in the world for four months. It's been going great - but in the marketing and book tour push I've been single-mindedly focused on, I've been neglecting my passion. Writing.      So I need to get started. Get back to it. Sure, since the publication of Real You Incorporated, I spend a lot of my time motivating others to pursue their passion and get going. I love working with entrepreneurs and I truly believe we need to be the country where everybody is starting something. That's the magic of our history. Anything is possible if you are a doer. You can never dream too big or set your sights too high. Not here. Not now.

     The hardest person to get to hear that advice? You guessed it - me. So, today I'm giving myself a big shove and I'm jumping into the story that's been following me around all summer, well, actually, for a long time. I'm starting.

     How about you? Is it time to get going? Happy sailing.

"One doesn't discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time." ~ Andre Gide

Real You: What's shaking?

Yes, I was. During the 5.4 magnitude earthquake - the first such experience of my life. Just me, and the dog, and a house rolling like we'd just set sail on rough seas. And yes, it was quick, but it didn't seem like it.
My mild earthquake experience jolted me into realizing - again - that we don't know what's coming, but we can do our best to be prepared for it. Myself, I froze instead of heading to a reinforced doorway. (Very disappointing.) Next time, I hope to do better. The quake also made me realize - again - that even though it is summer, and it could be easy to not work as hard or not write this blog or not pursue my dream, I need to keep moving forward.
Don't let the season lull or dull your passion. Be ready to move, take action, go for what you want! Be you. Be real. Enjoy! And get going!

Real You: Passion Poppers

You recognize passion when you see it, don't you? It's that sparkle in a person's eye, the spring in her step. Passionate people exude pure, real energy. Confidence and a sense of empowerment. Everything they say is infused with enthusiasm.
We all recognize it - and hopefully - we all want passion in our lives. Unfortunately, the road to finding and remaining true to your passions is littered with the realities of life. Disappointments and setbacks abound, no matter your age, no matter whether there is a recession or not. (Although, it's especially true today.)
Disappointment is a fact of life. These events hurt our hearts and dampen our fire. Did you know Lucille Ball was kicked out of acting school and told she had no talent? True. But she didn't let that hurt keep her down, or dampen her passion for acting.
So if your passion has taken a beating lately, brush it off. Stand tall. Get a little sparkle in your eye. Don't let the passion poppers - whether they are snarks or events outside of your control - make you give up. You are better than that. You are much more.
You are a passionate entrepreneur taking your personal brand into the world as a unique competitive business. Remember, it's not who you think you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not.
Don't let anyone or anything tell you differently! For more on passion, and putting it into action, see Chapter 2 of Real You Incorporated.

Real You: Are you marching forward on your purpose and vision?

If you are, you are stepping into your power. You are shining bright, sharing your vision with others and moving forward. You know who you are—The Real You—and you know where you are going. Your passions are defined (step 2 of the Real You process), and your personal brand is fully formed. You truly have found it within. When you are following your purpose in life—and applying that purpose and passion to your business—your competitive advantage crystallizes. You are able to use your fully formed Real You competitive advantage to delight your customers. And when you’re in business, that’s the end game. Truly.

Whether you are a full-time entrepreneur, considering becoming one, or somewhere in between, your personal brand and your business brand are unstoppable as long as they are aligned with purpose and vision.

Remember the strength found in conviction, in confidence. Remember, you aren’t alone. You are the only one who can define your dream and go for it. So, as the summer begins to wind down, the only question that remains is: Why aren’t you moving forward?

“People become really quite remarkable when they start thinking that they can do things. When they believe in themselves, they have the first secret of success.” ~ Norman Vincent Peale

Real You: The passion problem

     Yep, it's true. It's tough out there. The economy is forcing layoffs, businesses aren't hiring. More people than ever are out of work. But what about the people who are still employed. Are they grateful? Happy even? It turns out, more than half aren't. According to an Adecco North America survey, 54 percent of employed Americans say they will look for a new job once the recession ends. Among 18 to 29 year olds, the number jumps to 71 percent. Almost 3/4ths of the under 30 crowd will leap at the chance to leave you once the recovery begins.       This is a problem. It's a passion problem. If you're the leader of a team with these folks working for you, how are you going to rev up the passion? How will you build a culture that makes your team want to be there when times get better? And times will get better.

      If you are one of the disenchanted, hanging on paycheck to paycheck because it's better than joining the ranks of the unemployed, have you considered the entrepreneurial route? You could start by becoming what Deborah Bailey calls a moonlighting entrepreneur, building a business that sparks your passions while you're still doing your day job.

     Or, you could try becoming an intrapreneur. An intrapreneur takes this opportunity to change the way she looks at her current job. She looks for ways to make work fun again, and brings her passion back to her position.  With that passion comes new solutions and new ideas - and perhaps - a new respect from the boss. Think about it. You aren't stuck unless you think you are. Fear freezes.

     Turn your passion into action. Make that change now and your own personal recovery will start long before the recession ends. For some creative ways to get your passion flowing check out my new ebook: Turn Your Passion Into Profits, available now!