How to Be Outstanding

Gala Darling galadarling.com
Photo of Gala Darling. One of the most outstanding people who I admire.

“If you do what you love to do, then you won’t do it in an average way.”
~ Angela Bassett

Are you exceptional in your line of work? Do you love what you do? Perhaps that’s why you are or aren’t getting the results you want.

People who consistently achieve outstanding results all have this in common: they are passionate about what they do. It’s no longer work, but an active participation of joy and creativity.

This article takes a deeper look into outstanding performance, and gives guidance as to how you can manifest outstanding results in your life.

First, I’ll start with a slice from my own experience:

Five years of my life was spent in University getting a Math and Computer Science degree so that I could get a high-tech job with guaranteed security. School was tough and flew by quickly. After battling it out with other competitors chasing after the same jobs, I got what I wanted and landed in Seattle.

Very soon after, I realized that I wasn’t that great at programming software, nor was I very interested in it. I got my job done, but I felt that I had to work extra hard just to keep up with my peers. I longed to fit-in with other engineers and felt like a sore thumb sticking out in the crowd. “One day, they’re gonna find out…” I used to tell myself during the first six months on the job.

I knew better. I knew that I wasn’t average. I knew that my best was excellent. I pulled long hours, worked on weekends, was addicted to caffeine, and within a few month, I developed an immune system disorder called Psoriasis Rosea from stress. It was the drive to be outstanding, in a position that wasn’t fit for me or my interests which brought me to this low point.

My Story Continues …

Overtime, I recognized that I naturally gravitated towards designing graphical interfaces and that I naturally obsessed over the user’s experience while using software. I wanted to do that professionally, but lacked the education or experience. A roadblock had appeared before me. I had voiced my intentions to my manager and was told No; again, another roadblock.

I didn’t give up. I read books, took seminars, worked on personal design projects and brought my new found knowledge onto the job. I incorporated design and user experience considerations into everything I worked on as an engineer. I developed a small reputation among neighboring teams, and soon was unofficially offering my user-experience expertise to other teams within the company. Despite it not being my job, I did it anyway. I did so because it was what I loved doing, it came natural to me and I felt that I was exceptional at it.

Over the next couple of years, I faced resistance and adversity surrounding my professional transition, but I clung to my clearly desired target. Through persistence and never giving up hope for my dream job, two years later, I officially became a user-experience designer for amazon.com. Since then, I have never looked back with regret.

Lessons from Following My Passion

Here is a summary of lessons I’ve learned through this experience:

Anything is possible if you want it bad enough
When you follow your heart, not only will you contribute more to your organization, you will utilize less energy and you will feel happier.
We are all naturally gifted at certain disciplines. You’ll know when you find it, because you can quickly grasp new concepts, you find it enjoyable, and doing it comes easy to you; almost like breathing.
Doing something that is not natural to our abilities and interests is like swimming against the current. You’ll eventually get to the shore, but it will take you longer and will excerpt extra energy.
Doing things that come natural to us and align with our interests feels like swimming along with the current. You’ll get to the shore smoothly and with little effort.
When you are clear about wanting something, take action towards its attainment, and persist until you reach it, the universe will conspire to make it a reality. Your energy and determination will move people, and they will find ways to help you.
Insecurities and negative self-talk derived from fear achieves nothing, except to convince us that we are failures and losers. These are lies that only appear real in our imagination.
The roadblocks you encounter on the way to reaching your destination are actually gifts. Treat them as challenges that you were meant to experience and learn from. They are like small tests that the universe presents us with, as if asking: “How bad do you really want this? Have you given up yet?”
When you listen to your heart, follow your passion, and do what you love to do, it’s hard not to be outstanding. You’re almost guaranteed to succeed.

Finding Your Passion

At any given point, we have the option to choose one of many potential lives for ourselves. Ask yourself, which of the many lives will inspire me more? Which do I desire the most? What do I gravitate towards? What does my heart say?

Photo by Mike BG

Some of you may be wondering, what if I don’t have a passion? Then, go out and find one. The thing to note is that we’re not restricted to a single passion, we may have many. But at any particular moment there is only one that we want more than the rest. Make that your focus.

There are no right or wrong answers. Your interests, desires and passions are a reflection of the unique brand that is you. No one else can discover or express your passions for you.

Here are some questions and tips aimed at helping you discover your passion. I recommend grabbing a pen and notepad to answer some of them on paper. Write down the first few answers that come to mind without editing.

Interest – Explore activities you are interested in; whether they are professional or personal interests. Remember that personal interests can turn professional very quickly if you believe in yourself and keep persisting.
Try Something New – Is there a job or activity that you’ve always been curious about? Maybe it’s starting an online store, or the project manager role at your company, or running a marathon. Learn as much as you can about it. Explore your interests, try them out and see what sticks. Much of life is about making choices and filtering out options. What you’re doing here is filtering out potential activities that you can get passionate about.
Play By Strength – Look at your strengths and see which jobs or activities demand those skills. Try asking yourself the following questions:
- What am I good at?
- What tasks do I find easy to do?
- What parts of my job do I enjoy doing? Why?
Ask People – Sometimes, other people can see our qualities clearer than we can, since their minds are not inhibited by our negative self-talk. Ask your friends, family and close co-workers what they think your best qualities are? Ask them what they think you are good at and what professions they think you would excel in?
The Questions – Answer any or all of the questions below. Consider the answers and how they can be applied towards understanding your passions.
- “If I could have any job, what would it be?”
- “If I could try any job in my current organization, what would that be?”
- “If all of my expenses were suddenly paid for every month by an invisible source, what would I be doing with my time?”

