A Lifetime Of Baby Step Health Improvements (Part 2 of 3)
December 21st, 2010
This is the 2nd part of a three part series. Part 1 was “Baby Steps To Being A Lean, Mean, Optimum Nutrition Machine (Part 1 of 3)” (It’s no coincidence that I repeat “baby steps” over and over again…)
I still drink hot chocolate every day (you’ll see this come up in my post!), work out just twice a week, am almost 40 years old, but am leaner than I was in college or at any time other than when I was doing Ironman training (at about 10% body fat now)…what’s the deal? Better and better nutrition habits, made over the years step by step.
For 20 years, I’ve been committed to slowly and surely improving my nutrition & health habits in baby steps. When I hear about things I’ve mentioned in the past here, like Optimum Health Institute (raw food, wheatgrass ‘n’ enemas, oh my) or the “15-Day Reboot Fruit & Veggie Cleanse”, I’ll often try ‘em out to see what works for me, and what doesn’t.
Why Am I Committed?
What’s interesting too is my motivation for better nutrition. Originally (in my teens) the purpose was looking good. In my 30’s, it shifted and it is primarily about feeling good.
You improve your health (or make any lasting changes in any area of your life) not by bouncing from diet to diet, system to system, or making sudden huge changes in eating: you do it baby step by baby step, over time, improving and improving. And after your setbacks – whether it’s for a moment, week or year – you don’t give up, but come back to what works for you.
Hey, it’s exactly like discovering and living your Unique Genius!
Lifetime Nutrition Changes
Here are the most notable highlights of how I’ve practiced this in life, so that you can see I make changes step by step, over time, that accumulate:
- High school: Having few friends and zero dates, this became the original reason I started caring about nutrition – looks. I started lifting weights and reducing the fat in my diet (back then, “low fat” was the health craze, even though now we know “low fat” doesn’t mean jack in improving your health).
- College: I stopped drinking soft drinks – one of the most destructive substances you can drink. For example, it’s a leading cause of osteoporosis – which even kids are getting now!
- End of college: I stopped eating cereal (I learned all commercial cereal is treated like the body as almost pure sugar)
- Through my mid & late 20’s: Beyond developing a taste and habit for spinach salads, I don’t remember which changes I made, but I remember I often had coffee (with a bunch of artificial sweetener) and a pastry for breakfast. Yuck! I worked a lot during this time, which was a higher priority to me than health.
- I start drinking 8-10 glasses of water most days. Soda, coffee or alcoholic drinks do not count as water.
- Early 30’s: I got married and divorced. This was a lesson in “As your partner goes, so you go: if your partner eats like crap, you’re going to eat like crap.” In other words, I ate like crap quite a bit during this time.
A Big Shift at 35 Years Old
- A doctor did some allergy tests, and told me I was allergic to wheat, soy, dairy, eggs. My first reaction at first what??! Those are in EVERYTHING! My second reaction was gratitude: now I have to give up more junk food.
- The doctor advised I give up alcohol & coffee (I substituted coffee for hot tea). Alcohol is a poison in your body. I realized as a drank less, how – at least at age 35 – the next day, even after one drink, I felt ‘mushy’. If you’re wondering more about how and why I gave up alcohol, leave a question in the comments.
- Around that time, in giving up coffee, I also stopped all artificial sweeteners like Splenda, Nutraseet and Sweet N Low (all toxic) and went back to normal sugar, honey or stevia. Ironically, as unhealthy sugar is, it’s better than that stuff.
- I also began meditating irregularly. It took a couple of years to get to a regular daily practice.
Age 36:
- I read Michael Pollen’s “In Defense Of Food” READ THIS BOOK
- I started eating regularly at vegan restaurants (like Real Food Daily & Planet Raw)
- I started making “The Ultimate Meal” for breakfast almost every day, which is some green powder, almond butter and water, mixed up in a Magic Bullet blender.
- Because I was off the wheat and dairy, I ate very few desserts. After a few weeks, I lost any cravings for them.
Age 37:
- I switched from “The Ultimate Meal” to making my own “green smoothie” almost every day for breakfast, which means mixing up some fruit, superfoods and greens (like spinach or kale) into it. They can be gross or very yummy depending on what you do.
- I started eating eggs & drinking milk again, in moderation (this year, I picked up a new hot chocolate addiction, and had one almost every day). I find that I can drink milk fine, but eggs just don’t sit well in my stomach, so I’ve backed off of them.
- I’m staying away forever from wheat and soy. Every 3-6 months I would break down and have a piece of bread or a donut, and it doesn’t kill me 🙂 But my face does turn a bit red.
Age 38:
- My main sweetener now: “Truvia” (a mix of birch sugar and stevia) or raw honey
- My partner Jessica’s a vegetarian, so I naturally began eating less meat (and didn’t miss it).
- I started eating regularly at raw restaurants, like Leaf Organics near Venice and Planet Raw in Santa Monica.
- I attend some raw “uncooking” classes and learned more about the benefit of raw food, and the hazards of meat and animal-based foods.
- I’m shopping almost exclusively at Whole Foods Market and local farmers markets.
- By the way – I still eat and plan on eating cooked foods, I’m just making sure I do eat plenty of raw & living foods.
- November 2010: I attend Optimum Health Institute (As described in part 1 of this series, “Baby Steps To Being A Lean, Mean, Optimum Nutrition Machine”)
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I Ain’t No Saint
I love hot chocolate (in fact, if you’re ever in Santa Monica, you MUST try Huckleberry’s hot chocolate – it’s like crack cocaine). I eat junk food, I backslide, I feel guilty. But I keep making progress, step by step, and don’t give up. Or at least two steps forward, one step back 🙂
My Simple Take On…
1) ORGANIC FOOD vs. CONVENTIONAL FOOD
The Bottom Line: Before pesticides, everything was organic – that was conventional! Somehow we got turned around so that “conventional = sprayed with chemicals” and “organic = unconventional”. This is simple – you are what you eat. Chemicals can’t just be washed off, they also get absorbed by plants when they grow. The more organic food you eat, the less pesticides you take in (which are linked to, it seems, every kind of health problem & cancer you can imagine).
Why I didn’t do it in the past: Choices of organic food is hard to find in standard American supermarkets like Vons & Albertsons. Some organic foods (like almonds) are a lot more expensive than conventional.
Why I’m going to do more of it in the future: There are more and more choices now at all markets, and Whole Foods especially has lots of options for organic, and it’s not always more expensive. Also, I’d rather pay more now and save on the pain, cancer and hospital bills later. The best source: local farmers markets (LocalHarvest.org) and I’ll make them my main source of food when possible.
