A clear life purpose is crucial to happiness and living life to the fullest.  You must know where you are going to get there and you will only know where you are going when you know who you really are.

The trouble is that most of us have never taken the time to clarify in our minds who we are.  We have never committed ourselves specifically to any purpose.  We also often have entirely the wrong idea about what a life purpose looks like.

Let’s clarify the idea of what a life purpose is so we can define our own.  If you are skeptical about the need for defining your purpose, then I’d encourage you to read why I think a life purpose is so important.

The Wrong Idea About Life Purpose

Many people have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.  ~ Helen Keller

It is important that we know what a life purpose is NOT before we define one.  I used to think that a life purpose was a specific cause that I could devote my life to like saving the whales or feeding the poor or raising my kids.

These noble efforts are the products of a life purpose, but they are not the purpose itself.  A life purpose has to be something we can devote our entire lives to.

Technically, you could finish saving the whales and hopefully my kids will one day be self-sufficient adults.  But, you can’t complete a life purpose.  Your life purpose keeps you going and when one goal is met, it redirects you to another.

Trying to define my life purpose by a specific cause didn’t work because I could never focus on just one cause for very long.  Therefore, I felt like my life purpose was wishy-washy.  This feeling came about because I had the wrong view or definition of a life purpose.

Other people often think their life purpose is to just fulfill every want, desire and craving they experience hoping it will produce happiness.  Of course, this too is the wrong view of your life purpose because we are never satisfied.

The pursuit of our own happiness through self-gratification lacks significance.  We were meant to spend our lives in a worthwhile manner and we are always left feeling empty when we simply bow to our yearnings.

The Correct Way to Define Your Life Purpose

As Helen Keller points out in the quote above, true happiness is attained through fidelity to a worthy purpose.  Let’s examine this a little more closely.

Fidelity means devoting loyalty and attentiveness to something.  It also implies a sense of faithfulness.  Your life purpose needs to be broad enough to have longevity so you can commit to it over the long haul even as circumstances change.

Therefore, your purpose needs to be worthy of your fidelity.  Our commitment wanes when something is not worthy of our continued attention.  A purpose is worthy when it is based on honorable and admirable values.

As I mentioned in my earlier article, the strongest purposes are focused on developing positive character traits, pursuing spiritual growth and exhibiting moral courage.  These are themes that warrant our fidelity to a worthy purpose.

Okay, so how do you define a clear life purpose?  Well, here is what worked for me:

1.  Pick 3 or 4 values that really resonate with you.

Look over a list of values and pick out three or four that are the most important to you.  Take your time with this.  It is important that these values are things you feel truly passionate about.  I created my initial list and then mulled it over for a few days before I decided firmly on my four values.

2.  Unpack the words that you selected.

Take some time and write out what the three or four values you selected mean to you.  Discuss them with your mate or a close friend.  How do they feel to you?  They should feel inspiring.  They should ignite your imagination and motivate you.  If they do, then you have identified values worthy of your long-term fidelity.

2.  Use your selected values to formulate your life purpose.

A good life purpose is a simple statement that has strong meaning for you.  I think the simpler the better.  I prefer something like this sentence (insert your values):

I want to spend my life pursuing ___________, ____________ and _____________.

For example, I want to spend my life pursuing wisdom, patience and peace.  Of course, you can word it any way that you like, but for me this sentence really helped me clarify my life purpose.

Defining Your Life Purpose Is a Big Step in the Right Direction

It is more important to know where you are going than to get there quickly. Do not mistake activity for achievement.  ~ Mabel Newcomber

This is the easiest and best way I have found to define a clear and meaningful life purpose.  I love it’s simplicity.  I cannot over-emphasize the importance of having a clear life purpose that you reflect upon frequently.  It is the map that guides all your actions and that will lead you to a full and rewarding life!

What are your three or four most important values to pursue?

Photo by orangeacid

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You must have a clearly defined, written purpose if you want to live life to the fullest.  It is absolutely crucial.  You will never achieve the satisfaction and significance you desire without it.

Stick with me here!  I know this is tough.  I’ve struggled with my life purpose too.  But, once you get your purpose figured out, then it will make everything else start to fall into place.

