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So you know something is missing in your life, but you don’t really know what to do next.
You see people around you living the life you’d want to live, but you don’t know where to start.
This was the exact situation I found myself in not too long ago.
I was a professional online poker player. I was making money, but it wasn’t fulfilling. It was sucking my soul dry.
I could feel my heart aching for something else.
I knew I could contribute to the world, but I doubted myself.
Looking back, there were 5 main tips I would’ve given the Henri in the past if I could go back and help him out.
1. Truth
The absolute first thing is to be honest with yourself.
Look at your expectations. You’re diving into something that’s completely new, which means you will be confused.
And since everything is new, you will stumble a lot. You will feel overwhelmed, uncertain and scared. You won’t know where to go or what to do next.
Those feelings are to be expected. But remember, you are not your feelings or thoughts. On top of that, most people don’t realize that these seemingly “negative” feelings are good.
They are signs that you are heading in the right direction. You want change, and you’re changing. The bad news is that it may not feel great.
Once you accept what is, even if it’s confusion, your life will change, and you will make progress much faster.
2. Passion
The next step is obvious.
Find your passion.
Most people get stuck in this stage. They try to find the perfect passion, so beware of wanting to get things perfect, because you won’t.
Just like a kid in a candy store, you have to look at finding your passion as an adventure. There are a lot of different flavors available, and the only way you’ll figure out what you like is to start trying things out.
If you’re fresh out of college, this is even more important, because you have no idea of what you should expect from life. That means you can’t make predictions, because you have no basis for those predictions.
In reality, none of us can make predictions about the future, so let’s just forget about that. All you can do is follow your excitement.
It’s when you move forward that you’ll “figure” things out. But you won’t really figure things out. It’s more that things will figure themselves out.
You just have to let it happen.
3. Resistance
The third key is to learn to deal with resistance.
Resistance shows up in a different form in all of us.
For me it’s been about perfection and impatience. When I create a course, I want it to be the best course in the world.
However, I’ve gotten a lot better at allowing myself to create the best I can create at this very moment.
By doing this, I’ve been happier and more fulfilled than ever before. I’ve stopped trying to force myself to do what I can’t do.
It has led to me focusing more on helping my clients and customers. I’ve done this with a slew of digital workshops in 2012.
And in January of 2013, I will be stepping things up by creating what I call the Lifestyle Liberation Academy.
Later in the year, there may be a membership community coming for people like us, because let’s face it, going at this alone doesn’t work.
When you learn to deal with resistance, you’re ready to step into your potential. You know that thing that makes you both excited and scared at the same time.
That’s what you are here to do. There are people waiting for you to step up to the plate.
4. Time
The next key is to manage your time well.
I’m talking about both how you use your time, and the tasks you focus on.
You don’t need complex time management systems. I use good old pen and paper, and it works for me. I write down three high-value tasks before I go to bed. When I wake up, I do my best to get them done.
When I was starting out, I was trying to do things that didn’t really matter, because I was afraid of focusing on what DID matter.
So even if you only have 15 minutes a day to follow your passion, it’s enough, as long as you focus on the right things.
And if you don’t know what to do, just start somewhere, anywhere.
If you’re in the candy store and have never tasted candy, it doesn’t matter where you start, because each taste will be a learning experience.
5. Money
This key is optional, but if you’re reading this blog, chances are you’ll want to get paid to do what you love.
You want to craft a lifestyle where you’re making a positive impact on the world while loving the work you do.
In order to do that, you have to find the intersection between what you love to do, what you are good at (or want to get good at) and what people are willing to pay for.
It’s not easy.
It can be overwhelming.
But the first step is to start.
You’ve just entered the candy store. The next step is to dive in and explore.
There are a lot of marketers out there trying to sell you a quick fix, but you and I both know those don’t work.
This takes hard work, but that hard work will pay off.
And if you want to dive deeper into all of these keys, make sure you check out my premium course, Passionate Living.
Bottom Line
The bottom line is that you have to be willing to start before you’re ready.
The people living a passionate life started even though they were scared.
They didn’t know what the future held, but they did it anyway. You have to stop planning, and you have to start doing.
Think about the kid in the candy store. He doesn’t think about what the flavors might taste like, he just dives in.
Yes, you could say that adult life is different, but is it?
Are you saying you can’t take one step in some direction today?
You are the only one holding you back from a passionate life.
So think about the next smallest step you can take, and take that step.
You’ll know it’s the right step because it feels doable. If it feels overwhelming, it’s not small enough.