2) RAW FOOD vs. COOKED FOOD
The Bottom Line: When you cook food above 118 degrees (some say 105 degrees), it destroys a big chunk of the nutrients and enzymes in the food that makes it healthy in the first place.
Why I didn’t do it in the past: I didn’t really appreciate the benefits. Also, some people advocate eating 100% raw, which feels extreme to me (no moderation).
Why I’m going to do more of it in the future: There are lots of cookbooks out there now on simple and easy ways to eat raw, like Rod Rotundi’s “Raw Food For Real People”. In 2009 I’m already eating 50-80% raw most days, as I’ve been inching up the past couple of years. I’m planning on eating 80% raw / 20% cooked food.
3) MEAT & DAIRY vs. VEGETARIAN & PLANT-BASED DIETS
The Bottom Line: Too much meat & dairy is bad for your health, causing all kinds of long-term health issues. ( “The China Project”). [Update: Celeste below shares a link of a neutral party who questions some of The China Study’s findings: click here for it]
To me, eating meat and dairy is healthy when people are moving from eating soda to milk, or candy bars to turkey – then that is better, it is progress. But the best is moving from meat and dairy (and all animal-based products) to plants, fruits, nuts and seeds, for at least 80-90% of your diet. In other words, if you’re going to eat animal-based foods, eat 80% plants and 20% meat/dairy, rather than 80% meat/dairy and 20% plants!
“Bread and cheese” vegetarianism (eating no meat, just junk food) isn’t healthy either – you must eat plants.
Why I didn’t do it in the past: Like most of you, I grew up eating meat & drinking milk. I was trained at young age that “Milk does a body good”, and that I need lots of protein which I can only get through meat. It can also be challenging, especially when traveling, to eat mostly vegetarian when I’m also allergic to wheat.
Why I’m going to do more of it in the future: From everything I’ve learned – both about health and the environment – I feel better and am healthier when I minimize animal-based food. And yet, I haven’t gotten to the point where I believe that I can or will give them up entirely (yet)…I am only human and I do love my hot chocolate! The stuff at that frickin’ Huckleberry place really is like crack.
The “Know Thyself” Exception To Everything
Everybody & every body is different, and what works for others may not work for you. Some people physically need to eat meat. Some people should never eat meat at all.
You gotta experiment to see what works for you – don’t just blindly follow what someone tells you to do. (Again, another lesson you can apply to anything in life…)
Stay tuned for the last part, part 3, in which I talk about the emotional connections to food, my lessons learned & suggested next steps for YOU to take.
Think I’m Full Of It? What Do You Believe?
Baby Steps To Being A Lean, Mean, Optimum Nutrition Machine (Part 1 of 3)
December 15th, 2010
In November I spent a week at the Optimum Health Institute (“OHI”) in San Diego, a place with a mission to “serve as a change agent for humankind by improving the physical, mental and spiritual well-being of everyone we touch”, and was inspired to write about it and how I’ve persisted in improving my health practices over my life through baby step after baby step. This is the first part of a three-part series.
Optimum health is more than food and nutrition, and must include exercise, mind practices (like meditation) and spiritual practices (like finding your purpose). This series focuses on the nutrition & food parts.
I’ll be sharing about some of the biggest nutrition changes I’ve made that I still practice, and a few of the new tools I picked up at OHI that I’ll add into my routine. I’ll also about how I ain’t no saint, and still eat junk food and am more apt to criticize myself for not being perfect with food and health than be grateful for all the progress I’ve made over the years.
Back to OHI…I heard about OHI two years ago, after my friend Carl Bressler went and came back RAVING about it, and what it did for him and his health. I don’t remember specifically what his results were, but I remember how excited he was about the experience and his new perspective on food and health.
The week included a regimen of raw food, classes, exercise, rest, wheatgrass and- yep – colonics/enemas. Heh! And they go through and teach you why all of this is important to your health.
This part of the blog post isn’t about recommending OHI as a place to go (go if you want, or not, it’s definitely not for everyone), but I am recommending going outside your comfort zone to try new things and experiences in order to improve your health.
What I Personally Got From My Week At OHI
- I was re-energized about my health practices, and reminded how important health is to life, and how much I and others take it for granted…until it starts fading.
- The red and dry skin on my face cleared up
- My dry scalp went totally away (I believe this is because the shower water there is filtered & dechlorinated here)
- I learned a lot about optimum health through mind, body and spirit
- I met a bunch of great people
- I got to deliver an early version of a new Unique Genius talk: “Authenticity: The Missing Link Between Money And Fulfillment”
Example Success Stories
Some people go to OHI because they have life threatening conditions like cancer. (And, by the way, OHI has some amazing stories of people’s bodies healing themselves after getting off junk food and practicing OHI’s teachings). Others go every few months just to recharge, detox and reconnect with helpful habits.
While I was there, some people in the program shared some stories. For example, one man (about 70 years old) said that during his stay at OHI:
- His blood pressure went down enough that he had to stop taking his medication for it (he had a blood pressure testing cuff with him, and measured it every day)
- His eyesight improved – he had bifocals, and had to put them down to read (he still needed them to see farther away)
Another woman told us she’d been coming to OHI 2-3 times per year for 30 years, and that she was 65, and had never had any plastic surgery. She looked like she was 50 years old!
How Kirsten Schulz Is Beating Stage 4 Cancer
Here’s an extreme example of what optimum health practices can do for someone even with a life-threatening condition.
On the day I left OHI, Kirsten here shared her story of being diagnosed with cancer in February 2010, and was given a few weeks to live. It’d already spread through several vital organs. Kirsten didn’t go with chemotherapy or surgery, and instead chose to focus on the kinds of health practices taught at OHI, and spent months living at OHI on their detox program. Nine months later, her cancer is in retreat.
By the way, my belief is that neither conventional doctors nor alternative practices alone have all the answers. They can be complimentary rather than competitive, like capitalism and Buddhism.
I mean, when I found out I had skin cancer on my nose, I had the damn stuff cut out by a dermatologist surgeon. I wasn’t going to try to heal just through nutrition and mental practices. But that’s me. And whatever health issue I get in the future, I’ll use a blend of eastern and western practices, rather than avoiding one or the other.
Another personal story: I had an aunt who was devout Christian Science, the “heal only through prayer not through doctors religion”. Her belief did not change the course of her breast cancer, and she died as expected 🙁 Of course, I have a great-aunt who’s now close to 90 and has never been treated by a doctor in her life, and she’s going strong. Go figure.
The point? Don’t follow others’ rigid beliefs! You need to try different things to find out what blend works for YOU. You can’t turn off your brain and live unconsciously and expect the happiness and results you want.