I’m going to guide you through clarifying your life purpose and make it a lot easier for you.  Once you’re familiar with this method, you will wonder why it seemed so hard before.

What Is a Life Purpose?

Purpose is the reason for an action being done, an object existing or being made or used.
~ Wikipedia

First, let’s get a clear definition of what a life purpose is.  We can begin by looking at the definition above from Wikipedia on the meaning of the word “purpose”.

Based on this, we can begin to see that a life purpose is the reason we do what we do.  It is a statement that puts meaning behind our actions.

According to Gregory K. Popcak in The Exceptional Seven Percent, a good life purpose is the theme around which we build our life.  It is strongest when it is focused on developing positive character traits, pursuing spiritual growth and exhibiting moral courage.

A life purpose is a single sentence that sums up what we consider most important in life and serves as a compass to guide all our actions.

This may sound a little overwhelming, but it really isn’t as hard to come up with as you might imagine.

Three Practical Reasons a Clear Life Purpose Is So Important

You can probably get a sense of why a life purpose is so important just from the definition, but I think it is worth examining even closer.  It has very practical implications.

Here are the three reasons a clear life purpose is so important:

1.  Serves as a Foundation for Decisions and Actions

A clear life purpose gives you a foundation on which to decide how to act.  You can (and should) filter all your decisions through your purpose to determine whether your actions will conform to your values and priorities.

Your purpose becomes a map to guide your life.  Without it you are just meandering aimlessly along with no real direction.  Of course, you will arrive exactly where you are aiming.  This is the first reason that you should clearly define your life purpose.

2.  Provides Clarity and Focus to Your Life

Smart Living Rule 4 lays out the reasons that clarity and focus are so important.  Basically, your purpose helps you to set the proper priorities.  It gives you something that you can use to zero in on the right next thing to do.

Our efforts are often diluted to the point that it takes us forever to accomplish anything.  A life purpose solves this.  Wouldn’t it be nice to have a clear and focused mind for once?  It is possible.  You just have to take a bit to define what you want your life to be about.

3.  Allows You to Simplify and Declutter Your Thinking

When you have a clear purpose, you suddenly know what to say no to and eliminate from your life.  This frees up your time to spend on the things that really matter.  You can separate the wheat from the chaff, the good from the great without guilt.

A simpler life is a better life.  You are less tired and stressed.  Therefore, you have more to give the things that count for the most.  Decluttering your life is a great step toward living life to the fullest.  There is no better way to improve your life with so little effort!

Defining Your Life Purpose Is the Most Important Thing

Hopefully, this has convinced you of the importance of a clearly defined, written life purpose.  It is critical to a full and rewarding life.  Over the next few days, I will give you a simple method to define your strategy and I’ll share my own purpose with you as an example that will help to further reinforce the importance.  I hope you’ll stay tuned!

What other reasons are there for a clear life purpose?

Photo by Richard0

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• 7 Reasons My Life is More Fulfilling

Do you need a reason to feel good about yourself today?

One fantastic way to make yourself feel better is to do something nice for someone else. 

You can really make a difference in another person’s life and put a smile on your face at the same time!

Hopefully, you already know about my campaign to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

However, just in case, I thought I’d taken a moment to highlight why I’ve chosen this particular charity to support.

A Video or Two Is Worth a Thousand Words

I don’t think words can fully express the hope and joy that Make-A-Wish offers to children that are facing life-threatening illnesses. 

Therefore, I thought I’d put one of the kids front and center so you can see for yourself.  If this video from YouTube doesn’t move you, then your heart is made of stone!

Are you convinced yet that you should make a donation to my campaign?  If not, then let me appeal to you with another video.  Please notice the emotion that wells up in this grown man when he talks about Make-A-Wish.  You too can be a part of something special!

Why Not Do Your Good Deed for the Day Right Now?

You can join my campaign and donate to Make-A-Wish right now by clicking this link to visit my donation page.

Okay, I’ll offer you one more incentive to join my effort to raise money for Make-A-Wish.  I’m giving away a free iPod nano to one lucky reader that comments on my original post about this campaign (comments on this post don’t count).  All I’m asking is that you consider donating $2.50 to support Make-A-Wish!