Keep in mind that your passions can change, especially after they have been attained. Be flexible, open and sensitive to your feelings. Adjust your current situation as you see fit.

Creating the Way

“Life is an ongoing process of choosing between safety (out of fear and a need for defense) and risk (for the sake of progress and growth). Make the growth choice a dozen times a day.”
~ Abraham Maslow (comments by Derek Sivers)

A common theme I’ve seen in many people is to give up before they even try. “Well, I gotta pay the bills. I’d love to do my music/photography/online-business/<insert interest>, but I just can’t. This is the way it has to be and there’s nothing I can do about it.”

I have personally known far too many musicians, photographers, writers and entrepreneurs who have created successful business and promotional models for themselves, for me to buy into the above belief. Yes, some of these occupations and interests have a reputation for not paying enough money to survive on. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t create a bright future for yourself, if you make it your passion. Hope is within reach, it’s up to us to grab it.

Fear will paralyze us if we let it.

Creating the Way: Real-Life Case Studies

Both examples showcase musicians, but similar stories can be found for other creative professions.

Case 1:

In high school, Joshua Roman excelled at Math and Physics and later had the option to pursue it at a graduate level. It seemed to have been a more secure option with guaranteed income. Instead, Josh took the “high-risk” career path and made the passion-filled, regret-free decision to dedicate himself to classical music. He followed his heart and despite some initial setbacks upon graduation, his faith, persistence and hard work has paid off – big time.

On a flight back to Seattle, my 23 year old friend was asked by the woman sitting next to him, “What do you do for a living?” Josh quickly and proudly answered, “I’m a Cellist.” She looked puzzled, and asked “You can make a living doing that?” Little did she know, Josh was one of the highest paid musicians in the Seattle Symphony and had recently signed a record deal with Sony Japan.

Case 2:

Derek Sivers has been a fulltime musician since he was 18. In 1998, with a passion for music and a desire to help fellow musicians, he created CDBaby – an independent music distribution site. At the time of starting CDBaby, Derek knew only basic html, and had taught himself enough web programming and basic database concepts to get the site going. He continued learning as the site grew.

Most people might instantly shy away from technology, out of fear of the unknown or of feeling stupid. Not Derek. He stepped up and jumped head first into the fire. Pretty cool huh?

Over the past ten years, CDBaby has distributed around 4.6 million CDs and generated 85 million dollars that has been paid directly to independent bands. That’s what I call, “Making History, Baby!”

Common Pitfalls + Tips

There are several pitfalls and myths surrounding making a living while following your passions.

Photo: Simón Pais-Thomas

1. Myth: You need a formal education before you can …

For some professions such as medical physicians, yes, this is true. In most cases, education is optional. In cases where formal education is optional, this myth only acts as a mind trap to cause self-doubt and friction on the path to pursuing our passions.

In many professions, experience, a solid skill set and a drive to succeed are much more valuable and essential than a formal education.

2. Tip: Become your own teacher and your own best student.

Many exceptional people are in their respective fields as a result of self taught skills. Go out of your way to learn, read as much as you can on the subject, take classes that will expand your skills. Then practice as much as you can.

3. Question: “But what if I don’t have any experience? No one will hire me without experience. I’m doomed. Poor me.“

Stop complaining. Go out and get some experience! Talking about it is a waste of time – it gains you nothing, except the conviction that you’re doomed.

Offer your time and skill for free. Create the opportunity for yourself by initiating your own projects. Offer yourself as an intern in your desired industry, continue cold calling companies until you get something. Never give up.

4. Tip: Believing In Yourself – Confidence Building

What often stops us from pursuing and succeeding in our chosen passion is ourselves. Out mind gets so cluttered with doubt and self-defeating thoughts that we end up believing them and giving up.

This fear and resistance to change is something we all experience and can relate to. There is no magic pill that’ll make these thoughts go away. Only this advice: practice taking action despite fear and doubt, as often as possible. We are creatures of habit, the more we repeat something, the better we get at it, the more automatic it becomes, and the more natural it feels.

Here are some tips that I have personally found helpful in confidence building:

Take Massive Action – And doing so often. As much as possible. The more you do this, the less scary it will seem, and the more confident you will feel.
Visualization – Our repeated thoughts (whether conscious or unconscious) create the tracks for the train of our mind to run on. The train ends up looping in a cycle unless we create new tracks for it. Visualization is an effective tool for creating new neural pathways in our brains, thereby introducing new experiences through our imagination. Our brains cannot distinguish between what is happening in reality and what is being vividly imagined. (Shakti Gawain has a great book on the topic if you’d like to learn more.)
Affirmations – Similar to visualization techniques, affirmations create or thicken neural pathways in our brains. It’s effective in replacing negative thought patterns with thoughts more conducive to our wellbeing. Affirmation is simply writing down a positive statement in present tense that includes where you want to be or states qualities of the more wholesome ‘you’ that you would like to embody. Repeat this statement as often and as much as you can. Posting this statement on walls where you’ll see it is also helpful. Examples, “I am an outstanding person. I live in the present moment. I embody love, compassion and kindness towards others.” Or “I am an achiever. I achieve my goals. I live life with passion! I am contributing in massive ways. I am outstanding!” Note: This is not lying to yourself, but rather feeding positive messages to your unconscious mind. We get enough self-defeating thoughts as it is from our ‘ego-ic’ minds. This is just a tool to help us undo some of that.