(which applies too in finding and living your Unique Genius)
Finally, don’t believe what you hear – such as that “you have ___ months to live” – just because someone (either a doctor or alternative health practitioner) has a degree or certification – those people are PEOPLE and that means they make mistakes and get stuff wrong ALL THE TIME. Do your own research, get third opinions and focus on the mental belief that you can heal. Your mindset affects how you heal.
Now here’s Kirsten with her story:
New Practices I Learned At OHI I’m Adopting:
So I learned a TON about health and practices and OHI, and here are the few most important & practical things I’m implementing at home…
- “Eat while I eat”: Too often we eat while watching TV, driving, working or rushing around. When we do this, our bodies and minds don’t really register that we’ve even eaten (and we don’t enjoy it!), leading to more overeating.
- Farmers Markets are #1: Shop for food as much as possible at local farmers markets and through Community Supported Agriculture (LocalHarvest.org)
- Soak & sprout seeds, beans & nuts to greatly increases the nutrients and digestibility of things like seeds and grains. (Sprouting 101)
- “Food Combining”: Your body has a lot of trouble digesting some types of food when you eat them at the same time, like protein (meat) and starch (potatoes), causing upset stomach, gas and low energy. Food Combining means being aware of the types of food you eat in one meal, so they don’t fight it out in your gut. (Food Combining 101)
- Not eating close to bedtime: OHI recommended eating at least 2-3 hours before bedtime, so that digesting doesn’t disturb your sleep. I have a watch that can track how deeply I sleep (www.SleepTracker.com), and I found at OHI that I slept MUCH better if I didn’t eat for 2-3 hours before I went to sleep.
This is great stuff!
Progress, Not Perfection
Now that I’ve been home for a few weeks since OHI, I’ve been ok at implementing these – but not perfect. It takes time to change habits, and I’m doing my best in improving my nutrition AND being kind to myself and not beating myself up when I don’t do these changes perfectly.
In fact, right after I hit “publish” I’m going to go for a long walk and get some ridiculously amazing hot chocolate at a local place here in Santa Monica called Huckleberry 🙂 Hey, I am only human!!
This is about PROGRESS, not PERFECTION – something my clients must be sick of hearing me say since that too is a fundamental lesson in making money through enjoyment through your Unique Genius 🙂
Stay tuned for part 2 – I’ll review the major nutrition changes I’ve made over my life and share my take on raw vs cook, plants vs meat, and organic vs inorganic.
Do You Have A Story To Share?
Leave a comment below, I’d love to hear from you!
Related: Posts About A 100% Fruit & Veggie Cleanse I Did:
https://pebblestorm.com/2010/01/07/my-first-day-15-day-fruit-and-veggies-cleanse/
https://pebblestorm.com/2010/01/12/day-6-cleanse-update
Unique Genius Superhero Interview: Susan Kennedy aka SARK, Author and Founder of PlanetSARK.com
November 13th, 2010
The Unique Genius Superheroes Interview Series is about ordinary people who have figured out how to make money through their purpose & passions to create fulfillment and freedom.
Susan Kennedy aka SARK, is an artist who’s had a fascinating and tumultuous journey to figure out how to share her gifts with the world. You’ll immediately recognize her trademark colorful, handwritten style after the first time you see it! Think my sketches, on steroids times a bajillion 🙂
SARK also just published a new book, her 16th, titled “Glad No Matter What: Transforming Losses & Change Into Gifts & Opportunity“. It’s awesome. Have you ever seen a handwritten, published book? That’s SARK’s style. And while she’s crazily creative, she’s found an excellent groove in mixing her creative right brain stuff with left brain processes.
Rather than trying to explain more why she’s so awesome, just glance through the list of bullet points of stuff we covered in the interview… (for example, how can someone “opt out” of the money system and live on barter and trade for 10 years??)…pretty fascinating!
- Why she calls herself a “human experiment”
- Why you shouldn’t avoid feelings like loneliness or anger (and how to deal with them)
- Why SARK’s work is important to Unique Genius
- How being molested as a young girl planted the seeds of her Unique Genius, leading her to an early mentor
- How – at 10 years old – she save the life of her childhood mentor with small gifts, and realized “I’m supposed to be a beacon of hope”
- How SARK opted out of the “money system” to live on barter & trade for 10 years
- Great advice from her grandfather: “do everything you can think of doing now, so you know what you don’t want to do the rest of your life” (SARK went on to have 250 jobs between ages 14 and 26!)
- How, at 35, SARK decided it was time to share all her art and gifts with the world and first turned her art into money
- Why SARK’s first $2.5 million business wasn’t fulfilling or profitable
- SARK’s best three tips staying uber-creative
- About SARK’s “Micro movement wheel of delight” (I love how she reframes even baby steps into fun!)
- SARK’s Free Inspiration Phone-line (12,000 people call it every month): 415-546-3742
Here’s another inspirational and empowered woman who made her challenges in the past a tool for a better future…
Listen To Or Download The Interview
More about SARK
- www.PlanetSARK.com
- SARK’s fun programs like “Dream Boogie” [Aff]
- SARK’s newest book, “Glad No Matter What: Transforming Losses and Change Into Gifts & Opportunity”
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About Unique Genius
There’s a process to discovering your purpose and turning it into fulfilling, freeing work. Find out the latest at www.UniqueGenius.com.
What Was Your Favorite Part Of The Interview?
Please leave a comment!
I’m (Re)Learning How To Rest
November 10th, 2010
Know those people who are busy all the time? Well, your brain, like your body, needs time to recuperate, re-energize and get stronger. If you don’t get enough rest, you won’t physically or mentally ‘heal’ as much as you could.
Here’s a quick (1 minute) video about it, just after I’d gotten out of bed, and I’m still feeling a little silly 🙂
Why Rest?
After putting a LOT of energy into my Unique Genius work the past six months (mostly on launching the Unique Genius Superhero Program and the “Your Call To Adventure 3-Day Retreat“), I’m dialing it down for three months (November, December, January). I’m avoiding new projects to focus on my current programs and clients.
I don’t have a challenge in taking action – I have more of a challenge to rest enough (especially sleeping, napping, meditating, being positively lazy). And yes, it is a challenge. Without enough rest, I don’t feel as sharp, inspired, energized or creative as I know I can be.
I can get away with a few night or weeks of high-output work, but it always catches up to me. And the longer I wait to recuperate and rest, the longer it takes… hence the “take it easier for three months” goal now.
I actually don’t think this will be easy for me…but I’ll give it my best shot!
It’ll help that I’m going to the awesome Optimum Health Institute next week for a week.
About The Fruit & Vegetable Cleanse I Mention
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Have Advice For Me? What Are Your Favorite Ways To Rest?
I’d love some suggestions and ideas.
