Lisa Robbin Young

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When you look at your life and work, what awareness can you develop this week around the problems you're trying to solve and the responsibilities you're taking on?

What problems aren't yours to solve? What responsibilities aren't yours to own?

Where are you making it too hard for yourself? 

Where are you looking for the easy way out instead of doing the work?

This isn't about placing blame or beating yourself up, this is about developing an awareness so you can make the needed changes to see a more balanced and successful life.

Share your thoughts in the comments or shoot me an email. I love to hear your feedback!

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It's all well and good to strive for excellence, but excellence is about more than just putting in your 10,000 hours. Those hours need to be focused, deliberate practice. Without that, you'll be hard pressed to reach the full potential of your undeniable gifts.

Be warned: you can spend 10,000 hours of your life on anything, and just because you get good at something doesn't mean it's the thing you're supposed to be about in the world. I've spent thousands of hours doing things that I don't enjoy (and I got pretty damn good at them, too), because I thought I had to. I'm really good at a bunch of things I have no interest in, and that I know are not part of my great work on this planet.

If you're interested in digging deeper into finding your own great work, have a look at Stephen Cope's book "The Great Work Of Your Life: A Guide for the Journey to Your True Calling" on Amazon. If you've already got clarity on your calling, and you're ready to launch into creating a plan of deliberate practice, take a peek at the Get Your Year In Gear program. It just might help you create the space you need to do the things for which your future self will thank you.

I was working with my awesome beta testers on my new Get Your Year In Gear program, and a lot of questions came up about toxic relationships, setting boundaries, and cutting ties with people - especially family. The biggest question I got, though, was around dealing with people you can't just walk away from.

This was my response to them, and it felt fitting to share it with you.

Incidentally, I'll be opening the doors to the Get Your Year In Gear Program soon. If you're not on the mailing list, you might miss open registration.

Got big dreams? Hold fast to them, and don't be afraid to pray for excellence. Many times, visionary creatives have lofty goals and ambitions, but we're met with staunch criticism when we share them. This forces us to either stop sharing, or aim lower.

Don't be that person. Instead, when things are getting to you, watch this video:

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It's not enough, though to watch a video, or pray for God to make you good at something. You must also do the work. What are you going to do today to move yourself closer to your dreams?

It'sYourBusiness . jacketEarlier this year, I was one of the lucky folks that got an advanced copy of It's Your Business: 183 Essential Tips That Will Transform Your Small Business. It's a book written by JJ Ramberg, Lisa Everson, and Frank Silverstein, and ripped from the show "Your Business" on MSNBC. The book features immediately actionable tips and ideas from entrepreneurs. It reads like a resource guide or a reference book, and it's sitting on my bookshelf for handy access. The book covers a range of topics, from start-up to exit planning, and everything in between.

I got a rare chance to interview JJ and get her insight into:

  • what it means to be an entrepreneur today
  • how to balance the competing demands of a creative life
  • some insider tips to getting your own spot on the show
  • and more.

We also dig into JJ's own history as an entrepreneur, as she shares some of her favorite stories and tips from her journey. Due to technical issues, only the audio was available for this program

Right click and "save as" to download audio