Finding Purpose

The Dangers of Playing it Safe

Steve Bloom 29 Comments

The Dangers of Playing it Safe

You don’t have to go far to hear the dangers of taking risks.  When I was young, I was taught about “stranger danger”.  As I got older, people told me about the threats to travelers.

We’re reminded of them every day in the news.  Turn on the TV and it won’t take long to find dozens of reasons to be afraid and not take any chances.

But what about the dangers of playing it safe?

Look back on your life and think about all the times you took the safe, easy route.  What experiences did you miss?  What awesome people could you have met?

What seemed so scary and risky at the time now seem like missed opportunities.
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Be Like Water

Steve Bloom 18 Comments

Bruce Lee - Be Like Water

Life is full of resistance.  There are obstacles and barriers all trying to keep you away from reaching your dreams and goals.

My advice to you is this: be like water.

Well, it’s actually not my advice.  The source for this comes from a forty year old interview with martial arts star Bruce Lee.

Most people know Bruce Lee for his fighting prowess, but he was also a big proponent of Eastern philosophy.  Cobbling together various aspects of Taoism, Confucianism and just about anything else he could read, he pulled together a life philosophy that was uniquely his own.

This approach was reflected in his fighting style called Jeet Kune Do.  It relied on experimentation to get results.  Basically Bruce Lee would incorporate any styles or moves into his own that worked.  If they didn’t work, he’d get rid of them.

I find this philosophy fascinating because it works in most areas of life.  Learn what’s useful, leave out the rest.  Don’t waste your time and energy on things that won’t help you achieve your goals.
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8 Reasons to Never Give Up

Steve Bloom 20 Comments

Never Never Give Up

I’ve accomplished quite a few things in my life.  Over the years, I’ve learned to set big goals and take solid actionable steps in order to make them happen.

But as I look back on everything I’ve done, I can’t help notice how many of them I had seriously considered giving up.

In fact, some of my proudest accomplishments were nearly tossed aside simply because I didn’t know if I could keep going anymore.

Yet in each case, I persevered.  I kept going despite the doubts.  I kept pushing past the fear and ultimately reached my goals.

Whatever goals or dreams you have, you’ll inevitably feel like giving up.  It’s a fact of life.  If you pursue something long enough, you’ll give it serious consideration.

As someone who has gone through that doubt, I can honestly relate to how tempting it is to throw away a big goal.

But those who reach the finish line push past that feeling.

Here are eight reasons you should keep going.
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Why Being Rich Is Not Necessary for a Good Life

Steve Bloom 35 Comments

Being Rich Isn't Necessary

What’s the one obstacle holding you back from living the life you want?

Without hearing your responses, I can already tell that money is probably mentioned far more than anything else.

How do I know this?  I hear it all the time.

“If I only had enough money, I could…”

“I could live the life I want, if I had the money…”

“If only I were rich…”

Many people seem to assume that living an amazing life is dependent on how much money you have.  It’s as if being rich is an instant one-way ticket to the good life.

But perhaps by focusing too hard on money as a solution to your problems, you’re missing another possibility:

You don’t need a lot of money to live a great life.
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How to be Disciplined and Focused When Your Dreams Overwhelm You

Steve Bloom 15 Comments

Focus

*Note: This is a guest post by Vishnu of Vishnu’s Virtues.

“One reason so few of us achieve what we truly want is that we never direct our focus; we never concentrate our power. Most people dabble their way through life, never deciding to master anything in particular.” – Tony Robbins

As someone who toiled as a courtroom lawyer, survived a dozen political campaigns, is passionate about community organizing and making a difference by working for non-profits, I have had more than a dozen jobs in the last ten years.

Throw in my penchant for reading, writing and blogging: I couldn’t keep up with myself.

You too are brimming with ideas, business and life plans.

Filled with life dreams and countless directions you could run in.

All the options may leave you feeling overwhelmed and purposeless.

You’re likely asking yourself what you should be doing with your life.

What were you sent here to do? How do you find what your “thing” is?
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The 4 Choices that Will Profoundly Affect the Outcome of Your Life

Steve Bloom 20 Comments

choices

I had a conversation with a friend a few days ago about choices.  Specifically it was about which choices most impact people’s lives and which ones make the biggest difference.

There’s no mistaking that our lives are the product of our choices.  We have to decide where to work, who to marry, where to live along with a long list of other decisions.  Our choices can take us down many different paths.

My friend argued that it’s the big choices that matter most.  For instance, my choice to move to Houston last year from Minneapolis was a big choice and made a pretty big impact on where I am in life now.

But I take a different view.  I think the choices that impact our lives the most are the small ones we consistently make.  They aren’t the ones we do once; they’re the ones we do on a regular basis.

These everyday choices make a bigger impression on our lives simply because we do them more frequently.  We don’t just do them once; we do them all the time.  That means there is more opportunity for them to shape the outcomes of our lives.
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The Importance of Doing What You Say You Will

Steve Bloom 37 Comments

Exploring the shore (I've been tagged)

A few months ago I wrote a post called 7 Simple Ways to Make a Great Impression.  People seemed to like it and it was well-received, but one thing about it stood out to me.

Those who commented mentioned the first point – do what you say you will – far more than any of the others.

It seems that people consider this a huge problem.

To be honest, I made this the first point for a reason – I consider it a huge problem too.
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