Tag Archives: do what you love

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14 Questions to Create Your Best Life

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Man-Thinking

Are you at a point in your life where something needs to change? Do you feel stuck, maybe even trapped? Are you just drifting through life doing all the things you’re “supposed” to do, but not going after the things you really want to do? Deep down do you feel like you were meant for something more than this? Are you frustrated that you don’t know how to have your breakthrough?

What if I told you the way to start is to turn inward?

To find your purpose look in and up.

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I am very big on the idea of asking yourself empowering questions. (It’s a big part of how I coach my clients to create the goals and plans they use to create extraordinary lives.) We ask ourselves questions all the time. For good and bad, our brains come up with answers no matter what we ask.

Have you ever asked yourself these questions?

How could I be so stupid?! (You aren’t, but your brain will come up with an answer.)

Why does this always happen to me?! (It doesn’t, but your brain will assume it does and come up with reasons why.)

Why do I constantly fail? (Of course you don’t fail constantly, but your brain will rationalize that for you, too.)

More men fail through lack of purpose than lack of talent.-Billy Sunday

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Those types of questions won’t help you get where you want to go. They beat you down and waste your time. They can even become self fulfilling prophecies. Remember what Henry Ford said, “If you think you can or you can’t, you’re right.”

Let’s ask questions that encourage you, lift you up, get you excited, and lead to the results you want. But first we have to get clear on a few things.

Why do you want to change your life?

Because I’m not happy, Greg. Jeez!

Hey, I get that things aren’t where you want them to be. I’m not trying to get down on you, I’m just trying to help you get clear on why you must change. That will keep you going when the journey gets tough.

It all starts with your why – your purpose. Then we can get to what you really want and the obstacles holding you back from starting to get it.

Get 100% clear on your why and your what. Then, your how will appear. –Greg Knapp

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During a recent coaching session I asked my client, “Why do you want to change your life?”

He said he’d have to think about it for a minute. He already knew down deep, but I don’t think he’d ever taken the time to articulate it and bring it to his conscious mind.

After a few moments he said, “Greg, I’m tired of just going through the motions. I’m not sure if I know my purpose. I think if I can figure that out, it will help me make the changes to make my life better.”

That was a start. I then followed up with, “What do you mean by better?”

He replied that he wanted to earn an income to provide for his family so they could live in a better neighborhood with better schools and they would have everything they need.

“Beyond that, Greg, I feel stuck. I don’t know where I’m going next. I don’t feel needed where I work, and my self-confidence is low. I want to find purpose in my life and work so I can love what I do and take care of my family.”

Now, we were getting somewhere. From there I asked him how that would change his life emotionally, relationally, financially and more.

Purpose + Passion = Joy!

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Do you want to be more excited about your career, your spouse, your relationships, your family, and your spiritual development?

Do you want freedom to control your own time, career, vacation, and life? Freedom to travel the world with the people you love?

Do you want to generate abundant amounts of income so you can do everything you’ve ever dreamed of, take care of your family, and give to help others?

How would that make you feel?

Why must you change your life?

Once you’ve figured that out, you can move on to what you want and how to start doing it.

Great minds have purposes, others have wishes. –Washington Irving

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Action steps:

Ask yourself some empowering questions:

  1. What’s your why? (the reason you’re willing to do the work to change your life)
  2. What’s your gift? (talents, skills, abilities to do certain things easier and better than others can)
  3. What’s your purpose? (the reason, or reasons you were put on the planet)
  4. What are you doing when you feel great?
  5. What type of work are you doing when you feel like you’re in the zone or in flow?
  6. What things have you done that you’re passionate about and that bring you joy?
  7. What things have you done that you felt brought meaning to your life?
  8. What are you good, or even great at? (Or what could you become great at?)
  9. What would your dream job entail?
  10. What would a terrific relationship with your spouse look like?
  11. Why do you want to have to change?
  12. What would be bad about staying exactly the way you are?
  13. What would be great if you changed?
  14. What would make the changes worth all the time and effort it’s going to take?

Get your journal out today and answer these questions. Get quiet and still and think deeply. Surface living isn’t getting you what you want. You need to go down deep into yourself to pull out your “why.”

Take at least 30 minutes to answer these questions and write them down.

Magic happens when we write our thoughts down. They become more real.

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Magic happens when we write our thoughts down. They become real in a different way than when they are only in our heads.

Make this as real and emotional as you can.

It’s your life and it won’t become what you want by accident.

Let’s GO!

I want to give as many people as possible my free eBook, 5 Steps to Finding Your Purpose. Please forward this to a friend who needs it. If they click here, they can get the free eBook.

