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22 Jul

Posted at 22:42h in All Topics, Announcements, Ask the Reader, Communication & Rapport, Entrepreneurship by

"Hang around people who do big things, and big things you will do." - Unknown The 3-Day Comment Contest Starts Now: Win a Lifetime Scholarship to How to Connect with Anyone  It's time for some fun! Next Tuesday morning July 29th at 9am PST is the opening of our fifth class of How...

10 Aug

Posted at 04:00h in All Topics, Career & Purpose, Emotions & Happiness by

reach potential

"There are powers inside of you which, if you could discover and use, would make of you everything you ever dreamed or imagined  you could become."

- Orison Swett Marsden

As it turns out, Living Your Legend is synonymous with Living Your Potential. That's why we're all here. So let's start with a question:

Are you reaching your full potential?

It's a question that haunts all of us from time to time. A question that casuses people to dream and act big, but also a question that forces people to do some of the most foolish things. A reader recently came to me with this very problem. She didn't feel like she was using everything she had. She genuinely enjoys what she's doing and is damn good at it but feels like something is missing. Like she doesn't use her brain as much as she'd like (as she put it). She mentioned going back to medical school or nursing school - something that had been on her mind since university. She was starting to think a few years of school was the only way to solve the problem. This got me thinking...

Potential is nothing more than a feeling.

Realize that there are a million and one ways to experience it. It's simply a feeling of adequacy and fulfillment with what you're doing. That you're using all the gifts and talents you have. Something only you can be the judge of. Sure we often let others help us decide whether we feel fulfilled but at the end of the day it's bull sh*t. It doesn't matter if the world puts some certified genius on a pedestal for being a surgeon if the person knows deep down that they are only using half their brilliance. Staying in your current role or traveling the typical path may keep others happy, but will it keep you happy? It's doubtful. Sooner or later that feeling will get the best of you. The later you catch it, the harder it is to correct. The good news is you can live your potential in just about anything you do.

03 Aug

Posted at 08:08h in All Topics, Career & Purpose by

Change the world

"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect."

-Mark Twain

Welcome new readers! The last week since the launch of Live Your Legend has been nothing short of insane and legendary in every way. We have over 2,300 new members who joined our cause in the last few days alone. Welcome to the community! Thanks to everyone who's decided to be a part of what we're building. You make this what it is! Also if you're reading this in email or RSS form and haven't seen the new Live Your Legend site, please click here and check it out. ******

Now let's get into today's action:

In case you haven't noticed yet, I believe in taking the road less traveled. I believe it will always make all the difference. It certainly has so far... Last week we heard from 57 Living Legends who were spending their time putting their unique dent in the world. But how did they get there? What do they do differently than the rest of the world? Their stories blew my mind but the habits and beliefs that got them there are where the real magic is. In a word they simply do things differently. Over nearly the past decade, I've made a deep study of the tenets that guide their actions. Those same beliefs now guide all of mine. Over the coming months we will examine, test and experience them in deep detail. For now let's start with the road map. If we are going to change the world by doing work we love, then the below are requirements. I call them a way of life. These are our guiding principles - an Operating Manifesto of sorts. They make up the foundation of Live Your Legend. They're the beliefs that guide every Living Legend I've met. Make them your own and watch what happens. Note: This is meant to be a reference piece going forward. With almost every habit below I've included links to an article or two I've written on the subject. I hope you'll spend some serious time with this. I want you to fully understand our foundation for why we do what we do here. Enjoy.

30 Jul

Posted at 10:29h in All Topics, Career & Purpose, Emotions & Happiness, Health & Energy!, Love & Relationships by

Get the Life You Love

"Be the change you want to see in the world."

-Mahatma Gandhi

Written by: Scott Dinsmore

Average Read Time: 6 minutes

Editor's Note: This is a book review for Arvind Devalia's book Get the Life You Love and Live It

We all have dreams. Maybe get that perfect job. Start that business. Meet the right person. Lose 20 pounds. Find your purpose. Whatever your own vision of success is, the only thing that usually stands between your dreams and reality is action. It starts with that first single step to climb a mountain. Why then is it so hard to begin? We get so used to just one way of doing things that getting ourselves to take that first key step requires some massive effort. It isn't enough to know the end result. We need to fill in the steps in between. Just as it's difficult to drive somewhere without directions, it's even more important that you have a map to your success. Arvind Devalia provides just that in his book "Get the Life You Love".

