Issue 138

April 6, 2006

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Changing Course is dedicated to helping you:

~Live Life on Purpose
~Work at What You Love
~Follow Your Own Road

Inside Today's Issue

Featured Article

When a Dream Can't Wait:
Two People in Hot Pursuit of Their Creative Passions 

Featured Resources

Handy "How to" Start Up Guides for Just About Every Business  

Guest Article

Where My Internal Compass Led Me

Upcoming Workshops & Teleclasses

Work at What You Love Workshop Update

The View From the Other Side

Resources for A Change

Your chances of success in any undertaking can always be measured by your belief in yourself. ~ Robert Collier

Opportunity Knocks

When a Dream Can't Wait:
Two People in Hot Pursuit of Their Creative Passions

By Valerie Young 

In the course of 24 hours, I heard from two people who are both in hot pursuit of their respective creative passions. Lisa is an aspiring screenwriter. Chris is pursing a career as a songwriter and also has an interest in screenwriting. Lisa already took the plunge and is fully immersed in her goal. Chris just gave his job notice last week. Both made the decision that life is too short not to go for broke by plowing 100% of their time and energy into their dreams.

The Man With a Plan

Doug (who asked that I not use his last name) is a recent client of mine from Texas. I knew he was itching to quit the company he'd been with for the last decade. As you can imagine, no one in Doug's family thinks it's a good idea to walk away from a "good job" with benefits. But when you read his letter I think you'll see that "benefits" can include more than a good dental plan and a 401k. As a matter of fact, when Doug joins the ranks of the self-employed, he'll discover that he can sock away considerably more tax-deferred money into what's called a Solo 401k than he could when he was an employee… but I digress.

Here's what Doug has to say about his decision and future plans:

Well, I've made the plunge. I've given my notice at work. The longer time goes by and I don't get out of here, the longer it will be until I'm doing something I like more, or God-forbid: love.  : )

So I did it.

I'm scared, nervous, excited, hopeful, and lots more. But every time I've been in a meeting here at work, I'm smiling wide inside as I know I won't have to pretend anymore. It's very validating sitting in those meetings knowing I'm about to change my life.

Here's my plan. I will go 110% with the song-writing, i.e., writing, recording, working with other artists, submitting to TAXI, etc. I signed up for TAXI and since then have already submitted to three listings. I will bombard them with entries. As many as I can send and afford, in the categories that suit me the best. If I have extra time, I will continue to develop my weird screenplay using my weird sense of humor that needs to get out there in the world! I will explore classes, agents, etc. But I will work it.

In times of boredom, or being burned-out a bit (if there are any of those times) I will focus on income streams based on my other interests. I'm sure there are lots of things I can put my mind to that I can earn some money. But that is not to become priority unless it needs to. I'm going to give 110% to my music and screenplay for at least one year.

My last day at work is one week from Thursday. With each passing day, I have more validation I'm doing the right thing. Did I tell you that one of my compositions was already "forwarded" by TAXI? That means their professionals thought it (a) was one of the best submissions, and (b) fit the genre as advertised. That is great for me, regardless if a contract is generated, because it validates that I should be doing this.

Basking in Pre-Success

It's not every day I receive a letter from someone excited about not yet making it. But then Lisa Rothstein isn't just anyone. She is one of the wise ones who gets that the journey is just as important – if not more – than the destination.

I know there will be some out there who will dismiss Lisa's story because she is not in financial peril. If so, sadly you would have allowed envy to rob you of an important life lesson.

Lisa writes:

I left a lucrative career as a creative director in advertising, and a life in another part of the world, and am in Los Angeles now trying my hand as a screenwriter. I'm writing you now because I wanted to do so BEFORE I get successful at this.

We read success stories and think, well, of course that person is happy because she "made it." I've recently finished my latest screenplay and it may well be the one to break me in! But before that happens, I'm here to tell your readers that there are unexpected rewards to following their own course BEFORE any eventual success they may achieve. When you follow your own course, their are struggles and sacrifices, but you will not have to wait until you succeed to be happy.