As you strengthen your beliefs about your skills and continue to perfect your craft, you’ll notice a shift in the way in which people respond to you. They will start to see you as the more wholesome you.

5. Tip: Talk often about what you want

In addition to taking action towards what you want, tell other people about it. Tell your close friends, your manager, and your family. Telling others does four things:

Helps you define your intentions. You’ll gain more clarity through talking about it.
Sends out your intentions to the Universe.
Let your inner-circle and support-system in on your desires, so they can help support you in your desires to attain something that means a lot to you.
Telling other about what your doing has a tendency to hold you accountable, and encourages you to continue taking action towards its attainment.

Continue to take action every day and every week towards your target. However small the action may seem, it will help you get one step closer to your goal.

My only caveat is to avoid telling people who generally lean towards the negative. Reserve it for people who want to help you, are supportive, and preferably have a positive outlook on life.

6. Tip: Find a Mentor

Having a mentor will not only accelerate your learning in a particular field and steer you away from common mistakes, but also gives you valuable insight and visibility to helping you determine whether this is something you really want.

If you’re working at a company as a computer programmer but are interested in working as a project manager, talk to a senior PM and see if you can be mentored by them. Make it clear that you won’t take too much of their time.

If you’re a photographer trying to get into commercial photography, find someone who is already doing that and offer your time as an assistant for free, in exchange to be in the studio to watch and learn.

If you don’t know anyone personally who is achieving the kind of results you desire, go out and find them. Go to cultural events where such people would frequent. Alternatively, a wealth of information is available online or in books at minimal cost.

Be thoughtful and considerate when approaching potential mentors. Don’t take “no” personally. Think about what you can offer them (that is actually valuable to them) in exchange for their time.

Parting Words

We all posses the seed for being Outstanding, it’s just that some of us haven’t fully bloomed yet. We all have the capabilities, imagination, and foundation to achieve extraordinary results. The secret lies in having a clear target, following our heart, taking continuous small steps, acting despite fear, adjusting as we proceed and keeping moving without giving up.

With these simple ingredients, every-day-people can and will achieve exceptional things. Guaranteed!

I have faith in you. Throw out your fears and listen to your heart. I look forward to seeing the Outstanding person that you are, come alive.

Until next week…What are you passionate about? Share your thoughts in the comments! See you there.

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107 Responses (97 Comments, 10 Trackbacks ):

Comments

Tim Jahn

Sep 17 08, 5:39 pm PDT

1
Great points! It’s important to pay attention to what you’re naturally talented at and passionate about. Have the confidence to believe in that passion and pursue it.
Steve Olson

Sep 17 08, 5:50 pm PDT

2
Tina,

The way I try to stay on top is to constantly look for improvement. Never perfection, just improvement. Sometimes it takes persistence. But over time you’ll see the results.
Nathalie Lussier

Sep 17 08, 6:03 pm PDT

3
I like that you mention we are allowed to change goals, especially after we attain them. That’s certainly been true for me. After getting my bachelors in software engineering, I’m really not that inclined to work that field.

Thanks for the great tips!
Sid Savara

Sep 17 08, 6:08 pm PDT

4
I love the story about Josh. One of my close friends, Kanoa, is a local musician who is absolutely amazing. He isn’t that well known outside Hawaii, and he lives on Maui. Whenever he comes to Oahu, I take my friends to see him play at a local bar, Border’s, or wherever he is playing – and their response is always the same. They can’t believe the amount of talent one person can have inside him.

I love inspirational stories and thought on achieving your dreams. Thanks for this post Tina.
Eivind

Sep 17 08, 6:13 pm PDT

5
This was a very inspirational post! It took some time before I found my passion, and I am now working towards making it a living. I still need to find a mentor though, so your tip 6 was especially helpful. Thank you!
Victory Darwin

Sep 17 08, 6:25 pm PDT

6
This is why I never concern myself with most business competitors. I’m usually the only truly passionate one, doing what I love. This means it’s naturally my goal to provide an amazing product and make my customers happy. Competitor’s first goal is profit.

It’s that simple. I will always win, because while we are in the same biz, we are pursuing different goals. So any entrepreneur concerned about aggressive competition doesn’t have to worry, they just need to get into a niche where they can be naturally outstanding!
Song

Sep 17 08, 6:50 pm PDT

7
Great post with great timing – I have come to such a bad block in my life regarding work and where I am going, but I see it as a great opportunity to start again and discover what I really want to do.

Your writing is always so full of practical advice and so accessible across such a broad range of people and experience. I always enjoy coming here, so thank you for putting in so much effort.
Tycoon Dreamer

Sep 17 08, 7:14 pm PDT

8
Hey Tina,

Thanks so much for really putting in the time and effort into each of your posts. I definitely feel the passion in you and I’m glad you’re doing what you love to do.