Photo by qthomasbower

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You lose a lot when you live debt free.  You lose things like stress, fights with your spouse and sleepless nights. 

You also lose that financial ball and chain you’ve been dragging around.

Debt free living is financial freedom.  It is going against the grain in our society to find a better way.  I want to assure you, it is truly a better way to live!

Some might think that debt free living is impossible, but I’m living proof that it is not.  My wife and I have been debt free except for our mortgage for over 2 years now.  We will be completely debt free in the next five.

The 5 Attitudes You Need for Debt Free Living

Getting and staying debt free requires adopting the right attitudes.  Once you get your mind right about money then the rest is just mechanics.

Here are the five attitudes I think are most important for debt free living:

1.  There is no such thing as good debt

Debt is bad.  All debt is bad.  There is no such thing as good debt.  Have I made myself clear?  There will be some people out there that think I’m a simpleton for saying it, but I believe it is true.  Why do I think this way?  Because debt is risky. 

Ron at The Wisdom Journal wrote a little about this in No Such Thing As Good Debt?  I think he makes it clear that even what some call “good debt” can quickly turn on you and become “bad debt”.  He says it is a matter of perspective.  I think debt is always bad because it enables us to purchase things (even good things) when we can’t really afford them.

There are very, very few things worth going into debt over.  I might buy a house on a 15-year fixed rate mortgage, but I’d much prefer to pay cash.  Sometimes, you don’t have much of a choice like in the instance of a major health issue.  Of course, in either of these instances I would just consider the debt a necessary evil until I could pay it off.

2.  Financial margin buys me freedom

When you live below your means (i.e. spend less than you make and save the rest), you create financial margin in your life.  As Amanda at My Dollar Plan points out, Finding the Value in Money is an important step if you want to stop spending every dime you make.

Saving money and having financial margin provides freedom of choice.  It opens up options that wouldn’t otherwise be available to you.  This is one of the big reasons that I love living debt free.  Amanda shares some specific examples of how this has played out positively in her life.  I’d encourage you to read her story.

Bottom line, you must have a purpose that trumps your desire to buy everything you see if you want get and stay debt free.

3.  Accumulating wealth is not a bad thing

It seems that wealth has a bad name in America right now.  The rich have gotten some bad publicity.  Corporate scandals have left Americans feeling like everyone with money is greedy and unscrupulous.

Frugal Dad wrestled with this a bit recently in Wealth, Greed, Envy and Shame.  I’ll let you read his thoughts on the subject.  I think he offers a very balanced commentary.  Once you read the article, you can draw your own conclusions about wealth.

What I will tell you is that once you become debt free, you will start to accumulate some savings or wealth.  Therefore, you need to have your head on straight about what wealth means to you.  Personally, I kind of like it. 

4.  One mistake does not make you a financial failure

On the road to living debt free, you are bound to make a financial mistake or two.  This does not make you a failure nor does it mean that you should give up.  As Dave Ramsey puts it, “You just paid some stupid tax.”

Learning flexibility is an important part of getting and staying debt free.  We are often too hard on ourselves which robs us of our motivation.  Brad at Enemy of Debt writes When Your Financial Plan Takes A Detour It Doesn’t Imply Failure.  As Brad points out, being debt free actually takes some of the sting out of your mistakes because you have some cushion.

5.  I am a grown-up and I make my own money decisions

We have to take personal responsibility for our decisions about money.  This is part of maturing into an adult.  Living debt free is not the norm.  It takes courage to choose to be different even when “different” is clearly better.

Our society pressures us to spend money on things we don’t need or even really want.  Jason Price writing for Bible Money Matters tells us to Avoid The Pressure To Spend.  I think he did a very nice job bringing clarity to a subject that often goes ignored.

We have to be mature enough to use our heads and not our emotions to guide us in purchasing decisions.  The advertisers and marketers of the world are pros.  They know exactly how to get us.  We must steel ourselves against their efforts.

These Attitudes Will Lead You to Success with Debt Free Living

These five attitudes have served me and my wife very well in becoming and remaining debt free.  I hope you’ll also find them very useful.  Your attitudes guide your behavior so getting your mind right is more than half the battle.  Set yourself free!

What other attitudes are important to debt free living?