One that really works for me: Yoga Nidra guided meditations from Robin Carnes. I can actually take naps with these…and I have a really tough time napping.
What’s yours? Leave A Comment!
An IMPORTANT Lesson From A Death & Reminder Of How Fragile Life Is
October 20th, 2010
This is a direct excerpt from an email I wrote to my Unique Genius Superhero Program clients on Tuesday, October 12th:
Jessica Henning is my girlfriend (partner). Her best guy friend, Marc, was killed in a fatal car accident on Sunday.
Jessica was able to get to the hospital in time to see him. They both had the gift of being able to talk just before he passed. Marc was able to share with her his dying message, to paraphrase: “…all you have are the memories and experiences and love…”.
I’m tearing up again just writing this.
It’s so easy to get caught up in the drama and stress of life (around money, health, relationships…) – all of which is crap we create for ourselves.
I don’t have a simple answer on how to cut through the crap instantly to reconnect every day with what’s important, which is love of yourself and others (and related feelings, like fun, joy &, gratitude)…which come from awesome relationships and experiences.
I can see that everything that I’m putting into the Superhero Program is meant to help you do this, to create a life of happiness based on authentic work.
Who is someone you could email, call or write to express how much you appreciate them, have learned from them or love them?
Final Thought
Life’s too short to do work that sucks or be in a relationship that drains you.
No one else is going to save you – not your spouse, mom, coach or friend – only you can do that. Many of you already are awesomely working on it.
Yet even if you’re one of those people that complains about your job or relationship but never does anything about it (though if you fixed it, you’d have nothing to complain about) then take responsibility for your own life and ask yourself:
- How did I create what I have today? (If you blame others for what you have, that’s the “victim” in you talking)
- What do I actually, authentically want?
- Commit to taking a first baby step, and then frickin’ take it!
Baby steps, baby steps, baby steps.
Matt Bailey’s Follow Up Blog Post
UG Superhero Matt Bailey’s great post about this on “A World Of Inspiration”
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Subscribe For Free To PebbleStorm & Unique Genius Updates By Email
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Video: A Friday Frustration & Skin Cancer Update
October 8th, 2010
Here’s a little video update on my skin cancer – it’s all gone, and now I’m going to have a cool scar. And more importantly for you – think I’m always all perfectly calm and zen? Nope! I can get plenty frustrated, as this video shows 🙂 I was thinking about this this morning, and just had to get out of my car at the airport to shoot this…
This Is Your Call To Adventure…
Questions? Since the event’s coming up fast, email me directly… aaron at pebblestorm dot com.
Need A Baby Step Suggestion?
Can’t come to retreat, but want to take a baby step? Here are two other suggestions:
- Do the People Exercise: “Your Key To Success Or Struggle“
- Listen to the Unique Genius Superhero Interview of Brian Johnson
How To Conquer “Shiny Object Syndrome”
September 29th, 2010
Do you have a lot of interests and ideas…perhaps so many that you can’t, or don’t to, focus on any one thing…and end up feeling like you’re not getting the results you want? You have a bunch of passions and business ideas, but can’t get one off the ground?
This is a video from my Unique Genius Superhero Program on conquering “Shiny Object Syndrome”. I see this challenge ALL THE TIME! Including in myself – which is how I’ve learned how to overcome it. (By the way – because this is part of a bigger program, I do use terms like “throw a rock”, “tree exercise”, etc. that I don’t explain in this single video.)
This video is for people with multiple interests that paralyze them from starting or completing anything, especially a first profitable business.
If you’re someone with multiple businesses – most of which are struggling – the solution is a bit different. Watch at least the first three minutes, and then leave a question about it in the comments and I’ll answer you there.
“Conquer Shiny Object Syndrome”
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Another Way To Conquer Shiny Object Syndrome
Three days of Unique Genius work + archery + fun + like-minded, supportive people will give you the clarity, confidence and completion of a next step to take the right next step! One, I’ll bet, that was in front of you that you didn’t know you could take 🙂
Details About The Unique Genius “Your Call To Adventure” Event
Note the “Early Decision Amount” registration deadline to save $300 ends this Friday, October 1st.
Did This Help? Questions? Leave ‘Em In The Comments!
Your Call To Adventure: A Mashup of Archery, Money, Purpose, S’Mores,…
September 17th, 2010
This is Your Call To Adventure: I’m inviting you turn your purpose & passions into a business at the (fast-approaching) Unique Genius “Your Call To Adventure” hero’s journey live event.
An Important Lesson to Learn: Even if the event doesn’t resonate with you, visit the site as an example of the lesson “Boring does not equal credible; Express what you want to get what you want.” More below…
About The Unique Genius “Your Call To Adventure”
It’s going to be 30 people max (about 20 spots are left) and a blast – a mash up of archery, money, purpose & more! It’s perfect either if this is a priority for you, or if you are really time-limited and getting away for a weekend immersion is the best way to figure this out for yourself, and…
- Have a BLAST getting clear on your purpose and recharging your energy!
- Tie your purpose and passions into a real business model (& stop scattering your energy).
- Create and launch a significant new money- or fulfillment-making component of your business.
- Meet, network & partner with awesome people who can help your business.
“You’ve saved my life Aaron (seriously)” – Honour Leigh, in the Unique Genius Superhero Program
“This has been one of the most valuable three days of my life” – Jared Krause, prior attendee
(By the way, the video on the Your Call To Adventure page was the last one before my skin cancer op and scar 🙂 I’ll get you a post-scar video soon, I’m healing quickly.)
Second, The Lesson:
“Boring does not equal credible; Express what you want to get what you want.”
Do you think work has to be boring, serious and plain? Grey walls? 50 versions of blue shirts and khaki pants?
Perhaps it’s because you feel you have to make it ‘serious’, or ‘plain’ to be taken seriously…to fit in.
Screw that – unless you want to attract people who are boring, serious or plain (no judgment here, heh.)
If you hold back on who you are, the combination of money, fulfillment and freedom of full self-expression will hold back on you.
If you want to attract fun, energetic, purposeful people – add that to your work and be BOLD about it. Declare it!
If you want (your passion), (your interest), (your desire) – add those to your work and messaging! You attract what you are. So be what and who you are, without reservation or hesitation…and results will come.
It may be easier said than done…because most people’s problem is figuring out who they are and what they want and how to live it…but then again that’s what Your Call To Adventure is for 😉
One of the most common reasons entrepreneurs with purpose-based businesses don’t make money because they don’t share themselves fully. They’re scared of scaring people off.
So – check out www.YourCallToAdventure.com as an example of how I’m living this myself, even if you don’t care for the event or my work. At least learn by example.