Tycoon Dreamer
http://tycoondreams.com
Daniel Richard

Sep 17 08, 7:26 pm PDT

9
Only an outstanding person like you can come up with such a detailed article on how to be outstanding!

I find more things to agree about (actually everything) than to disagree. Haha. Looks like someone’s into Abe Maslow’s quotes too. :)

Daniel
Jean Browman - Cheerful Monk

Sep 17 08, 7:29 pm PDT

10
I’ve always believed in following my passion, so on the whole I agree with what you’re saying. I do not believe that if you want something badly enough and work towards it you can get it. Saturday Night Live spoofed this idea in a skit. One link to it is at http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/clips/palin-hillary-open/656281/
mari
Sep 17 08, 8:01 pm PDT

11
fantastic post and great blog! :)
Aw Guo

Sep 17 08, 8:02 pm PDT

12
She’s so beautiful :)
Gaurav

Sep 17 08, 8:40 pm PDT

13
Amazing read… Something which most of the youngsters are going through… I could so relate to my life… Hopefully i can follow my passion and achieve them…So far I am on the right track..
Mike King

Sep 17 08, 9:00 pm PDT

14
Great tips Tina, I especially like the myths around following your passion. I find that those excuses are so common with people not taking steps to do what they really love!
Zath

Sep 17 08, 10:26 pm PDT

15
That’s a lot of good advice in just one post! Very motivational and I find that I’ve done some of those things without actually consciously doing it such as being drawn to what II enjoyed and was good at.
J.D. Meier

Sep 18 08, 12:06 am PDT

16
Passion plus persistence is powerful. I agree that mentors are among the best short-cuts. There’s a lot of red-herrings out there, and a good mentor can help you pave a path from experience.
Shun Jian | RichGrad.com

Sep 18 08, 1:37 am PDT

17
To elaborate more on a point Tina made, a very good way to help discover your passion is to ask at least 5 close friends to make lists of at least ten items about 1) what they think/know you will excel at 2) what they think/know you love to do 3) what they can see you doing professionally (for a living)

Look out for the intersections in the lists… therein lies the areas you could start paying more attention to…

P.S. Here’s 101 powerful affirmations to help you attract everything you’ve always desired:

http://RichGrad.com/gift.html
Evelyn Lim

Sep 18 08, 1:51 am PDT

18
Your persistence in getting your goals is very admirable. I can learn a lot from you. Thanks for writing another yet inspiring post! You have made a lot of wonderful points. It is easy to tell that you have put in a lot of time to writing this beautiful piece of article!

Love and light,
Evelyn
Rosabel

Sep 18 08, 2:25 am PDT

19
I love this post! All the time I knew I can be outstanding, but didn’t go for what I’m passionate with. So, I bumped my head again and again. Till last year Aug, I found what I really enjoyed – early childhood development and have been going after it ever since. Many people still advised me to go back to corporate world, but I persisted in chasing my goal..lots of roadblocks like you said, at times almost quit, but the voice within me just keep asking me to keep going…small steps..still pebbles along the journey, but I’m moving forward…I’m happy to see some results!
Tina, you are one of them who do help me along the way! Thank you!
Lisa
Sep 18 08, 4:06 am PDT

20
I agree completely with this thinking philosophy.
Sara Wilder
Sep 18 08, 4:16 am PDT

21
Wow! Blue hair and tattoos! I think I am in love!

Sara
http://www.anonymize.us.tc
Joss

Sep 18 08, 4:44 am PDT

22
I think I got this list covered.

filthyrichmond.blogspot
Place
Sep 18 08, 4:56 am PDT

23
That post reminds me of that wonderful book “The Alchemist” from Paulo Coelho
Some of you may enjoy it.
Writer Dad

Sep 18 08, 5:26 am PDT

24
Everyone has a passion. Sometimes we just need enough peace and quiet to find out what it is.
emerywebster
Sep 18 08, 6:05 am PDT

25
Great advice, Tina. You definitely gave me some reassurance that I’m taking steps in the right direction. I have a feeling I’ll be making many (but hopefully not too many) return visits here to recharge the batteries…
Daniel Edlen

Sep 18 08, 6:20 am PDT

26
I’ve said before I feel very lucky to have discovered my passion. Its expression continues to evolve, but my passion is creativity, art and music, fusing the two, and bringing people together to celebrate their creative culture. I do it in a small, simple way, painting portraits of musicians on records, but when it connects, it connects and makes people very happy.

I really enjoy your personal story, Tina. You’re very self-analytical and skilled at recounting what you discover.

In this, I like the idea of massive action. I need to do so to further my passion. My current trick’ll be figuring out what to do!

Peace.
Matericia
Sep 18 08, 6:34 am PDT

27
Check to be sure you are registered to vote so you will be outstanding in this most important election in our lifetime.

Don’t be left out!

http://www.votersunite.org/info/RegInfo.asp
Todd
Sep 18 08, 7:26 am PDT

28
This is a great post and the Lessons are almost verbatim to discussions that I have with others about this topic.

It’s kind of under the whole insecurity / fear / negativity thing:
- Be your own worst critic.

It’s very easy to consistently overcome negativity if the only obstacle is you.
Miguel Wickert

Sep 18 08, 7:45 am PDT

29
Impressive article. I agree, if you want something bad enough you can get it, but you and only you are required to do the leg work. I learned Greek step by step, a process that took over a year; by the way, I’m still learning and reviewing. This process, felt like I was swimming against the current. I remember feeling like I was in a fog… I couldn’t see and at times my vision was cloudy but I took it in stride and before I knew it, my vision became clear. Never give up, keep pressing on and your hard work will pay off! :)
Amit Sodha

Sep 18 08, 7:51 am PDT

30
Hi Tina,

Excellent blog post and ties in exactly with some of the articles I’ve written in the past on my blog too.

My addition 2 cents to throw in would be what you said about Mentors. Having a Mentor/Life Coach is a great thing but going by my own experience I would also say to people is that you can also carve your own way. Also be a pioneer and then share that with others. Teach others to be pioneers also. (In fact that has now given me my blog post idea for the day) ;-)

Wonderful though, you are a great writer and have so much to share. Love the blog!