Photo by Matti Mattila

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“It is better to give than to receive.” Have you heard that one before? Of course you have.

This is timeless Biblical advice that is both powerful and, more importantly, very true. If you have had the opportunity to truly bless another with your time, talent or treasure, you know first-hand how incredible it feels to make a difference.

It is easy to see how the act of giving helps others. Those who are less fortunate benefit directly from the generosity of charitable folks, and society in general is made better when the “haves” provide assistance to the “have not’s” through their own free will.

What’s In It For Me?

In an ideal world, acts of charity would be performed freely and without the need for incentive. However, we do not live in Utopia and pure altruism is not the sole motivation for most charitable works. And the great thing is, there’s nothing wrong with that!

If you honestly assess why you give, you will probably recognize numerous personal benefits from your efforts. There is a sense of pride and self-fulfillment that accompanies a charitable act.

If you do something particularly generous, there could be substantial notoriety and even a degree of fame. Being known as “A Giver” is practically a universal badge of honor.

And, of course, there are the fabulous tax breaks! These are noble, worthwhile reasons to give, and there is no shame in acknowledging that you benefit from your generosity. After all, there is this old saying that goes “It is better to give than…”, well you get the point.

But Wait, Your Relationships Benefit, Too!

As someone who writes regularly about life and how it relates to marriage, relationships and parenthood over at Engaged Marriage, I submit that giving has even deeper and wider-ranging impacts. As you become a giver, you change the lives of not only the recipients of your charity, but (often much more subtly) the lives of those closest to you. Let’s take a moment to think about a few important relationships you may share.

• Marriage. I can tell you from first-hand experience that being married to a loving, giving person adds immeasurable quality to my own life. Those who achieve the extraordinary in their marriage are invariably selfless, generous and willing to put the best interest of others before their own. A self-centered, greedy spirit will never result in a successful marriage. If you want to be a respected and supportive spouse, you must develop the heart of a giver.

• Parenting. There is probably no relationship that more fully requires a charitable spirit than that of being a Mom or Dad. As good parents, we give up many things for the welfare of our children. We give up money, lots of time and sometimes a bit of our own sanity. However, if you have kids, you already know that what you give up to be a parent is repaid to you in multiples. This is likely the easiest relationship to recognize the real benefits of living with a giving spirit.

• Friendship. What characteristics do you most desire in a close friend? I bet you would look for someone who is trustworthy and shares common interests. But don’t you also, whether you realize it consciously or not, most enjoy associating with those who give freely of their time and are available to lend a hand or an ear when you are in need? Givers make the best friends.

• Career. There is a reason that many organizations require, or strongly encourage, their employees to give a small portion of their paycheck to a charity (such as the United Way). When you can see beyond your own self-interest and view the big picture in life, you are better able to serve others, including your clients and customers.

• Spiritual Life. Of course, the opening phrase to this post was taken from a Bible verse. The idea that giving is important for the good of others, the good of yourself and even the good of your soul is a common thread among all major religions. God even provides a suggestion for a worthy giving goal: 10%. The word “tithe” literally means “a tenth,” and it is still the benchmark for most that give advice on such matters, whether they have religious overtones or not. In my opinion, we are not asked by God to be givers solely for the benefit of others or to support our religious institutions. He asks us to trust and give our of “first-fruits” because he wants us to be givers first and see the world through unselfish eyes.

How Can I Get In On This?

The best way to realize the sometimes ambiguous benefits that giving brings to your relationships is by actually giving it the ole college try. So how do you become “A Giver”? You give. And you give generously. And you do it from your heart.

An excellent place to start would be to contribute to the Make-A-Wish Foundation fundraiser underway right here at My Super-Charged Life.  You might even win a free iPod nano!

Any small gift of charity is a worthwhile endeavor that will change you for the better. You do not need to be wealthy to be a great giver. In fact, money doesn’t even have to be involved. Remember, the tenets of true charitable works consist of time, talent and/or treasure. And the greatest part is that the best works of charity begin right at home.

Spend some quality time with your spouse, give your children the gift of a strong example, and live your life with an ever-present intent to help those you encounter. Tax breaks are great, but harnessing your own ability to impact and change the lives of others for the better is simply awesome. It really is better to give than to receive.