21 Jul

Posted at 23:29h in All Topics, Career & Purpose, Emotions & Happiness, Health & Energy! by

Attempt the Impossible

"So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable."

f

-Christopher Reeve

Written by: Scott Dinsmore

Average Reading Time: 5.5 minutes

Three weeks ago I thought that running a barefoot 50k Ultra Marathon at 7500 ft. of elevation would be impossible. So did a few others. Three days ago I found out it wasn't. In just a sliver under 8 hours and 24 minutes, after over 31 miles, I wobbled across the finish line of the Tahoe Rim Trail, barefoot-style (In my Vibram's). Up until Saturday I'd never run over 15 miles, let alone a marathon, especially at elevation. I heard all kinds of objections (both from myself and others). But you haven't even run a marathon. Those barefoot things you call shoes will never give you the support you need. That elevation gain is too much for a first long run. And on it went. So why did I decide to give it a shot? Because it seemed impossible.

10 Jun

Posted at 11:46h in All Topics, Career & Purpose, Communication & Rapport, Emotions & Happiness, Love & Relationships by

Average Reading Time: 9 minutes

Have you ever come across someone who knew exactly what they want out of life? Anything they say, they mean, and will quickly act on. They seem confident, eager, excited and downright passionate. You can just feel the energy. What impression did that put upon you? Chances are you were experiencing the power of congruency. Tony Robbins first brought this term to my attention in his Unleash the Power Within 4-day seminar as well as most of his CD's, talks and books. Tony is about as congruent as they come. But what does that mean? This was not the same math term I learned in high school and to be honest, it's a way of life that is difficult to define. The best way is to experience it. But let me give it a try. The general definition of congruence is: identical in form; in agreement or harmony. Now apply this to a life approach. Someone who lives with congruency acts in direct accordance with their dreams, desires, beliefs, values, mission and goals. They do not let the thoughts of others affect their approach to the world. They take their own unique path paved by their understanding of themselves.

03 Jun

Posted at 11:02h in All Topics, Communication & Rapport, Emotions & Happiness, Influence & Negotiating, Love & Relationships by
Written by: Scott Dinsmore

Average Reading Time: 7.5 minutes

What do you think a pickup artist could teach a salesman? I bet you'd be surprised. I know I was. Can you think of a more crucial and technical sale than convincing a man or woman to go out with you, spend their time and maybe even locking lips? That sale can take a lifetime to master. A couple years ago when starting my investment business, a respected mentor and salesman recommended only one book: The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists. I laughed until I realized he was serious. Then I bought the book. He promised the techniques for picking up women were just as relevant for business relationships (well most of them at least...). A little common sense and discretion is required. It turns out that these days the author, Neil Strauss, does one-day workshops on social dynamics and rapport building for the likes of premier global management consulting companies and he charges top dollar. These guys are the cream of the crop when it comes to consulting and we can be pretty sure he isn't teaching them how to get a date. Understanding how to interact in social situations is crucial and this was a pretty entertaining (and very real) way to learn a few things.

28 May

Posted at 17:58h in All Topics, Career & Purpose, Entrepreneurship by
Written by: Scott Dinsmore

Average Reading Time: 6 minutes

Who's a bit confused on how to get 140 characters working for you and your brand? My hand's up. At least it was until I finished up Shama's new book, The Zen of Social Media Marketing. I have been aggressively learning about social media marketing for the last few months and I was still having trouble connecting the dots. Shama got me excited to the point that I started making changes before I finished the first couple chapters. On top of that, Twitter finally is starting to make sense. And it actually is useful. And she more than fully covers the others as well: Facebook, LinkedIn, blogs and video. In fact my last couple articles got more Facebook and Twitter mentions than the previous ones combined. I love immediate results.