I am enjoying my life so much now. I used to make close to $200,000 year in an ad agency and never bothered to balance my checkbook because I never came close to spending what I was taking in. I could buy anything I wanted. But years of investing my life and creative gifts in selling fabric softener and computer hardware was killing me inside. These days I'm glad if my freelancing plus income on a rental property nets me 40k, and I have to watch every penny.

But I spend most of the day writing wherever I want. I live by the ocean and I'm so happy as I walk my dog on the beach in the mornings and watch other people in suits getting into their cars to go to jobs I can tell they despise just from the looks on their faces. I want to shake them and shout: there is another way!

You have to be willing to give up not only the security of the income but the security of knowing what's next and knowing what pigeonhole you belong in. You have to give up your hard-earned status. But what you gain is your time, your life and yourself. Until you make the leap, you really don't realize what all that hard-earning has been costing you.

And as far as my "status," there may be some people who don't look at me with as much respect as they did when I had a big office. There are some in the corporate world who may feel I've "Dropped out." But I get much more unexpected admiration from people who admire my courage in following and living my dreams. I'm an inspiration, without ever having sold a script! Now there's a perk.

Now, of course, I do believe in my eventual success at what I'm doing. I don't want or expect to live on so little forever (and admittedly, I have savings and retirement reserves from my years in my career, plus I own some real estate outright, so I am not in any real peril, though I have run up a little credit card debt. But I already look at this time right now, clipping coupons and eating in, going to the matinees because they're cheaper, as the happiest time of my life so far, and I'm sure one day I will look back on it just as fondly from a more established place in my new profession.

Because I am free, and doing what I want to do. I also know that I have an identity apart from my work and I like who I am, when before I thought I didn't deserve to take up space on Earth without a job description and a paycheck to point to. This took me years to reclaim. And this blessing alone is worth at least a leave of absence.

If this script doesn't sell, the next one will, or it will lead to an assignment. I'm happy to be patient because my day-to-day life is such a joy now. Waiting for your ship to come in isn't so bad with an ocean view. Just thought you'd like a "pre-success" success story!

Doug and Lisa are determined to give their dream their best shot. In both cases they saved for this day and are going into it with their eyes wide open. Some clients look to me to give them "permission" to quit their job and just "go for it," but that's just not my call to make. We each have to consider our tolerance for risk and level of drive as well as our commitments, whether they be financial, family or other. What's right for one person isn't right for another.

If your job is toxic, but you can't afford to quit altogether, then you need to find another employer while you continue to pursue your dream on the side. Maybe you can't just up and quit your job tomorrow. But you can still make headway on your dream. All you need is the willingness to at take at least one small step each day in the direction of your dream, acceptance that change – even positive change – will be both exhilarating and terrifying, and the wisdom to enjoy the journey.

About the Author

Outside the job box expert, Valerie Young, abandoned her corporate cubicle to become the Dreamer in Residence at ChangingCourse.com offering resources to help you discover your life mission and live it. Her career change tips have been cited in Kiplinger's, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today Weekend, Woman's Day, and elsewhere and on-line at MSN, CareerBuilder, and iVillage.com. An expert on the Impostor Syndrome, Valerie has spoken on the topic of How to Feel as Bright and Capable as Everyone Seems to Think You Are to such diverse organizations as Daimler Chrysler, Bristol-Meyers Squibb, Harvard, and American Women in Radio and Television.

Find more articles written by Valerie at ChangingCourse.com/articles/

There is only one success - to be able to spend your life in your own way, and not to give others absurd maddening claims upon it. ~ Christopher Morley

Featured Resources

Handy "How to" Start Up Guides for Just About Every Business

Why re-invent the wheel by trying to start a new business cold when there are handy manuals out there designed to take you step by step through how to set up a wide range of businesses from adoption specialist to yoga teacher, butler to wedding planner?

Two of the better companies specialize in providing just these kinds of "how to" guides are Dream Jobs to Go and FabJob. If you've ever wondered how you could make a living working as a book reviewer, costume designer, adoption specialist, dog trainer, touring the world in an RV, or in dozens of other interesting lines of work.... check out DreamJobsToGo.com

For "how to" guides to starting a wide range of livelihoods like caterer, actor, floral designer, screenwriter, personal fitness trainer, wedding planner, yoga teacher, etiquette consultant, art curator, stand up comic, and butler, visit FabJob.com

These are just a sampling of the helpful start-up guides available at both sites. Once you start looking, I think you'll be amazed at just how many wonderful resources are out there! And who knows? You may just stumble upon a whole new business idea you never knew existed!
 