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You Can Supercharge Your Life – Without the Energy Drinks

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energy-drinks

We all want to be energized and fired up to take on the day. So much so, that we may turn to coffee for a pick me up. For some, that’s not enough. Bring on the energy drinks!

But haven’t you had days when you felt invigorated without having to slam an espresso? What’s happening on those days?

I bet you’re doing something you’re passionate about and that you love.

One person with passion is better than forty people merely interested-EM Forster

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When I was a kid it was really hard to get out of bed to go to school every day. I hit the snooze bar several times, fell back asleep, moaned and groaned, and finally, begrudgingly got up.

But at the age of ten I joined a bowling league. (Yes, I was one of those kids.) The league was every Saturday at 9am. I had to get up at the same time I got up for school in order to be at the bowling alley on time. And here’s the strange thing. Even though I stayed up later on Friday nights than I did on school nights, I never hit the snooze bar on Saturday mornings. Most of the time I didn’t even need my alarm. I would happily pop out of bed and get ready to go bowling.

I didn’t wake up tired, I woke up inspired.

What made the difference in my wake up attitude? I loved bowling. I looked forward to it. (Maybe my mom should have taken me to a counselor. Hey, what’s wrong with bowling?) My best friend was on my team and I didn’t want to let him down. I was excited to get up early and go bowling.

I didn’t hate school. I liked some of my classes and I enjoyed seeing my friends. But the school structure did not excite me and most of my classes bored the mess out of me. It was tough to get excited about.

As an adult, I’ve noticed the same phenomenon.

While I’m giving a presentation to a few hundred people or hosting a radio show, or playing a gig with my guitar I don’t feel tired. I feel supercharged. I’m hyped. (Even when my radio show was four hours long every week day, it didn’t wear me out. It actually took me a while to calm down once I was off the air.)

I’m passionate about those things and I love doing them.

Working on what you’re passionate about energizes you. Working on what you hate drains you.

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When’s the last time this has happened to you? Isn’t it amazing that you can work harder and longer doing what you love – and still feel more energized and satisfied – than working shorter hours doing something you hate?

Yes, we all have to do things we don’t want to do. But, how often?

Is there a way you could do more of what you’re passionate about and less of what drains your energy? Wouldn’t that be awesome? Wouldn’t that help you and everyone who comes in contact with you?

Sure, Greg, and then I’ll ride a unicorn over a rainbow into a pot of gold.

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I know it sounds impossible, but what if? How about this for a start?

1) Figure out what you love and what you don’t. Make a list of everything you do each day, for a week. Highlight all the activities you enjoy in green. Highlight all the activities you don’t enjoy in red.

Which type of activities are you spending most of your time on? If they aren’t the green ones, look out.

2) Now start looking for ways to minimize the red and maximize the green. Are there people who like what you dislike? Could you delegate to them? Could you group the things you dislike and do most of them once a week? Could you talk to your boss about where you do your best and see if that could be where you focus your time? Remember, it will help the company bottom line, too.

3) If none of that works, do you need to change jobs or careers to do more of what you’re passionate about?

4) Is there a way you can reframe the work you have to do that doesn’t energize you? Can you see the purpose of your work and how it helps others? For example, if you’re an insurance salesman instead of seeing your job as “selling insurance,” could you see it as helping people find the best way to keep themselves and their families healthy and financially protected?

5) Do this exercise with your personal life as well.

Life is too short to spend most of your week doing things that suck the life force out of you.

How does so much energy come from a passionate idea? Is one charging your life?

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The world needs your best work and that work is driven by your passions. Find them…and you can throw out the energy drinks.

I want to give as many people as possible my free eBook, 5 Steps to Finding Your Purpose. Please forward this to a friend who needs it. If they click here, they can get the free eBook.

Let’s GO!

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Your Money or Your Life – YES!

Why can't you have both?

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Did you hear about the depressed man who was mugged? A robber pulled a gun him and said, “Your money or your life!” The man hesitated so the thief said, “Didn’t you hear me? Your money or your life!” To which the depressed man replied, “I’m thinking it over!”

Regardless of the amount of money you make (or how depressed you are), your money is not worth more than your life.

You’re worth more than your net worth.

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Still, it doesn’t stink to have money, does it? Why can’t we have more money and more life? Why does it have to be one or the other?

It doesn’t.

I’ve been poor enough that my wife called me crying because she got a parking ticket. She wasn’t sure how we were going to pay it.

I’ve been rich enough to give money to a friend who needed a lawyer, provide meals to families going through hard times and to go on life-changing trips with my family.

Big insight coming…Being richer is better! You’re welcome.