What passion or interest are you leaving out of your work, that you can mash into it the same way I do with things like adventure and heroism?
Rock on, Superheroes!
Aaron Ross
Questions About The Event?
Leave A Comment or email us with your question, name and best way to contact you and let’s have a quick chat about it. It’ll be an intimate event, and so we’re happy to put in the work to ensure you’re a good fit.
My Freak-Out Moment of Skin Cancer, Superheroes, Seminar, Sales Book & Skipping Town
August 28th, 2010
(The picture is of a notebook that Honour Leigh, in the Superhero Program created. Ain’t it cool?)
This past Wednesday morning I freaked out for a bit 🙂
Hey, it is relatively rare these days (especially since I began meditation regularly), but it happens once in awhile. I am human…
And when I say I freak-out moment, know what I mean?
It was one of the times where, for whatever reason, there’s an overwhelmed feeling and “holy s___” how will it all get done?
Some big things in the past week all coincided to hit me at once on Wednesday morning (this is pretty much the order they went through in my mind…):
1) SUPERHEROES: Up, Up & Away! We completed the launch of the sold-out Unique Genius Superhero Program, and delivered the bulk of the first module of content, “Define Your Dream Business”.
- Some stats: ~7700 video views, 75 Superheroes in the program, a ~$25k launch (not bad for my first official ‘launch’), and more than $2000 is being donated to Village Enterprise Fund.
2) SKIN CANCER: I found out last Monday, via doctor call, that I have some skin cancer on the side of my nose which must be removed. It’s not dangerous, but still requires a “MOHS”surgery . I’ll know this coming Friday (9/3), when they do it, how much tissue they need to remove.
3) NEXT SEMINAR “Unique Genius Your Call To Adventure”: I also realized on Wednesday that it is only six weeks until the Unique Genius “Your Call To Adventure” Live 3-Day Event. It’ll be awesome, but I do have a bunch of work to do to prepare the materials and get the word out so that you can decide & make travel plans…You have often been a hero to others…do you secretly wish for a hero to come to your rescue? Are you ready to be the hero of your own story?
- SAVE THE DATE… October 15-17th, in the mountains outside of Los Angeles at www.PaliRetreat.com…more details coming in about a week.
- It is going to be fun, walking you through the (Super)Hero’s Journey and have you leave the event having created – while you’re there – something tangible around making money through your purpose and passions.
- Details: YourCallToAdventure.com
4) SALES BOOK: With the Unique Genius launch done, I turned my attention back to completing the draft of my sales book, “Predictable Revenue“. I’m behind on what I’d intended for a release date both because of the launch & need to replace my first editor.
5) SKIPPING TOWN: Of the coming six weeks, I’ll be offline for almost half the time. I wouldn’t want to make things easy on myself now, right? I’m heading out today (Sunday) for “Enlightened Warrior Camp” – not exactly sure what we’re doing there, but several friends said it was one of the best adventures of their lives.
And yep I did this all to myself, this ‘traffic jam’.
But the freak-out didn’t last too long…
What I Did About It (In Order)
1) Meditation: I have access now to “peaceful mind on demand” through meditation. Actually, since the Brian Johnson/PhilosophersNotes interview, I’ve meditated every single day – even if it was at 3am after working on the Unique Genius launch videos.
- How I started meditating: “A lifetime happiness and focus enhancer: Vipassana meditation”.
- I will also have a whole “Meditation 101” chapter in the Superheroes Program.
2) Made lists: Wrote down everything I felt I needed to do, mostly to get it out of my brain so it stopped bouncing around in there. Sometimes just writing stuff out snuffs the brain spazm.
3) I reminded myself that everything always works out. I never learned this lesson in the corporate world, but for some reason, I really ‘got it’ after starting PebbleStorm…because I began consciously creating my happiness. I can beat myself up and be hard on myself – know what I mean? It’s easy to worry about how much money a project will make, or “will people show up” or value it. But now, whenever I have an event, launch or create something, I’ve seen how it all comes together no matter what. I KNOW that it will work out one way or the other.
- Everything is a learning opportunity, and there’s no way to ‘fail’ except by a) Not trying, b) Not learning from something, or c) Giving up.
- When I found out I had skin cancer (again, not serious as far as we know) this attitude also helped. I haven’t been worried about it, since I know it’ll work out fine…whatever happens.
4) Asked for help: Sometimes I forget how much support I have around me. My inspiring girlfriend Jessica Henning (who is starting a company called Bond Girl Bootcamp in LA…more to come in Sept!), my rockstar web woman Lisa Tarrant, and writer/crazy creative Sandie Samuells are three that came to my rescue. Thank you all!
- You have more support around you then you realize…but you have to ask for it.
- PS – anyone looking to intern on some awesome Unique Genius / business projects? Email me!
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The Unique Genius “Your Call To Adventure” Live 3-Day Event
It’s October 15-17th in the mountains outside Los Angeles (YourCallToAdventure.com). When I went to check out the site I had fun doing some impromptu video…
When was the last time you did archery? This is going to be a blast:
See all the details on the YourCallToAdventure.com Page
Related Posts
- I’m Feeling Confused & Overwhelmed (video)
- Using Rocks & Baby Steps To Dodge The Fear
- Lessons Learned From Feeling Funky
Update
The cancer was worse than I expected (instead of a ‘nip’, I walked out of the center on September 3 with 30 stitches in my face), but they got it all and I’ll heal up all nice and pretty again 🙂 Just with a cool pirate-y scar, heh.
My girlfriend has been incredibly supportive in helping me recover and in dealing with the shock of such a fast switch from ‘small not threatening’ to ‘worse than we thought now we need to do some plastic surgery’…it took a day for “my soul to catch up with my body”, for the impact to actually register.
What Do Ya Want?
I haven’t done a longer “Aaron Update” post for awhile, but I always love sharing. If you want them more often, or about specific topics, let me know in the comments below.
First Commitment, Then Clarity
August 18th, 2010
Do you find yourself wanting the perfect answer BEFORE you make a decision or commitment?
Casey Berman is a friend in San Francisco and one of the first folks to go through my Unique Genius Process. He’s a mergers and acquisitions advisor “by day”, and joined the Unique Genius program last year to get help in starting a business that he could enjoy and that would give him more financial & time independence (especially since he’s married with children and has limited time). When Casey began the process, he even already had a fledgling business with his wife he was ready to work on: “KidFriendlySF.com: Local Spots That Cater To Tots”.
But as Casey started to explore what he could be really passionate and purposeful about, a whole new & surprising Unique Genius business popped out of him! (Which I see happens all the time.)