Dustin Riechmann created the Engaged Marriage site with the mission to help good people achieve the extraordinary in their marriage and their life. Please read a bit more about Engaged Marriage and see what it may have to offer you. You can also chime in on the conversation by visiting Engaged Marriage on Facebook.

Photo by Hamed Saber

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Would you like to win an iPod nano and help a great charity?

I am giving away a brand new, 5th Generation, 8 GB Apple iPod nano (a $149 value) to one lucky person that reads this article.  I’ll even let you pick the color!

How do you enter to win?  I have made it incredibly simple and easy to win, but I’ll ask you to read this article first and then I’ll tell you how.  Deal?  Okay, let’s get down to business for a moment.

Why I’m Giving Away a Free iPod nano

I’m giving away a free iPod nano so I can have the chance to ask you to make a $2.50 donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

One of the key characteristics of Super-Charged Living is being committed to a cause.  So, I am stepping out here where the rubber meets the road and practicing what I preach.

Together, we can make a big difference in the life of a child!  I hope you’ll join me in supporting this great cause!

Help the Make-A-Wish Foundation Grant Wishes to Children

The Make-A-Wish Foundation has granted the wishes of more than 185,000 children with life-threatening medical conditions nationwide.

These wishes give hope, strength and joy to children that are fighting for their lives.

Typically children’s wishes fall into four categories:

• To Be  - a zookeeper, a firefighter, a baker, etc.
• To Meet  - a favorite celebrity or athlete
• To Have  - a computer, a playhouse, a puppy, etc.
• To Go  - to a theme park, Hawaii, a major sporting event, etc.

The most common wish granted is to go to a theme park such as DisneyWorld.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants a wish every 40 minutes!  In fiscal year 2009, they granted 13,465 wishes!

Here is a great video from YouTube that documents the incredible impact that Make-A-Wish has in the lives of children.  I hope you’ll take a few minutes to listen to these stories.

Will You Give Just $2.50 to Help Make-A-Wish for a Child?

It is less than the cost of a tall latte at Starbucks!  However, if everyone of my 3,000 subscribers will make this tiny donation, then we can pay for one child’s wish!  Isn’t that incredible!  Together we can make a difference.

According to Make-A-Wish, the average cost of a wish is $7,362.  It is an audacious goal, but I believe we can raise enough for one wish.  Will you help?

I personally guarantee and will prove that 100% of all the money I collect will be donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.  I will post a copy of my receipt to this blog as proof.

Click Donate to Contribute Your $2.50 to This Fantastic Cause!

Here is where you can help make a difference in the life of a child with a life-threatening medical condition.  This is a completely safe and secure way to give via PayPal!

By the way, you can increase the amount of your donation, if you would like, simply by changing it in the box above before you click the donate button.

How to Win the Free iPod nano and Thank You for Your Support!

Okay, I’ve made this ridiculously easy so I hope you will tell everyone.  All you have to do to enter to win the free iPod nano is leave a comment on this post.  Comments on other posts do not count.  Here are the rest of the rules:

• You must be a U.S. resident and 18 years old to enter.
• You must provide a valid e-mail address so I can contact you.
• Only one entry per person.
• No donation is necessary to win, but greatly appreciated!
• You must share this post with everyone you know (just kidding!)
• Entry into the giveaway will be closed on November 25, 2009.

I will randomly select one winner from all the entries and notify the winner immediately upon closing the giveaway.  I will then ship the winner their brand new 8GB iPod nano in the color of their choice.

Be Sure to Follow Our Progress Over the Next Few Weeks

You can check back here on this page anytime to see how much money has been raised for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.  Also, please be sure to subscribe to receive my articles absolutely free.  I will be posting at least one update per week until this giveaway and fundraiser is complete.

Click the green Retweet button below to let your friends on Twitter know about this opportunity!

Thanks again for your support!

Photo by iTopic

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Do You Like Pie As Much As I Like Pie?

Over at Enemy of Debt, I am constantly going on and on about how debt freedom is this and debt freedom is that, but I thought it was about time I created an official manifesto to reveal the true source of my passion.

As soon as we paid off our very first debt we felt a sense of what becoming debt free was going to be like. It was just a small bite, but isn’t it true—even if you have just a small piece of any pie, you know exactly how the rest of the pie will taste?