I want to give as many people as possible my free eBook, 5 Steps to Finding Your Purpose. Please forward this to a friend who needs it. If they click here, they can get the free eBook.

Some people’s beliefs about money keep them from earning more. They think:

Limiting belief about money #1) Money is the root of all evil.

Sorry, the Bible says “the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil” and it’s talking about making money your idol.

So don’t do that.

Money is a terrible master but an excellent servant. –P.T. Barnum

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Limiting belief about money #2) Only greedy people who exploit and cheat others make a lot of money.

Did Steve Jobs or Bill Gates do that to get rich? Did Michael Jordan do that to earn his money?  The vast majority of high income earners serve their way to tremendous wealth.

Zig Ziglar had it right when he said, “You can get everything you want in this world if you just help enough other people get what they want.” 

The only way to become truly successful is to serve your way to success. You create quality products or services that people want and they will line up and happily give you their hard earned money. If you try to exploit them, you won’t last long and you won’t become successful.

“It’s not the employer who pays the wages. Employers only handle the money. It’s the customer who pays the wages.”
–Henry Ford

Limiting belief about money #3) If I get rich it will change me.

Money simply makes you more of what you are. If you’re a nice person, money lets you be nicer. Imagine how much you can help people, families and charities with more money.

If you’re a jerk, you might become an even bigger jerk.

So don’t do that.

Limiting belief about money #4) I will have to become a workaholic and ignore my family to make a lot of money.

Some people take that route. It goes to point number one about keeping the love of money in perspective. If you don’t, you’re truly giving up your life for money.

Some people want it so bad it becomes the focus of their lives. They plan out their major in college based on what has the highest earning potential. They go for the job with the best pay. They put in long hours to get the promotion. They put in even more hours to become partner. They are earning a great paycheck and then they realize they’re miserable, divorced and they don’t even know their kids.

So don’t do that.

Is there another way? Yes!

Making money at something you love makes you rich and filled with joy. You don’t have to work at the exclusion of play and family time.

Action steps:

  • Find your Passionate Purpose
  • Create your goals – including monetary goals
  • Develop your plan to get there
  • Take actions on your plan every day
  • Pursue other passions that bring you and your family happiness

You might be surprised how much you end up making and how much you’re helping others while doing it.

“What we really want to do is what we are really meant to do. When we do what we are meant to do, money comes to us, doors open for us, we feel useful, and the work we do feels like play to us.”
–Julia Cameron

 Let’s GO!

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Do What You Love and You’ll Never Work Another Day In Your Life Is A Lie

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I’m sure you’ve heard the Confucius quote: “Do what you love and you’ll never work another day in your life.”

Well, that’s a bunch of hooey!

Greg, language! I thought this was a family-friendly website. And, I’m a little surprised. Aren’t you always telling us to follow our Passionate Purpose and do work we love?

Yes, and I stick by that. I’m an optimist. I’m a glass is half-full guy (preferably with Boulevard Wheat beer). It’s a lot better to work at something you love than to work at something you hate. It’s a great idea to follow your Passionate Purpose in your career.

Doing what you love is still work, but it’s a lot more fun than doing what you hate.

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But, I’m also a realist. No matter how much you love your work, it’s still work. There is something in every job that’s a pain. I don’t want people to give up on something because it still feels like work, 0r they don’t like some parts of what they’re doing.

Here’s what I mean. Let’s say you love playing guitar and singing. Your dream job would be the lead singer in a rock band. Then, imagine you get the gig. Awesome! You never work another day in your life, right? Not exactly.

You need to write songs, rehearse, play small gigs, record an album, rehearse some more, promote the album, go on tour, deal with other band members…

Even if your band becomes a huge success do you think you’d never get tired of the travel and time away from family and friends? Think you’d ever get tired of playing the same songs night after night? Think someone in the band might really start to get on your nerves? Have you ever watched, VH1 Behind the Music? Come on!

“Nothing is as important as passion. No matter what you want to do with your life, be passionate.”
– Jon Bon Jovi

I bet LeBron James gets tired of working out and going to practice sometimes, even though he loves playing basketball.

The point is that no matter how much you love something, work is still work. There are good points and bad points to any job.

We need to understand that going in, instead of having this idea that our life will be nothing but rainbows and puppy dogs once we start doing what we love.

Uh, Greg, what if I don’t like puppy dogs?

Dude, I can’t help someone who doesn’t like puppy dogs.

What I advocate is finding your purpose – how you want to make a difference in this world, and your passion – what you love to do, and matching that up with what you’re good at. Then work on ways to serve people and make money doing that.

Then keep working on it and become world class at it. You’ll still have to work, but the work will be a lot more fun.