Amit
Kris

Sep 18 08, 8:14 am PDT

31
Tina. I’ve had similar experiences and I totally agree with you that you simply need to follow your true desire. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other and never waiver in your belief that you can accomplish almost anything! (you know within the laws of physics that is)
Beth

Sep 18 08, 8:24 am PDT

32
Thanks for reminding me to write down my aspirations. This has been a successful tool for me in the past. Also, the photo by Simon Pais-Thomas is amazing. My eyes could not leave that image for several minutes.
BWilde

Sep 18 08, 8:45 am PDT

33
Being completely passionate about a career was something I always longed for but resigned myself to thinking that only a few people actually experienced it. In order to make a living we must, 1.) use our talents to perform a job and 2.) find someone who is willing to pay us for the outcome we produce. I have been frustrated trying to put these two pieces together. I can use my talents in a job I’m not passionate about, yet I can support my family. I can also follow my passions and not make a single dime. What was liberating to me was when I started looking at my “day job” as a way to sustain my life and the life of my family and channel my passions like a side job. Sometimes I think of it as an actor working as a waiter in New York until he finally gets his break to do what drives him to get out of bed every morning. Perhaps pursuing my passions will never allow me to quite my day job, but I am hopeful. Our passions can be channeled through hobbies, recreation, service and leisure. I am no longer frustrated because I am pursuing my passions and I’m not waiting for the perfect job to be able to afford me that opportunity. I found your article liberating and encouraging. You have given me energy to keep following my desires despite the obstacles that may arise.
KegBol
Sep 18 08, 9:01 am PDT

34
Good post, and similar to my own experience. Following the Boxing Day tsunami that hit Asia, I left my job to go and help for a couple of months… which turned into two years and a new career. I’ve now even gone back to university to do an MBA to improve my skills, and a funny thing happened…

From being a very ordinary undergraduate, I felt so driven to succeed that I told my friends that I wanted to come top of my year and get a distinction. Everything I learnt I was directly applying to disaster situations in my mind, which gave me the drive to learn it thoroughly and think about it when classes were over, rather than just abstractly apply it and think about the football at the end of the day. Guess what? Having come top of the year, I’m now in America finishing my degree, with a distinction looking likely. Result!
anil
Sep 18 08, 10:16 am PDT

35
an excellent post ….reminds me of things i am passionate about and neglecting them out of fear of failure ,i find this as an outstanding opportunity to revive things i am passionate about and start acting upon !!! ..thanks for making me come alive
daniel

Sep 18 08, 10:22 am PDT

36
thank you.these points are innate really but burried under insecurities and fear. Your article is reaffirming and leads to an excavation of these facts from under the rubble of self doubt… and in my case pounds of fat. but, save that for another article.
Chris Walter

Sep 18 08, 10:40 am PDT

37
The quotes and photos your referenced are excellent! I think this is best article you have ever written well worth the front page of digg!!
David

Sep 18 08, 10:48 am PDT

38
You really nailed it in this post. Keep up the good work.
Sarah Watts

Sep 18 08, 12:01 pm PDT

39
A great as well as comprehensive post. Whenever you want to be outstanding the most important aspect is wanting it badly. But want to get badly doesn’t get it for you; the want should be backed up with hard work and perseverance.
Jean Browman - Cheerful Monk

Sep 18 08, 12:49 pm PDT

40
Sarah,
So why didn’t Hillary Clinton get the nomination? She wanted it desperately, and she’s been working her tail off for years to get it.
Watch
Sep 18 08, 1:00 pm PDT

41
Great article. Inspiring.
Rumi

Sep 18 08, 1:04 pm PDT

42
Another great article … your are a truly amazing writer.

More many of us, fear is the biggest barrier between the current state and the dream life. I personally found book from Susan Jeffers called “Embracing Uncertainty” extremely useful during transition to follow my passion.

Handled properly, fear is the biggest gift God has given us. Picking up the courage and doing things that scares you, helps us to grow and live extraordinary lives.
FPM
Sep 18 08, 1:10 pm PDT

43
I used to be a homeless rodeo clown but now i am a world class magician ! Outstanding !
dankclimes
Sep 18 08, 1:35 pm PDT

44
This is a pretty good article, but there is one big problem with this whole strategy. That is finding that thing that you really like to do and invest time into. It seems a lot people have trouble finding these things, while others constantly require several projects/activities to find satisfaction. Personally, I’ve never really felt like a “natural” at anything in particular, although almost everything I’ve ever tried has come easily to me (except whistling).
Matericia
Sep 18 08, 1:56 pm PDT

45
The seeds of desire still exist in Hillary Clinton and if she can dig herself out of debt and be a workhorse in the senate, we’ll see…

God answers all prayers, sometimes he says “No.” or “Not yet” or “I’m working on it.” or “do it yourself!” Sometimes when our intention matches the winds of time everything says “YES, WE CAN!

We can do great things.

Vote Barack Obama!

http://capwiz.com/ala/il/bio/sponsortrack/?id=3181
Joyce Greenberg

Sep 18 08, 2:41 pm PDT

46
Hi,

I really appreciate and resonate with your quest. I loved the elaboration you did in this post about how to be outstanding. I am an acupuncturist in Seattle and I will definitely pass on your blog to clients. I am interested in starting a health/food/urban farming blog so I was curious about what is the income stream you receive from posting ads on a monthly basis? And, any information you might have about setting up a blog. Your insights and advice is most welcome! Joyce
Ryan McLean

Sep 18 08, 5:01 pm PDT

47
I soend hours online each day growing, developing and improving my entrepreneurs blog because I am completely passionate about it and I want to be outstanding. This post was spot on. I love what I do so I want to do really well at it. Other things I don’t love so I don’t want to do well.

