From Burnout to Best Seller: Ben Fanning Transformation Story + A Special Year-End Offer (ends 12/31 at midnight)!

23 Dec From Burnout to Best Seller: Ben Fanning Transformation Story + A Special Year-End Offer (ends 12/31 at midnight)!

Posted at 09:51h in Career & Purpose by

 

The most magnificent part about Live Your Legend is this community. No questions asked, the very best part about Live Your Legend is YOU! You inspire us to keep doing what we are doing because you constantly remind us of what is possible.

Thousands of students have graduated from our flagship Live Off Your Passion Guided-Discovery course, and as a result, we receive endless stories that are proof that you don’t have to settle, that you can spend your days doing what you love and make a living off of it! We have these stories from every age and stage of life and from all over the world.

And because of that, so many of us are now starting to see it as normal – that it’s actually doable, and even likely, to find and do work you love and make your difference in the world. We have proof from thousands of you, and that’s why we get so excited to share your amazing transformation stories, because YOU are the inspiring ones.

And this week’s story is an incredible example because all too often people think they need to ‘leave it all’ to find and do work they love. But that is simply NOT true.

The most important thing in finding and doing the work you love is being intentional with what you do and why you do it rather than just doing something because you are “supposed to” or for some status symbol or so you can “make it” because then you’ll be happy… which I think we all know is bullshit.

It’s about discovering who you are, what lights you up, and then doing what needs to be done to share that unique gift with the world. That can be going off and starting your own company but that might also mean staying exactly where you are and redefining the role you are in. Maybe you’re not ready to (or simply can’t!) give up your steady paycheck, 401k, or insurance. We totally get it!

But what if you didn’t have to leave it all? How much more likely would you be to take some sort of action if you knew you could actually love your work without even leaving your current situation? That you could actually live and love your days right where you are at this very moment? How amazing would that be?!

And that’s where Ben Fanning comes in, because he is proof that you can…  

Simply put, Ben Fanning went from a burnt out boardroom negotiator for a Fortune 500 company to becoming and Amazon best seller with The Quit Alternative, consultant, coach, speaker and trainer.  All this whilst still working for that same Fortune 500 company. And no longer does he dislike his job, in fact now he loves it!

It’s an incredible story considering that in the beginning Ben was too damned scared to even publish his writing under his own name. He invented a pen name to publish his writing! You see, he had been told time and time again that he wasn’t a writer and sadly, he fell into the trap of believing that.

But Ben loved writing and after a period of time he discovered that writing anonymously wasn’t going to work because he couldn’t share what he was creating with those people he cared about. So, one night he decided to do the one thing that seemed so huge at the time. He published an article on the LinkedIn page of the company he was working for. He didn’t sleep a wink that night worried what his colleagues were going to think of him, whether he would be ridiculed or worse yet, he would get fired. 

Of course none of those fears actually came true and in fact people started talking to him about his writing and shared that it was making a difference to them. It was the start that Ben needed to begin believing in himself and that living his passion was in fact possible.

That seemingly small action changed everything in Ben’s world and changed the entire trajectory of his life…

Fast forward 3 years and Ben is now writing at BenFanning.com helping thousands of people all around the world find more enjoyment in their work. Through his speaking, training, his book The Quit Alternative and his recently launched course The Quit Alternative Academy, Ben helps people discover innovative ways to find more enjoyment in their current job.  

He likes to call it having a “job renovation.”  With more than 80% of people not enjoying their work, we’d say he is most certainly making an impact in the world!

This week, Naz caught up with Ben where they dived into the story behind Ben’s incredible transformation. And at the bottom we’ve included a bulleted highlight reel.

As Scott liked to say, these aren’t just stories of transformation, these are stories of Superheroes. And the coolest part is, if it is possible for Ben, it is certainly possible for you.

Note: Unfortunately the recorder only caught one frame of the video (sometimes technology likes to play games!) but please don’t let that throw off the magic of Ben’s story. Enjoy!

Don’t see a video? Click here. 

Looking for Audio Only? Download here.

But seriously, how inspiring is that?!?! Work doesn’t even feel like work anymore for Ben because he discovered deeper sources of inspiration in his work place. That early morning wake up he once dreaded became something he now loves and can’t wait to get out of bed for each morning.