In Grit, by Angela Duckworth, she says you need four things to stick with your high order, long-term goals. The first one relates to what we’re talking about.

Interest – Without interest in something, you won’t stay with it for the long haul. And it won’t be something you’re passionate about and learn to love.

Passion begins with enjoying what you do. That’s where we start. If you’re not sure, get my free eBook, 5 Steps to Finding Your Purpose. It will walk you through a series of questions that will help you come up with some ideas.

Then you need to pick the one that resonates the most with you and feed that interest. Take action on it. Try things that are related to it. Keep sparking it and see if your interest turns into a passion. If it doesn’t, try another one of your possible passions. Feed that one and see what grows. Keep doing this until you find the one that hits home with you.

A lot of people think there will be some Aha! moment when the Red Sea parts, or they’re struck by lightning, or a booming voice from the heavens says, THIS IS YOUR PASSIONATE PURPOSE. DO THIS FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. This happens for an extremely tiny number of people. The rest of us have to try on a bunch of our different interests and grow our passion. But that doesn’t make it any less real, important, or life changing.

When you’ve grown into your passion, when you know this is what you were meant to do, and you love what you’re doing, your golden, right? Now you’ll never work another day in your life.

WRONG!

What have we been talking about? No matter how much you love your job, it’s still work. Everyone has parts of their job they don’t like. But because you’re doing something you love, you’re enjoying most of the work. You’re enjoying the process of achieving your goals. You know you’re doing something that has meaning and significance and makes a difference. You’re still tired after a hard day of work, but it’s the good kind of tired.

Passion + Purpose = Joyful Work

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It sure beats doing something you don’t care about, or something you hate. It’s not too late for you to find it and start doing it. Remember, you can start small, try it out, and grow into it. Who knows, it might become your Passionate Purpose and your new career. It might lead to you helping more people than you ever have before. And that might lead to you making more money than you ever have before. That would be a cool bonus wouldn’t it?

It might even help the guy who doesn’t like puppy dogs.

Let’s GO!

I now offer one to one coaching and an online coaching program for various budgets. Click here for more details.

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How Do I Make Money at What I Love?

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“Greg, I have a couple ideas on what I love to do, but no clue how to make money doing them.”

I hear you. I have 7 tips on how to get started doing that, but first you need to hear this story.

I know a guy who is a self-described geek. He also has a Passionate Purpose to be an actor. He worked at it for a long time with limited success.

One of the things he loves is Star Wars. One night at the comedy club, he decided to do a bit on the original Star Wars movie. It was a hit. He then expanded it to a one-man show of the original trilogy of Star Wars. He is every character, sound effect and musical instrument in the production. He added in humor and he ad-libs a bit with the audience for good measure.

He has been touring the world to sold out crowds with this show for 15 years! I just saw him at Starlight in Kansas City in front of several hundred people with ticket prices between $25 and $50. I think he’s doing ok financially.

Click here for an example of this crazy show by Charles Ross.

Here’s a photo of my family right before we saw the show. (We’re the ones not in costume.)

knapps at Star Wars

If a geek made a career off his Star Wars love, why can’t u make $ doing what u love?

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Remember, most of us don’t have just one thing we love. This doesn’t have to be a search for that. That’s a lot of pressure to find the “perfect job.”

Even people doing what they love still don’t love every part of the job. That’s ok.

Here are some tips:

  1. Get clear on a couple things you love to do and why you love to do them. Write it down. Then write down the question, what can I do with my unique talents in these areas to serve others? Read what you want, why you want it and your question about how to serve every morning, noon and night. Unleash the power of your conscious and subconscious minds to start coming up with ideas.
  2. Another way: Look at all the things you love and match them up with your skills.
  3. Become world class at what you really love. As Steve Martin said, “Be so good they can’t ignore you.” When you get to that level, you have skills and abilities that almost no one else has. That will open all kinds of doors towards earning money.
  4. Do an Internet search on “careers/jobs/opportunities/positions in _______”
  5. Keep doing a job you like, and work on what you love in your spare time. Perhaps it can become your new career or a supplement to your income.
  6. Find someone who is already doing what you want to do. Take them to lunch and get all your questions answered. Try to find a way you can help them. Ask what you can do to repay them for their time and information. Perhaps they will become your mentor.
  7. Use your knowledge of what you love to create and sell a product or service online. For example, create a “how to” online course with a skill you’re particularly good at.

Life is too short to do something you hate 40-60 hours a week.

Don’t believe the people who tell you to give up looking for what you love and just do something that pays the bills the rest of your life.

Yuck!

Questions for comments: What things that you love to do are you having trouble figuring out a way to monetize? I’d like to help you come up with some ideas.