I wish I could hide away with my computer for one straight month and JUST focus on building my blog and internet marketing stuff. Then come out of my cocoon and talk to people after I feel I have done a lot of good things.

This is how passionate I am. There is not enough time in the day to do as much work as I want to do
My Life In a Cube

Sep 18 08, 5:34 pm PDT

48
If you’re interested in how to be average, I’m your guy.
Dennis

Sep 18 08, 6:20 pm PDT

49
Extending Victory Darwin’s comment, sometimes when we start thinking about a project that involves sharing our passions with the world we are confronted with so many others seemingly doing the same thing. But don’t fool yourself. What you will do won’t be the same thing as what others are doing. Don’t get hung up on finding your niche or being unique and original, just pursue what you love doing and the originality, voice, and niche will unfold and reveal itself to you.

Thanks Tina, great article! Resonant and gives us that boost we need.
Jean Browman - Cheerful Monk

Sep 18 08, 7:00 pm PDT

50
Materica,
“God answers all prayers, sometimes he says “No.” or “Not yet” or “I’m working on it.” or “do it yourself!” Sometimes when our intention matches the winds of time everything says “YES, WE CAN!” Sure, sometimes God says “No”, which means even if a person has a strong passion and works hard she won’t get what she wants. Check out the obituary of my sister-in-law who recently died of MS: http://www.haskins.yale.edu/browman/cpb_obit.pdf

She wanted to continue doing outstanding work a lot longer than she was able to. I’m all for positive thinking and dedication, but I don’t believe ignoring reality is helpful in the long run.
Randy Zeitman
Sep 18 08, 8:48 pm PDT

51
“Anything is possible if you believe in it hard enough.”

No. It’s not. There are simply such things are bad choices and attempting tasks which are simply not feasable regardles of any mythically great effort.

I shouldn’t have, and didn’t, pursue my dream to play in the NBA. Why? Because I’m 5′ 8″ and just not that good (and at age 46 that might be an issue too).

Want to write a great article?…Knowing when to quit. It’s absolutely not negative, it’s 100% positive to know when you’re spinning your wheels!
vikram parmar

Sep 18 08, 9:04 pm PDT

52
stumbled across you ..
i myself am a computer science student and for some time i have been thinking that i really not njoy this field.
After reading your post i felt so good.You have inspired me.
Keep rocking and enlightening the ppl.
Trina

Sep 19 08, 6:40 am PDT

53
This is just the information that many of us need. The classroom is only one of several ways to learn. Not enough credit is given to the self-taught individual. It takes drive and discipline in order to explore our dreams. Thank you for the tips and encouragement to persevere.
Trina
Desserts

Sep 19 08, 8:07 am PDT

54
“If you do what you love to do, then you won’t do it in an average way.”
This is so true! If you love doing what you do, then you’ll go above and beyond to make sure it’s perfect. I love writing, so I always make sure my blog is updated and new articles are always flowing =)
Tim Spence
Sep 19 08, 11:47 am PDT

55
Great article! I’ve run across similar advice many times in my life before stopping my own resistance and engaging the process. The steps you listed truly work. I hope that anyone who is unsatisfied in their career path reads this article and starts their new journey post haste.
vikram parmar

Sep 20 08, 3:59 am PDT

56
you have been rolled.. :D
Alice
Sep 20 08, 10:29 am PDT

57
I stumbled across your article the other day and loved it. Then this afternoon, I clicked stumbleupon and the exact same article popped up on a totally different website. (http://www.skewlbuoy.com/sblog/)

I wanted to let you know, in case this other person is not you.

Keep up the great writing! :)
Liara Covert

Sep 20 08, 5:56 pm PDT

58
In my mind, each person is already ‘outstanding’ as they are, in whatever they do. It is simply a question of evolving to perceive themselves and their potential differently. Self-confidence can grow as the reuslt of praise, but self-acceptance begins inside yoruself.
Kony
Sep 20 08, 11:58 pm PDT

59
Thank you so much. Really, really needed this message right now.
Liz

Sep 21 08, 9:28 am PDT

60
Thank you so much for this wonderful post. We need to remind ourselves every day that following our passions makes us happier, more whole. It’s such an important message. I’ll be bookmarking and revisiting this one!
Susan

Sep 22 08, 4:01 am PDT

61
This is such a great post. Thank you for sharing such wonderful advice with us all. I believe there is nothing as rewarding as finding your niche!
Tom Stine | Life Coach for Spiritual People

Sep 23 08, 10:55 am PDT

62
Tina, I love the photo of Gala. She is amazing, isn’t she?

I loved the article. You story is a cool one. I have -0- doubt that you have found your niche in which to be outstanding. :-)
Valerie
Sep 23 08, 3:09 pm PDT

63
Very late comment…but I love this article and I really needed to read it. I’ve been surrounded by people with amazing talent and potential my whole life, and I’ve always felt like I wasn’t (and couldn’t be) one of those people. I definitely need to start believing in myself and my dreams for the future.

I love Gala Darling and I’ve been a follower of her blog since she first started, but the one thing I always sort of disliked about her is that she seems so…unattainable, like there’s no way anyone could ever be like that or live her life. Reading her wonderful articles and looking at pictures she’s taken during her crazy adventures honestly make me feel very sad at times. I think I’m just strange. :)
Amy
Sep 23 08, 5:26 pm PDT

64
Dankclimes:
I’m quite like your description. Most things come very easily to me yet none of them feel so natural that I know that *this* is the thing I want to do. I think in my case it’s half fear because I want to do so many different things, partly just to prove that it’s possible to those around me and inspire them, and half confusion like yourself. Do you ever find yourself in what you might call ‘flow’ states?
Steve Errey

Sep 25 08, 8:45 am PDT

65
Plugging into what matters to you is the only way to be successful. I go on and on and on about it, but make no apology for it, and good see other folks here who get that.