See, Casey went to law school, then graduated & realized along the way that practicing law just wasn’t for him. It could pay the bills, but it wasn’t fulfilling and he just didn’t want to do it. (Though giving up those sunk costs of time and money invested in school was tough…)
When he was going through the Unique Genius Process, one day it hit him from outta nowhere: “Leave Law Behind” would help lawyers take their lives back… as he had done with his own.
And he could design Leave Law Behind to work the way he wanted, in alignment with his life, values & how he wanted to make money.
Within a few weeks, Casey not only started the business, but had made his first $2000.
(I’m twisting Casey’s arm to include, as an extra gift in the Unique Genius Superhero Program, the exact steps he used to do this, including emails used and the casual & fun event he held).
The same surprising thing happened to me. If you had asked me about three years ago (before July 2007) what I’d be doing with my life, I would never have guessed that I’d be helping people make money through enjoyment. NEVER NEVER NEVER! I would have still thought I was going to start another software company!
This process consistently creates surprising results; but results or business ideas that are obvious in hindsight.
TWO LESSONS…
1) Clarity, confidence & results come AFTER you make a commitment.
Before we knew knew how it was going to happen, Casey and I (and every other Unique Genius client…) committed to starting a business that aligned with our life values and would lead to sustainable financial independence, and THEN the clarity, confidence & results came.
Whether it’s in business, health or relationships…results follow commitment.
2) Some big surprises can be in store for you.
You may not want what you think you want! Stay open to the idea that there could be something totally surprising and awesome to you beyond what you think you’re going to do.
Thanks for listening, I hope you learned something of value from this 🙂
Aaron
Talk To Me: “Ask Aaron Anything” Call
August 9th, 2010
[Update: the “Ask Aaron Anything” call recording is posted below]
I believe, in my soul, that the way we work needs to change, and that people only use 10-33% of their potential in work, today. If even that!
(Seen the Unique Genius videos yet?)
After working with hundreds of people, I KNOW that you have hidden talents and powers that can be turned into work you love, that makes you plenty of money… and that you can start finding it with only baby steps investments of time. I know this is possible… so the question is, WHY HAVEN’T YOU DONE IT YET…?
After 5,000 video views and a couple of hundred comments, I think I understand what you care about:
- You want a clear notion of how you can “get paid to be yourself’ by combining your passions, interests and talents into a single, easy to start business, AND make a great income at it.
- You want to get clear on what’s uniquely powerful about you – what can give you an unfair advantage? What’s your shortest path to success?
- You want to be able to do this in bite-sized, achievable steps, so that it feels simple and FUN (not overwhelming)!
- You want to be able to start making this real without making drastic or risky changes in your life, even if you’re short on time or money. Yay!
And you have some concerns and questions…
- As someone with “Shiny Object Syndrome”, it seems like you keep scattering your energy and nothing ever really takes off. But you want to be able to do all those cool ideas!
- Perhaps you’ve been unsuccessful at it in the past, and are discouraged.
- You have responsibilities and bills to pay. You’re unsure if you can find your passion and turn it into income without leaving your secure paycheck.
- You have some conscious fears or hesitations that hold you back, and aren’t sure how to move forward.
- Perhaps you don’t even know what you’re passionate about, or good at and don’t know where to begin figuring it out!
Does any of that sound like you?
If so, I’m putting together something for you (something that’s changed my life and will change yours), but I need you do 1 of 2 things (or both if you want to 🙂
1) EMAIL ME (my address is [my first name at pebblestorm dot com] or on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/motoceo) your biggest fear or frustration about doing something you love with your life and making plenty of money at it, and/or…
2) Attend The “ASK AARON ANYTHING CALL”
… an open Question & Answer call. I’ll be hanging out on the line, taking ANY question you have about Unique Genius (or ANYTHING)…you don’t need to register, just show up! I’ll stay on as long as you have questions.
[UPDATE: Here’s the recording]
Or Click here to download…
I really love talking with people about this stuff. Good thing, since I’ve built my business around it, heh. I’ll share more of the details of the thing I’ve been working on later this week, but first I want to get a chance to talk or email live with you, so please email me at [my first name at pebblestorm dot com] to share your questions or biggest frustrations with me…
Can’t wait to hear from you! 🙂
Aaron Ross
The Unique Genius Superheroes Interview Series is about ordinary people who make money through their purpose & passions. They’ve found ways to combine enjoyment, money and meaning in their work.
Looking for some blunt talk about purpose + money + some swear words? Gotta say this was a fun interview 🙂
Clay Collins founded “Project Mojave”, a business that teaches people how to use internet marketing to make more money. Clay’s Unique Genius is “helping people sell more sh__”. (In loving & authentic ways. Truly. Check out the interview.)
Here are some of the topics we covered…
- How Clay moved from working on card catalogs at the library to internet marketing
- Why Clay would help people sell stuff if even if he didn’t make money at it
- Why Clay can only get one thing done per day (not two), and why this works so well
- Clay’s take on purpose, and why you shouldn’t care
Clay’s a good dude. Young too – he’s a precocious one.
Listen To Or Download The Interview
More about Clay Collins
- His free internet marketing training videos on his signature “Presell Formula” system, the program of his that I am in: http://tinyurl.com/PresellFormula [Aff – I highly recommend his stuff]
- www.ProjectMojave.com
What of these resonated with you? Let me know!
About Unique Genius
There’s a process to discovering your purpose and turning it into a business you love. Find out the latest at www.UniqueGenius.com.
What Was Your Favorite Part Of The Interview?
Please leave a comment!
Unique Genius Superhero Interview: Amy Applebaum
July 29th, 2010
The Unique Genius Superheroes Interview Series is about ordinary people who have created successful businesses around their purpose.
I love Amy Applebaum! She is the force behind Amy Applebaum Inc. and “The Release Your Inner Millionairess” program designed to create life changing breakthroughs in her clients, mostly early stage women entrepreneurs.
Amy’s helped hundreds of thousands of female entrepreneurs across the globe and has been on ABC News, CNN, TLC, LX New York and Martha Stewart.
In 2009, Amy made a big evolution in her business to achieve Unique Genius Superhero status, and in the interview we talk about that change as well as other big work transitions over the past 15+ years that have led her here.
A great quote from this interview: “It’s ok to be afraid, just do it anyway”.
We covered…
- How Amy turned getting fired into freedom
- How Amy started her first company placing vending machines, and how her first disaster led her to changing her approach and making the business successful
- How Amy went from 1-1 life coaching to a business expert helping entrepreneurs all over the world
- How to make the most of your advisors & team
- Why having fun in work is so important & relevant
- How Amy gets out of a poopy mood 🙂
And more, of course!
Listen To Or Download The Interview
Want to download the interview?