The road to knowledge begins with the turn of the page.

The Changing Course Newsletter
Copyright 2006
Lisa Tarrant, Editor
Valerie Young, Publisher
info@changingcourse.com
www.ChangingCourse.com
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Montague, MA 01351

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Throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. ~ Mark Twain

Guest Article

Where My Internal Compass Led Me

By Maria Carbonell-Elliott

I currently live in Santa Barbara, California, known as the American Riviera and I feel so blessed to live here. However, I didn't plan on it. That's the beauty of life that I'm beginning to embrace. I've learned along the path of my life that I should have a plan but to be easy on myself and not beat myself up over veering off that plan. It just might lead to better things – and it has for me.

Anyone would have thought I was not in the right mind to leave a great job with beautiful co-workers in an organization still close to my heart, but somehow I listened to that subtle voice inside of me and followed my internal compass to California. I quit my job, gave my landlord my 30-day notice, called United Van Lines, gave notice to my employer, and shared the news with my family. I packed up my little Toyota and headed on a solo road trip from Virginia to California.

People ask how I got the courage to do this. It didn't seem like courage. It was just something I had to do for myself. I had to listen to my heart. I had to follow my internal compass and take those little steps. The other choice was to live a lifetime of regret wondering, "what if I had." So, those little steps then become big steps and the next thing I knew I ended up in Santa Barbara, not my intended destination at all. To this day, I don't have a logical explanation of how I ended up here but who cares, I'm in Santa Barbara! From Alexandria, Virginia to Santa Barbara – I drove solo from coast to coast in my little Toyota and really felt free for the first time in my life.

From that day on I continued and vowed to live my life with intention, pursuing what I felt made me feel good and filled my spirit. The road hasn't been an easy one to where I am today. I arrived in Santa Barbara with sticker shock. Everything here is expensive and I was suddenly being interviewed to rent an apartment. Jobs were not of the same quality as back east and the salary was way below what I was accustomed to. But this was my new home, and I was going to make it work out.

When I finally landed a great job at an environmental organization, I was laid off a year later. I held job after job after job. I was torn between the need to support myself and to follow my passions. The extra money that I was earning was going to eating and going out, traveling, and shopping. Once I put my expenses on a spreadsheet, I could clearly see that I could do away with the shopping, eating out and traveling and spend time instead in nature, going to the beach, reading more and simple pleasures like that. It took a lot of discipline not to look at advertisements or even watch TV, but soon came good habits and the next thing I knew, I was able to save over $800 a month on not doing these things that zapped my finances.

After having least desirable jobs after another, I was worn out and disillusioned. So, I was really looking far into my future and looking to feed my spirit rather than whether or not I could afford my shoe and handbag addiction and whether or not my family would support my decision. It was my life after all.

I quit my job February 1st and started an online shop providing relaxation and wellness products to a stressed out world. It recently had its virtual grand opening and I named it most conveniently, De-Stress essentials. It's only been open for a month, but I have truly enjoyed the journey so far. I spend most of my time building my business and reading for personal growth. I also stopped putting money into savings which is a very scary thing to do, but I know it's only temporary while my business gets started. That's the personal risk though I am willing to take. And life really has to be about the risks we take and the growth coming from that as well as the journey and taking these little steps every day. It's not easy but I can rest easier at night and my soul is filled with purpose. Be well.
 

About the Author

Maria Carbonell-Elliott is the owner of De-Stress Essentials (DeStressEssentials.com), an online shop for relaxation and wellness. Her enthusiasm lies in helping people take the stress out of their life by encouraging them to feed their soul, take time to relax and to stir up their passions! If you have any questions or comments, contact Maria at Maria@DeStressEssentials.com or (805) 570-2692.
 