So what happened?

He took the next step… simple as that. He decided to move forward instead of stay stagnant. He wasn’t willing to settle for what was. He believed his life could be more, so he took action to discover what that looked like. 

Just like Alyssa did. Just like Matias did. And so many more of you who have transformed your ‘stories’ into successes.

Ben had a wake up call that caused him to reach his threshold; but he chose differently. He decided to take control of the things he could. He decided to do something to change himself. He enhanced his journey at work instead of succumbing to it.

But the thing is, you don’t have to wait until you reach your breaking point…

And that is why at the end of every year we have special offer to encourage you to finally draw a line in the sand and take a stand for doing work you love. To encourage you to BE the change you wish to see in the world instead of just sitting in the backseat. To encourage you to do what you love so you can make the impact that only you can make… and therefore encourage others to make the impact only they can make!

We love you, and we want nothing more than for you to get massive results in the year to come – just like so many others in our community already have!

SO IF YOU DECIDE TO JOIN LIVE OFF YOUR PASSION BEFORE JANUARY 1, 2016 (ENDING DEC 31ST AT MIDNIGHT PST), YOU WILL GET THREE SPECIAL THINGS FROM US:

  • A free access code to the StrengthsFinder 2.0 online assessment & comprehensive results report, which comes with a 20-page results breakdown on how to apply your natural strengths and talents in your current job, and what future jobs might embody those strengths. This test has been nothing short of priceless for us over the years and we’ve since bought it for hundreds of people. So we’ll buy you your own Strengths Finder access code.
  • A free digital copy of Ben’s book, The Quit Alternative: The Blueprint for Creating the Job You Love….Without Quitting, with 5 x digital bonuses. So you too can love instead of loathe your days.
  • A free 25min consultation with Ben. A more personalised experience for your own Job Renovation.

JOIN LIVE OFF YOUR PASSION NOW!

In fact, we’ve seen so many of our thousands of students find and do work they love as a result of the course, that we’ve recently changed our guarantee to further stand behind our results.

The “Do Work You Love” 100% Guarantee…

If you aren’t doing work you love within 90 days of applying what you learn, you get a full refund. We’ll even jump on the phone and coach you for free to be sure you get results.

Many of the stories we’ve heard this year were ones in which people didn’t have a clue what difference they wanted to make – even just a year ago. And every person had their own story – I’m too young, I am too old, I am too busy, etc., yet by taking that next small step – and then the one after that and the one after that – before they knew it, they had a bigger impact than they ever imagined. And the beautiful thing is that they are only just beginning…

So, as you go into the new year, it might be time to ask yourself… What change can you BE? What impact can you make? Can 2016 be the year your story becomes a success? Because there is no better time than now. And the world is waiting for YOU!

JOIN THE PARTY NOW!

Now here is Ben’s Highlight reel including even more information about his incredible transformation

Ben is on a mission to help people transform the jobs they have into their dream job. He believes that everyone has the human right to enjoy the work they are doing and that they can have a restored optimism in what is possible. Ultimately, he wants everyone to live happy, healthy joyful lives.

Ben is lit up when helping people see the world in a different way that’s more meaningful and gratifying.  He also loves Improv, tennis, traveling to new places, getting lost in conversation when meeting a new person, listening to old school bebop jazz on vinyl, the blues and of course, spending time with his wife and daughter.

Ben has been featured in Forbes, Business Insider, Paid to Exist, Yahoo! Business and Lifehack.

Life Before LYL

I was a stressed out boardroom negotiator for a Fortune 500 company and I had reached my brink.  I was burnt out and even my therapist had fired me. My day job was full of frustration and I felt hopeless.

  • I was living in the most expensive city in the world and had been working exceptional hard for that corner office.  But once I got there I was still unhappy.
  • I felt like a fake and I certainly wasn’t bringing my best to my everyday work.
  • I knew something had to change but didn’t know anyone pursuing their passions, and frankly, I wasn’t sure how to go about it.  By this time I had zero belief in myself and I had hit rock bottom.