Click here to download…
More About Amy Applebaum
- www.AmyApplebaum.com
- Amy’s Blog
- A Machu Picchu Unique Genius Superhero interview of Jodi Nelson, a client of Amy’s
About Unique Genius
Want to learn how to discover your purpose and answer the question “what do I want to do with my life?” And learn how to combine all your interests, ideas and passions into a single successful business? Find out more at www.UniqueGenius.com.
What Was Your Favorite Part Of The Interview?
Please leave a comment!
Have you caught the Unique Genius videos? (You can see the full overview at www.UniqueGenius.com).
Now Unique Genius is your purpose, translated into a successful, exciting business. So this free series of videos teaches you two mainly about the two most important starting points:
1. How to discover your purpose (or mission), and answer the question “What do I want to do with my life?”
2. Learn how to turn all your ideas, interests and passions into a single successful business.
Some comments include:
- “I watched the video this morning and got totally inspired. I have a fire lit under my ass!”
- “Aaron!!! THIS IS MAGNIFICENT and BRILLIANT. I love the video. It’s very authentic and genuine. I can’t wait to share it to my network. Keep lighting those fires!!”
- “One of the best videos and communication of both the problem, aspirations, and the steps toward making things happen”
In the video, learn:
- How to start a business that can’t fail
- 16 myths of what it takes to start a successful business
- 6 common mistakes people make in turning this purpose into (lots of) income
- A Unique Genius exercise
- Lessons from some PAINFUL life & business mistakes I’ve made, and how you can learn from & apply them yourself
The video’s based on what I’ve learned from starting two kinds of businesses:
1) A conventional start-up: Spending $5 Million & working full-time for two years
2) A Unique Genius business: Spending $20-$100 and working part-time (4 hours a week) for two years
Forgetting fulfillment, freedom & happiness for a moment, which type do you think made more money?
This will be controversial to many of you because it’s so counter to what you’ve been taught by conventional experts.
(Forget market research & business plans? Enjoyment? Babysteps? Patience?!?)
I’d love to hear your questions & “skepticisms” (yes, I’m allowed to create words!) in the comments section of the video.
Register here to watch Unique Genius Video #2:
The Unique Genius Superheroes Interview Series is about ordinary people who have discovered their purpose and turned it into a successful business.
Let me just say, this interview was awesome. Even a client of mine said “the Brian Johnson interview was stupid good. I really liked the way he lives his life and enjoyed the interaction between the two of you. There is much in common. Thanks for making the time for this. Best, Eliot.” And thanks Eliot for suggesting I interview him!
By the way, even if you don’t listen to the interview, take this bit of advice to heart: when Brian was 24 and “a train wreck” (his words), all he could do was follow his “single little bit of bliss” (wanting to to coach little league baseball). That eventually led to the idea, growth and $13 million sale of his first company.
So what is your little bit of bliss, however small, that you’re not following because it’s not “practical”?
A little about Brian:
Brian lived for a year in Bali as part of figuring out what he wanted to do and coming up with PhilosophersNotes.com. Brian, like myself, comes from a technology-entrepreneurship background, but left it behind to start a Unique Genius business.
In his first venture, as a 24-year-old law-school-dropout-turned-CEO, Brian led the creation of eteamz – the world’s largest amateur sports site that was sold for over $13 million of stock and cash to The Active Network, Inc. in 2000 (and it still profitably serves more than 3 million team players in 120 countries around the world). So the guy knows some stuff 🙂
Also, Brian will be a guest expert trainer in my upcoming Discover Your Unique Genius program. When you listen to the interview, you’ll understand why I invited him to participate.
Things we discussed:
- How Brian dropped out of law school at age 24, terrified & “a train wreck”… and then by following his “single little bit of bliss” (wanting to to coach little league baseball) led to the idea, growth and $13 million sale of his first company.
- Why Brian feels that raising money from investors – which he’s done twice, almost $10 million worth – is overrated (and why I agree!)
- Why taking a 10-day silent vipassana meditation course, and starting to meditate, was one of the most significant things Brian’s ever done for himself (although it almost drove him crazy).
- Brian’s two main sources of stress, and how he manages them.
- What kind of environment and activities lead to the idea and vision of PhilosophersNotes.com
- What led Brian to realize that “he’s just not that into business” and what he REALLY cares about.
And so…
Listen To Or Download The Interview
Want to download the interview?
Click here to download…
More About Brian Johnson & Philosophers Notes
Books & Sites Mentioned That We Both Recommend
- John Wooden & Steve Jamison’s “Wooden” (one of the best – if not the best – management books I’ve ever read)
- Gay Hendricks’ “The Big Leap”
- Tim Ferriss’ The 4 Hour Workweek
- Deepak Chopra’s The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success
- David Daeda’s The Way of the Superior Man
- Vipassana Meditation: www.Dhamma.org, and my post about my 10-day Vipassana meditation retreat: “A lifetime focus & happiness enhancer: Vipassana meditation”
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About Unique Genius
Want to learn how to discover your purpose and answer the question “what do I want to do with my life?” And learn how to combine all your interests, ideas and passions into a single successful business? Find out more at www.UniqueGenius.com.
What Was Your Favorite Part Of The Interview?
Please leave a comment!
A Machu Picchu Unique Genius Superhero Interview: Jodi Nelson Of Play It Forward Adventures
July 16th, 2010
Look, if you’re going to do a video interview, it’s pretty hard to beat doing one at the top of Macchu Picchu. Jodi Nelson started an amazing Unique Genius business called “Play It Forward Adventures“, integrating adventure travel with service work. She’s truly mashing her passions!
We talk about what she was doing before she started it, how she began, where the ideas came from, how her coach made a big difference, and what’s going on this year for her (her 4th year)…
The trip was awesome – we spent:
- A couple of days in Lima & Cusco,
- About three days volunteering in a local village school (building tables and chairs, planting trees, playing with kids),
- Three days trekking in the Andes, and
- A day in Machu Picchu.
The people on the trip were fantastic! It was just awesome all around 🙂
A Kickass Video of the Trip
Pictures of the Peru & Machu Picchu Trip on Facebook
If that link doesn’t work, you can also just look them up on my Facebook profile www.Facebook.com/MotoCEO
Want Your Own Adventure?
- Jodi’s Play It Forward Adventures site
- The Unique Genius “Your Call To Adventure” retreat
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How Would You Combine Your Passions Into A Business?
Leave a comment and let me know!
Your Career Will Not Make You Financially Free
July 8th, 2010
Forget for a minute the idea of figuring out and creating incredibly fulfilling work you enjoy.
Let’s say you’re in a career that you may or may not like, but either way you have to make some money to pay the bills. Let’s say the thought of actually enjoying work is probably more along the lines of “once I have enough money, then I’ll figure out what I want to do with my life and I’ll do what I want.”