Get a good idea and stay with it. Dog it, and work at it until it's done right. 
~ Walt Disney

Upcoming Workshops & Teleclasses

The first and most important step toward...success is the feeling that we can succeed.
~ Nelson Boswell

Work at What You Love Workshop Update

Who Should Attend This Event?

The most frequently asked question I get about the Work at What You Love Workshop is, "Do you have to know what you want to do?" In a word, no. The only qualification for attending this amazing event is that you have a burning desire to quit your job and work at what you love.

In fact, one of the things that makes this event so remarkable is that you'll be meeting, working with, and networking with people who want what exactly what you want – to break out of the 9-to-5 job jail to work at something that feeds your soul. The basic destination is the same for everyone. But the beauty of this event is that while you'll be surrounded by people who dream of arriving at the same destination, you'll get to connect with and learn from people who are at different junctures along the path to right livelihood.

For example, maybe you'll be one of those who will arrive with absolutely no idea what you want to be when you "grow up." Wonderful! That means you'll get to fully experience some hands-on exercises designed to help you tap into your true calling. You'll also walk away with the tools you need to expand your thinking about just how many fascinating ways there are to make a living outside the traditional employee-boss world.

Or maybe you'll be coming with a few ideas in mind but haven't quite settled on a specific direction yet. Welcome! You'll have the opportunity to make sure the ideas you do have pass the what I call the "Life Test" (you'll be hearing more about that at the seminar). Plus you'll learn how to use the CLUE technique to generate fascinating ideas for income streams and business ideas which will open you up an incredible range of positive possibilities to really work at what you love on your own terms.

Or what if you're one of the lucky ones who already know exactly what you want to do? You're in luck! Not only will you learn how to master the concept of "fearless marketing" you'll also learn about roadblocks to watch out for and leave armed with some effective, proven techniques for getting around them.

Regardless of where you're coming from, Barbara Winter and I are utterly driven to help you achieve your dream of working at what you love without a job.

NEW Advanced Problem Solving, Marketing and Planning Session Specially Designed for People Who Know What They Want to Do

If you do already know what you want to do and, in addition to all that you'll get during two packed days at Works at What You Love, you would also love some expert, personalized, focused attention to help you get there… we've created a special add-on session just for you.

Join Barbara Winter and me Saturday night from 5:30 to 9:00 for a light working dinner and some real one-on-one and small group brainstorming time dedicated to helping you take your idea to the next level. You will be one of only a dozen people in this intensive problem solving, marketing and planning session.

Our intensive begins with a light supper that includes some one-on-one time with your dinner host Barbara Winter or Valerie Young. From here you will:

• get expert advice on how to work around pesky problems and blind spots

• walk away with at least three ideas for promoting your business

• have the opportunity to really "drill down" by getting some intensive, one-on-one advice and information specific to your idea

• learn how to talk about your business so you can generate excitement and sales wherever you go

• learn a planning technique that even works for people who are "planning impaired"

• receive a special packet with marketing and planning tools you can use again and again

To ensure you get the attention you need, this special, intensive session will be limited to a dozen or so people on a first come-first serve basis. When it's full, it's full.

Some marketing specialists charge $300 an hour or more for this kind of intensive strategizing and planning time. But Barbara and I are dedicated to making this event as affordable as possible.

That's why this special 3.5 hours of additional problem solving, marketing, and planning time – which includes a one-on-one time with your dinner and small group sessions with hosts Barbara Winter or Valerie Young – is only $139.

Click here to register for this very special Saturday night event for either:

Important Notice about Booking Your Hotel in Madison

Are you planning on coming to the Madison workshop? Then act soon! Even though the Madison event is not until July, hotel rooms during that week are scarce.

The Concourse Hotel, where the event is being held, is holding just 20 rooms at the special Changing Course rate of $144 for a single or double, $154 for a triple, and $164 for a quad. This special room block is only being held until April 30. After that, reservations will be based on the best available rate and availability.

We expect this event to sell out. So register before June 11 to take advantage of the special early bird rate of just $199. And, whether you're staying at The Concourse Hotel or at another of the local hotels where we've negotiated very special workshop rates I strongly recommend you book your hotel room ASAP!

Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great. ~ Mark Twain

View From
the Other Side

Resources for A Change