Wake-up Call

The situation had become so dire that one night I woke in the middle of the night, sweating and with the weight of a bowling ball on my chest. I had a premonition previously of having a heart attack one day because of daily stress, my job and family history, but he’d never dreamed it would actually come true, especially not in my 30’s.

  • I took a trip to the ER, where luckily it was confirmed as a panic attack.  As a new father I knew this was the wake up call I needed. Things needed to change immediately or I was going to end up in a box.

Enter LYL…

When I discovered Live Your Legend I felt immediately like I suddenly had found someone who’d experienced what I did, had figured out a path, and could become a role model.

  • I immediately knew Live Your Legend’s approach could help hone my passion and align it with my strengths and values
  • I completed the Passionate Work Toolkit and Discover Your Why and graduated from Live Off Your Passion to set up my success
  • I stayed up late when How to Connect with Anyone was released because I knew it was going to be a game changer for me
  • I felt like one of my dreams came true when I met Scott and Chelsea in person at the World Domination Summit in 2013
  • I went on to develop authentic relationships with the likes of Pamela Slim and Chris Brogan as well as other Living Legends all around the world
  • I started hosting my own LYL Local in Charleston where I get to surround myself with other passionate people on a monthly basis

Bumps in the Road

I was afraid to put my writing out in into the world under my own name because I was afraid I’d be humiliated or fired, so I started blogging under a secret identity. It helped me:

  • Figure out how to follow my passion without quitting my job
  • Find encouragement and a pathway to creating something new
  • Learn and relearn that I couldn’t do it alone

I wasn’t very good at asking for help. I almost quit writing The Quit Alternative 3 times until I realized the power of asking others who are more talented than me in certain areas to help. My journey chugged along slowly until I began to collaborate with others. Now I am more than happy to seek assistance in areas that aren’t my strengths.

Legendary Wins

I knew I wanted to serve others, but what was the best way for me personally to do that? Live Off Your Passion helped me hone in on that and I started coaching inside of my organization, then speaking to groups, then coaching outside my organization, blogging under my own name, podcasting, writing a book, and more.

I released my book The Quit Alternative and became an Amazon Best Seller.

And through Live Off Your Passion, I connected with others doing things they were passionate about. I suddenly had people I could go to for help and also be supportive of them. This helped me keep going even on those days when I didn’t feel motivated.

  • I discovered that I could keep a good job, make it better, and be of service helping other people do the same
  • The weekly hit of resources through Live Your Legend, like Simon Sinek’s Start With Why TED Talk, how-to scripts for business, helped keep the momentum going
  • I found clarity and focus through the course and interactions
  • I was connected with other people following their passions

The LYL Advantage

LYL Local has made my day-to-day living in Charleston, SC so much more fun and inspiring. It’s so great to have community of like-minded people in my hometown who also want to make an impact and change the world.

The tools that helped me most were:

Transition Timeline

It took 3 years from wake-up until the side passion project took full form.

Living My Legend Today

Things are fun and exciting at work and my coaching business. I also feel a lot more confident, because my coaching, writing, and speaking come from deeper place of authenticity.

  • I kept my day job, but I made it more enjoyable by adding mentoring and coaching
  • Now I’m the CEO (Chief Engagement Officer) at BenFanning.com, helping people to renovate their day job
  • I spend my days helping people tame frustrating work situations
  • I use my time for blogging, podcasting, interviewing and celebrating the release of my book, The Quit Alternative.
  • I consistently watch people create jobs they love without quitting
  • I have spoken to universities and businesses… even the US Bureau of Counterterrorism

Ben’s advice for Living Your Legend Now

  • Get daily hits of inspiration via blogs, books or podcasts
  • Ask yourself and those around you first thing in the morning “What are you most looking forward to today?”
  • Take action now. Like right now. It doesn’t have to be anything massive, but you’ll be surprised where 365 small daily actions will take you.

Here’s pursuing your personal legend and making 2016 the most impactful year yet!

– The Live Your Legend Team

P.S. Ben would love for you to share, what is the very next action you are going to take to living your legend? What is your next simple step? Are you going to join the party by taking Live off Your Passion? Leave your action below! Additionally, Ben is happy to answer any and all questions you have.