When we paid off each debt, each bite that was taken reminded us of the next. You get to a point where you crave the next bite, so you do all you can to get to the table again. Just knowing that it will be heavenly, your mouth starts to water and before long—you have eaten the whole pie! Mmm, mmm, mmm! So delicious there’s no need for another.

Becoming debt free is like eating the pie of all pies.

Now go have some pie, and when you’re debt free—have some ice cream too!!

THE DEBT FREE MANIFESTO

1. You can spend more quality time with your family, instead of on the job trying to pay off things you enjoyed yesterday.
2. Your marriage is less likely to be marred by the destructive nature of stress and money fights, directly related to spending more than you make, month after month.
3. Through your wonderful example, your ability to teach your children a more responsible and sustainable way to manage money.
4. It frees up your paychecks to do other more important things like: saving, building wealth, and my personal favorite—GIVING!
5. It’s never cool when someone else owns the fruit of your labor before you even labor.
6. You can enjoy the additional freedom of not having to worship at the altar of the “supposedly” all powerful FICO.
7. It feels WAY BETTER to sleep in a paid for home, walk on paid for grass, drive a paid for car, and eat already paid for food.
8. Being debt free gives you more options in life, and opens up doors that society has told you couldn’t be opened. (Psst…don’t listen to them)
9. The act of becoming debt free neutralizes your natural attraction and desire to “need” more STUFF, or at least provides some restraint—until you actually have the money to buy something.
10. A survey done by Forbes magazine states, 75% of the Forbes 400 (the richest 400 people in America) said the best way to build wealth is to become and stay debt-free.

Since becoming debt free (except for the house—FOR NOW!), my family and I have already experienced why becoming debt free was one of the smartest things we have ever done. You should find out for yourself!

What are you waiting for? ACT NOW, and taste debt freedom for yourself!

Brad Chaffee is the author of Enemy of Debt, and a regular contributor at the Self Reliance Exchange. Brad has become debt free by paying off $26,076.75 in just 20 months!! Learn more about Brad and his mission to rid the world of debt, one post at a time, by subscribing here.

Photo by Kirti Poddar

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It is time to shake things up a little!  It is time to really live!  It is time to head out where the rubber meets the road!

It is easy to get comfortable with the status quo, but that is just not compatible with the quest to live life to the fullest.

Therefore, I’m getting ready to kick off something big!  What, you ask?  You’ll see in a couple of days, but trust me it is going to be fun and exciting.  I hope you’ll be a part of it!

Finding Adventure Where the Rubber Meets the Road

Every production of an artist should be the expression of an adventure of his soul.
~ William Somerset Maugham

I recently completed my series on Smart Living.  I wrote about things like taking responsibility for your life, creating focus, being financially wise, making your life count for something and pursuing good opportunities just to name a bit of what it is all about. 

I am truly passionate about Smart Living.  Pursuing passion is where a person experiences an adventure of his or her soul.  You come alive deep inside when you take a chance and go for something that is rooted deep in your inner self.

The principles I laid out in the Rules for Smart Living are an expression of the adventure I long to live.  They are a map that lays out the road I wish to travel to live life to its fullest.

Therefore, I’ve decided to try to apply as many of my rules as possible in one concerted effort.  This idea has been brewing in my mind for awhile and I believe now is the perfect time to bring it into the light.

This Will Be a Grand Experiment in Smart Living

Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.
~ Andre Gide

One of the words that I’m using to guide my actions this year is experiment.  I chose it because it implies that failure is an option.  I wanted to give myself permission to try new things without the pressure of feeling like everything has to be a super success.

Accomplishment comes from innovation and creativity.  In order to achieve new things in your life, you have to go places you haven’t been before.  This requires one to give themselves permission to be a beginner.  Beginners aren’t always good at things at least not at first.

Of course, if you want new and more desirable results, then you have to start somewhere.  You have to be willing to leave the shores of your known land in search of the riches in the new world.  I’ll be departing into previously unexplored territory (for me) in the next few days.

It is exciting and invigorating to be so close to heading out where the rubber meets the road!