Do you think the career track will create financial freedom for you? How free is your boss, or theirs? How many people do you know that have achieved financial independence by working for other people?
Even the Silicon Valley equity and stock options system is, except for the founders, more of a white-collar lottery than an actual path to financial freedom.
You will never achieve financial independence through working for others – you must start your own business.
At some point you’re going to have to start your own business. Just having your own business isn’t some golden ticket to wealth, but it’s a hell of a lot more likely you’ll get there than by clocking a job. I’m not saying you should quit your job – you need the income! But at least make a plan to start your own business.
If starting a business feels like a “big leap” or a big risk – it doesn’t have to be. So many people still believe it takes a lot of time (per week) and money and energy to start a successful business…
…but what if it doesn’t?
What if you could start your own business without much money or time per week on it, in which competition didn’t matter, and you felt fulfilled by the work?
What if there is a way to discover your purpose and answer the question “What do I want to do with my life?”
And a way to combine all your ideas, interests and passions into a single successful business?
Upcoming Unique Genius Education & Training
My purpose is to help more and more people ‘make money through enjoyment’ by discovering your purpose and turning it into a successful business. Part of this includes democratizing entrepreneurship, to make it easier and more practical for anyone to start a business with confidence.
I have some complimentary training videos (part of a prelude to a full Unique Genius course) coming in about a week to get you started on envisioning how this is possible.
The videos and course are for you even if you don’t have extra time because of a current job or family. Being busy can make it that much harder to figure out what you want to do with your life or work, and then stay on track. So I’m designing the content into bite-sized chunks that you can study and apply at your own pace.
You’ll want to study the videos, if…
- You know that you are ‘meant for more’: to make more money, to make more of a difference in the world, and to have more fulfillment and enjoyment in work.
- You want to be able to work on what you want, when you want, from where you want and with whom you want.
- You want to align your interests, passions and values with your work, and become MORE successful because of it! You don’t have to make less money doing what you love.
I’m looking forward to getting these videos done and sharing them!
Unique Genius Superhero Interview: Yanik Silver, Founder Maverick Business Adventures
July 5th, 2010
The Unique Genius Superheroes Interview Series is about ordinary people who have created businesses they love around their purpose. They’ve found ways to combine enjoyment, money and meaning in their work.
I met Yanik Silver about two years ago, through Tim Ferriss, and immediately hit it off with him. Yanik’s purpose is to help himself and others “make more money, have more fun, give more back”.
Yanik single-handedly also catalyzed the shift of PebbleStorm from a blog into a business, by hosting me in a webinar with his audience back in March 2009 (Post about it: “Thanks for making the world more of a place I want to live“).
So – more about Yanik: he’s a serial internet entrepreneur – although he still considers himself a ‘techno dunce’. Starting from his one-bedroom apartment and with just a few hundred dollars, Yanik has built multiple 7-figure businesses.
Yanik most recently founded “Maverick Business Adventures”, which combines his love of business, adventure and awesome enterpreneurs.
Currently, Yanik’s most important missions are to help 1,000,000 young entrepreneurs (ages 13-23) to start or grow their own businesses by 2020 and to get his 2½ year old daughter, Zoe, potty trained.
Here are some of the topics we covered…
- How he started his first business part-time (while working in medical sales), and turned it into a $8,000-$10,000 per month business before jumping ship to work full time on it
- The 2×2 matrix he uses to plan moving into new markets or building new products
- How Yanik’s money motivation shifted with success (away from Rolex watches and cars)
- The two things that REALLY matter in life
- How he manages his time with multiple businesses and a family
And more, of course! This interview was longer than usual, because we had such a good time and covered so many interesting areas 🙂
Listen To Or Download The Interview
Want to download the interview?
Click here to download…
More about Yanik Silver
Some of his blog posts that I highly recommend starting with or that we mentioned in the interview:
- 5 Unusual Ways To Motivate Yourself“
- GREAT example of laying out a company’s values and vision: “2012: A Maverick Space Odyssey, Painted Picture and Lessons Learned” blog post
- Example of PDA (“Public Display of Action”) Yanik used to get himself to launch a new company: “Maverick Business Adventures – A Startup Journal“
- About money and motivation: “Do Your Wants Create Your Ultimate Success?” – you can see the early influence of my PebbleStorm diagrams 🙂
What of these resonated with you? Let me know!
About Unique Genius
There’s a process to discovering your purpose and turning it into a business you love. Find out the latest at www.UniqueGenius.com.
What Was Your Favorite Part Of The Interview?
Please leave a comment!
Ali Berlin Interviews Aaron Ross On Unique Genius
June 15th, 2010
I’ve been doing a whole series of Unique Genius Superhero Interviews (including some new ones coming in the next several weeks of people like Yanik Silver, George Kao, Clay Collins & Amy Applebaum), but now it was my turn to be interviewed, this time by Ali Berlin.
Ali Berlin (a life coach in San Francisco with a Saturday morning radio show) interviewed me recently about topics like:
- Why I started PebbleStorm
- Where the inspiration came from
- How and why I broke away from the corporate world
- the inspiration for Unique Genius,
- tips and advice on finding your own Unique Genius (even if you have a full-time job and family and have little free time and energy)
The interview is a great first introduction to my own story and what PebbleStorm and Unique Genius is all about…including some practical tips 🙂
Listen To Or Download The Audio Interview
Ali Berlin’s Original Post
On AliBerlin.com: “Make Money Through Enjoyment with Aaron Ross”
Have More Questions For Me?
Leave a comment and I’ll answer them!
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A “PebbleStorm World” Painting
June 1st, 2010
What’s it like to be in the PebbleStorm community? What’s my ‘perfect world’ vision? Here’s how I’ve painted & sketched it…
I did the above painting while at a cool walk-in painting studio in Santa Monica called PaintLab, at an event my friend Elliot Lemberger put together.
Sketched Version
More PebbleStorm Art
You can see that many of the individual components of the painting (like the rainbow, treasure chest, tree, sun…) started as individual sketches. You can see ’em in the “Art Of PebbleStorm/CEOFlow” past blog post.
What’s Your Dream World/Work/Life?
Your dream work gets more real the more specific you describe it to yourself and others, and the more you declare it to the world. You can do this through writing, drawing, video or any other number of ways.
Here’s my original “Small Pebble, Big Wave” Self-Manifesto that remapped my mind and was the beginning of the vision for PebbleStorm. I did it before the sketches started coming to me.
Want to make your vision more concrete? Leave a comment below about 1-3 things that describe your dream business (or life)…declare it to yourself, me and the world!