When you engage with something that matters, something that means something to you and has a personal relevance it doesn’t matter what roadblocks get in the way – you just want to go forwards with it for the simple fact that you want to do it. It’s not even about the result or the end-point – the point of it is to engage with it.

Not so sure about your confidence building tips, which come with a few problems of their own, but more power to ya Tina!
The Excellence Blog

Sep 25 08, 8:19 pm PDT

66
Wow, what an informative blog post and I have learned a lot simply by reading from your experiences itself.

This is powerful because another person may have written the same topic like passion at work or workplace excellence but you are writing out from what you have really gone through.

I know things do not come easy and I believe this post has helped and become very relevant to many people who are going through the same struggles.

When the going gets tough, the tough gets going.

Thanks for sharing.

Sincerely,
Clement Chee
Tom Atkins

Sep 29 08, 3:55 am PDT

67
What a well thought out article. I’m a long term fan of yours, but this particular post hit home. I’ve been blessed to do good work that I am passionate about, but you articulated the path far better than I could have. I’ll be passing this along to many others I know.
Pregnancy

Oct 04 08, 3:05 pm PDT

68
My Father always said if you love what you are doing you will never work a day in your life.

What you are saying is very true if you are happy in your job then you are relaxed and being relaxed produces much higher then being tight.
Dinan
Oct 28 08, 7:39 am PDT

69
thank, this page wasn so helpful to me to doin my argumentative paragraph!
Prabu Rajasekaran

Oct 28 08, 7:53 pm PDT

70
“Become your own teacher and your own best student.” – This struck a chord. I think we can role play at every stage with ourselves – as a teacher, as a student, as an unguided child, as a personal counselor, as a friend, and so on.

Always be with ourselves during our discovery.

Thank you for the kind post.
Vincent

Oct 29 08, 9:57 pm PDT

71
Great post. I believe in taking massive action to achieve what we want. We can start up with no experience and no education about the things that we are going to jump right into, but we must make the effort to gain the education and experience as we go through the journey.

Cheers
Vincent
Personal Development Blogger
Arjen

Nov 02 08, 9:51 am PDT

72
Great post. I absolutely love the quote at the top!
Marc
Nov 02 08, 2:57 pm PDT

73
Good article, but you have some factual inaccuracies..

from his record label website (http://www.opus3artists.com/artists/joshua-roman)…
“Homeschooled until the age of 16, when he left to pursue his musical studies at the Cleveland Institute of Music, Joshua (Roman) received his Bachelor Degree in Cello Performance in 2004 studying with Richard Aaron. In 2005 he also received his Masters Degree from the CIM, studying with Desmond Hoebig, Principal Cellist of the Cleveland Orchestra.”

He has always been a cellist, and he certainly never had the chance to pursue math and physics at the graduate level (unless you can offer evidence to the contrary)

I hate to be nitpicky, since it’s really a fantastic article, but…

*****************************************
REPLY

Hi Marc,

Joshua Roman is a personal friend of mine. Yes, I can offer evidence: Him!
He’s read this article and didn’t have a problem with my references to him.

In addition to being a gifted cellist, Josh was also exceptional at Math and Physics.
They were indeed options for him, and he have considered doing them.

Tina
Randy
Nov 03 08, 7:59 am PDT

74
>> Anything is possible if you want it bad enough

No. It’s not. And it’s not bad that it’s not.

Why isn’t the lesson learned about making realistic goals? No matter how bad I want to play in the NBA it’s not going to happen…why?…well I’m 5-9, 46 years old, and just not that good at hoops.

And those circumstances change regardless of how bad I want it.

Could I not just change that goal to play local competitive basketball and be very happy with that? Sure can.

Point being is that if anything is possible then why can’t that anything be “I will set difficult but realistic goals and take join in reaching them.”

I think cynicism can be a very good trait when it comes to goal setting because it sets you up for success, not failure. I think one is setup for failure when unrealistic goals are cast as positive ones. If disagree you’ll find no shortage of people who declared bankruptcy by pursuing business ideas that were just plain lousy but took the position of “I really want it…therefore I know I can succeed…therefore I will…therefore I’m gonna put everything I have into it, including money.”

It’s not good. It’s just stupid to concede common sense (or good advice) in pursuit of unrealistic dreams. Just because there’s a lottery winner every week doesn’t mean you should start putting all your extra cash into lottery tickets (which some people really have done and destroyed families in the process).
Dennis Kempin
Nov 12 08, 10:10 pm PDT

75
Hi Tina!

I really love your article, many of the things you are talking about seem very familiar to me.
Just half a year ago I also realized that user experience is the passion that let me spend my part-time on writing computer software.

Since I am still attending university to graduate in media engineering, there still have a long way to go. But your article gave me a lot of confidence that working towards this passion is the right thing to do.

Thank you for that post!
Dennis
Mike

Feb 16 09, 10:01 pm PDT

76
The post certainly is outstanding, wow. I have had several career changes in my life but these tended to be more of the nature of drifting out of one area where I had held an interest into a new area where I had developed interest and began applying the skills I had picked up. These new areas generally had been better paying and more prestigious. It is a case of growing into things that appealed to me. It seems like a natural progression.