I Feel Inspired to Give This My Best Effort

I see my path, but I don’t know where it leads. Not knowing where I’m going is what inspires me to travel it.
~ Rosalia de Castro

The pursuit of passion and the exhilaration that comes from traveling into the unknown is almost intoxicating!  I love being on the precipice of a big opportunity.  It presses me to be my very best.

Stepping out in a new direction is always risky.  However, staying where you are is never going to get you anywhere except right where you are at.  Make sense?

You can never really know where you’ll end up by pushing off into the unknown, but there have been a lot of great things discovered this way.  I’m anxious to see where my adventure leads me.  It is going to be interesting to say the least!

Ready to Head Out Where the Rubber Meets the Road With Me?

I hope you’ll hang around to hear my big announcement in a couple of days.  I also hope you’ll become a part of it and help me do something really grand for people that need it.

What is your dream?  What have you done lately to move closer to it?  I encourage you to take some action today toward that dream.  You’ll thank yourself for it later!

Are you ready to head out on the open road with me?

Photo by Alaskan Dude

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Recently, I wrote in one of my Smart Living Rules that love is a verb.  Real love is how you act toward someone.  In marriage, it is asking, “What can I do today to make my spouse’s life better and show them my love?”

The answer to this question doesn’t have to be complicated, expensive or time-consuming.  We often overcomplicate love.  This stymies us and gets us nowhere.  Therefore, today I thought I’d offer you some simple ways to express your love.

50 simple acts of love to improve your marriage

Give this list to your spouse and ask them to mark the ones that would make them feel loved.  This list will act as inspiration for them so, ask them to please add to the list other things that come to their mind as they go along.

Once they’ve done this for you, then pick at least one item off the list a day and do it whether you feel like it or not.  The more you do, the more love you will feel for your spouse and the more love they will feel for you.  This will improve your marriage!

1.  Sit on the same piece of furniture together.

2.  Hold hands while watching T.V.

3.  Stop on the way home from work and buy his/her favorite treat.

4.  Ask your spouse out on a date and schedule it right then.

5.  Kiss your spouse when you leave or enter the room they are in.

6.  Call them at work just to say you were thinking of them.

7.  Ask how their day was and really listen to their answer.

8.  Watch football with him this weekend.

9.  Give up watching the game to go do something with her.

10.  Go shopping with her this weekend.

11.  Give up shopping to go do something with him.

12.  Read a book together and discuss it.

13.  Enroll in a class together.

14.  Create a special playlist of romantic songs for your spouse.

15.  Send your spouse flowers at work.

16.  Write your spouse a love note.

17.  Tell her that she is beautiful.

18.  Tell him that he is very good at what he does.

19.  Go for a walk together and hold hands.

20.  Make your spouse breakfast.

21.  Clean up by yourself after dinner.

22.  Compliment your spouse in front of others and while you are alone.

23.  Go camping together.

24.  Plan a surprise weekend away together.

25.  Be the first to say you are sorry and forgive them quickly when they make a mistake.

26.  Light a candle at dinner.

27.  Give your spouse an hour alone just to themselves.

28.  Take them to a nice lunch on a weekday.

29.  Give them a massage that doesn’t lead to anything else.

30.  Leave a rose on her windshield at work.

31.  Greet your spouse at the door with a hug and kiss.

32.  Go dancing with your spouse.

33.  Go outside and stare at the stars together.

34.  Snuggle up together and stay that way for at least 15 minutes.

35.  Do something out of the ordinary together.

36.  Be especially affectionate with touches and kisses all day.

37.  Ask your spouse about their goals.

38.  Leave a sweet comment on their Facebook wall.

39.  Buy them a small gift for no particular reason.

40.  Do their least favorite chore for them.

41.  Take their car and get it washed.

42.  Offer your spouse the chance to go out with their friends guilt-free.

43.  Take your spouse to their favorite place to eat.

44.  Take a day off to spend with them.

45.  Take the kids to a babysitter and spend a romantic night at home.

46.  Wait on them hand and foot for the day.

47.  Turn off all other distractions and just talk to your spouse.

48.  Do that one thing with your spouse that you’ve always resisted doing.

49.  Tell them, “I love you” at least twice a day.

50.  Pray out loud together.

Simple acts of love can make a big improvement in your marriage

These simple acts can make a big difference if they are done with a willing heart and a good attitude.  Some of the ones that your spouse chooses may make you uncomfortable.  Those are probably the ones that will improve your marriage the most.  Real love will push you outside your comfort zone to make a big statement to your spouse.

Here’s a bonus.  The 51st simple act is to follow-through by giving your spouse this list and asking them to mark the ones they like.  What are you waiting for?  A great marriage is just around the corner!

Which of these do you think your spouse would most enjoy?

Photo by JLStricklin

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This is a guest post from Robert Tuchman from

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To become the kind of person that makes things happen by launching a company, you must make a big personal investment. I’m not talking about money (yet). I’m talking about time.

During that first year, you are going to be doing a lot of breathing, eating, and dreaming about your company. Setting priorities is essential to making your company succeed in its first year.

An Entrepreneur Must Set Priorities to Succeed

Here are seven priorities that you will want to set for yourself in the first year:

1.  Build a Culture of Action and Enthusiasm

You want to build a company that rewards taking action, a company that is perceived as being youthful, vigorous, forward-thinking, and results-oriented. People expect action and energy from the young, and they are likely to search out young and hungry companies.

You will find that clients are willing to pay for your energy and dynamism, and they will even take a bit of a risk in order to get young, energetic minds on their side. Enthusiasm and energy will take your business further than any other factor.

2.  Take Daily Action on Your Business Plan

What separates successful entrepreneurs from floundering entrepreneurs? Daily commitment to fulfilling the benchmarks you have set for yourself and your company in both your short-and long term business plans.

Every day you have to be willing to put your time in and do what you know needs to be done. For some people this daily commitment means picking up the phone and making ten sales calls a day, no matter what. For others, it means creating ideas for new products, new systems or new marketing initiatives, and then carefully testing the results.

3.  Get Your Web Site Up and Running

Your website has to say, “This is who we are,” to the outside world and it has to be compelling. Expect to update your Web site regularly and to improve it constantly over time. A Web site that is over dated, with irrelevant or months-old information is a real deal killer.

During your first year in the business, do the very best you can on your website with as much as you have now and be ready to update and improve it on a regular basis.

4.  Talk to Absolutely Everyone About What You Do

Who says opportunity stops at five o’clock? You need to always be talking about your business, as well as thinking about it constantly. Remember, you are building a brand for your company.

It should become second nature for you to talk to people about your business at parties, at family gatherings, and at outings like sporting events. You never know who the people you meet might know or might be speaking to next.

5.  Try to Fund It Yourself, or Mostly Yourself

Lots of entrepreneurs ask me, “What type of funding will I need to get my business off the ground?” I always advise would-be business owners to go after the least amount of funding that is necessary.

The reason I recommend self-financing for people who are just starting out is that fixating on some outside source of capital is a great way to make launching the business someone else’s responsibility. You don’t want to do that. If you spend the entire first year talking about presentations so that someone else can take action or make decisions, your mind-set is wrong.

6.  Get Connected, No Matter What

During your first year of operation, it’s extremely important to develop new relationships and meet people in your industry. I was fortunate enough early on to meet Alex English, former Denver Nuggets Hall of Famer. Alex gave me a shot at having my first office when he asked me if I wanted to share an office with him near Madison Square Garden.

When I was starting, I would make over 100 cold calls a day to potential clients. I had the same pitch that I would recite over and over again. Soon enough Alex would recite the pitch over and over to me verbatim. Getting connected was all about living and breathing the business.

7.  Stay Balanced

During the first year, and all the years after, you will have to find a way to achieve balance. You need an outlet of some kind, a hobby or exercise activity that helps you stay sane.

Many nights I left the office at 10 p.m. and went to the gym to hit the heavy bag until I had alleviated all my stress. If you are working hard, and putting all of your energy into work, you are going to need a release.

Last year, Tuchman Sports Enterprises earned over $70 million dollars in sales as the Corporate Events division of Premiere Global Sports. Robert Tuchman now serves as President of that division, still guiding his company in its new form. 

Robert is no stranger to entrepreneurship.  He has also launched other successful ventures including RentACarNow.com.

Photo by gcoldironjr2003

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