Making plans and advancing toward them as you suggest is something that activates the law of attraction.
Wendelina

Apr 18 09, 9:26 pm PDT

77
Wow, this is excellent. I had a very similar experience with finding my true passion, and I actually wrote about it: http://soulfulinspirations.blogspot.com/2009/04/my-spiritual-journey.html

Thank you Tina for sharing!

Wendelina
Ana
Jun 04 09, 12:37 pm PDT

78
What an excellent post. Thank you.
Sue
Aug 03 09, 6:50 am PDT

79
Grate article!!!! I definately agree with you keep it up … thank you for sharing.
Jmoney

Aug 10 09, 6:55 am PDT

80
great article!!
Jmoney

Aug 10 09, 6:56 am PDT

81
great article..!!
Heidi Richards Mooney

Feb 08 10, 2:03 pm PDT

82
Tina Su,

another home run post! I love the topic of following your passion and since I am totally in alignment with my passions, life seems to be so much easier!

Make it a great day… and then some.

Heidi Richards Mooney, Social Media Coach and Author
Quirky Marketing Calendar, 365 Ways to Grow Your Business Using Zany and Non-Traditional Holiday
Technology Jakk

Aug 05 10, 12:27 am PDT

83
You have really nailed it with this post. Great advice and a great read, I love your writing style btw, to the point whilst being objective.
Arwa kooli

Aug 29 10, 9:19 am PDT

84
Hello Tina,
This is a very interesting article, the most thing I have liked is :

“Myth: You need a formal education before you can”. Really for so much time and before doing many things I have been telling myself that I don’t have the needed education even though is some fields I have infomration and skills better than many experts. So thatk you for pointing that out.
Jon
Sep 28 10, 6:35 am PDT

85
Great article. Truly inspirational stuff. As an upcoming college graduate I am facing many of these challenges. Thanks for writing this.
Gina

Sep 28 10, 10:00 am PDT

86
Amazing post. Inspiring to many. I know how blessed I feel to have found something that makes me happy. Life is too short to do something you hate every day. I think more people are realizing that after losing their jobs. They are finding ways to make money doing what they love- if more people do, we will have a happier society in general.
CathyP

Sep 29 10, 5:09 am PDT

87
Oh this is so true and exactly what I work with clients on – gotta find that special something in order to be the best and to love what you do. And not to worry if ‘it’ changes of it takes us a while to get comfortable with what we are doing – the search is all part of the fun!Cathy
jawatan kosong

Nov 29 10, 6:57 am PDT

88
Interest is the key. When you have your interest, and you do it passion then you will outstanding.
authentic retro jordans

Dec 13 10, 9:06 pm PDT

89
Only want to say your article is awesome. The clarity in your post is simply striking and i can take for granted you are an expert on this field. Well with your permission allow me to grab your rss feed to keep up to date with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please keep up the solid work.
Tina Su

Dec 13 10, 11:34 pm PDT

90
@authentic retro jordans

Hi there, thank you for your encouraging words. I don’t consider myself an expert in the field, I’m just a girl, doing her best to make sense of the world we live in.. and how to live here happily. :) Thank you so much for subscribing. That’s the best compliment I can receive.
Ae delos Reyes
Feb 03 12, 2:09 am PDT

91
Extra ordinary, it is very inspiring and helps us to find the right direction and path to go on with our lives.
Marilyn
Feb 18 12, 10:17 am PDT

92
I thought I could relate to this article and I really tried, but it made me go “eck.” I’m the opposite of your examples.. I’m passionate about math, but am pursuing a science degree. Reading the examples made me feel worse because you kept straying away from math. I understand that they’re just examples but I just kept thinking “How can anyone pursue music? I can’t relate to this at all. At least science and math are BOTH secure. I would never chase after something like blog writing or business or classical music.” I understand where you’re coming from, but I also think it’s bad advice. There’s chasing after your dreams (quite idealistically), and then there’s survival. To each his/her own I guess.
Conferencista

Feb 27 12, 5:54 pm PDT

93
Wow, it is truly a very complet post, very well investigated.

I feel very identified with your personal case. I used to have great job, but I didn’t feel that I fit.

And when I hear someone say “If you love what you do, you will never work”, I didn’t believe it.

But is amazing when you find what you actualy love. And take the steps to do it.

It’s truly a very extensive but interesting reading, thanks for sharing it.

Vicente Campos
shwaathi
May 03 12, 6:02 pm PDT

94
Hi Tina,

Your blog is very helpful : ) (I could not find a more apt word to describe your blog). I have learned quite a lot about me and otherwise reading it.

Could you suggest a good writing book that is for non-fictional creative writing? I love writing quirky meaningful articles about my experiences, usually as a letter to a friend. I want to improve on that and see where it takes me.

Thanks,
Shwaathi
Tina Su

May 04 12, 9:12 am PDT

95
Hi Shwaathi!

Thank you for the encouraging feedback. :)

I’m not sure of a book, but the best tip I can give is to start writing and creating a schedule/habit of writing. The more you do, the better you will be. Also, read the types of writing (blogs or books) you aspire to write from other authors. Doing a combination of both will give you the writing education you need (in my opinion).

Love,
Tina
sheikh

May 15 12, 9:11 am PDT

96
This article is strong enough to sow the seeds for exceptional talent.Thank you Tina. verymuch………
Seorix

Nov 01 12, 4:24 am PDT

97
Thank you Tina for this great information! I will follow your blog in the furture.

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