In hectic activities of your daily life, step back for a moment and figure out where these activities are leading you. Set a Vision and focus your activities to reach it without expending unnecessary tangential efforts. In this way, not only will your stress be reduced, but you'll feel more motivated, prouder, and more focused knowing that your actions are building toward your desires. --- About Author ---

Edward B. Toupin is an author, publisher, life-strategy coach, counselor, Reiki Master, technical writer, and PhD Candidate living in Las Vegas, NV. Among other things, he authors books, articles, and screenplays on topics ranging from career success through life organization and fulfillment. Check out some of his recent print and electronic books as well as his articles covering various life-changing topics!

For more information, and to find out about his upcoming title on book publishing, e-mail Edward at etoupin@toupin.com or visit his site at http://www.toupin.com!

3) Those who are willing and able to allocate time, effort and money to progress their art and talents: The people in this group are doing something with their art and talents. They still believe in idea that they can become who they want to be -- that life can be way they once saw it, not withstanding all years of ‘reality checks’ that ensued. They may have actually finished a painting, or have just sold one. They maybe strutting on a catwalk or maybe they are designing a client’s logo this very minute. Or perhaps, it could be something preparatory like preparing first exhibit in their portfolio or reading a book to learn how to protect their copyright. Regardless of what effort is, big or small, as long as they are taking active steps, a person will belong to this group.

In first phase, we experience a very frustrating and demoralizing event in our ‘careers’. We cannot help but feel defeated when our work does not get reaction we have hoped for or expected and perhaps we begin to believe that we are only fooling ourselves and that we should give up our foolish hopes and dreams.

However, doesn’t it turn out that eventually, you start taking action again (in 3rd stage) after you have been brooding, perhaps even making tons of excuses for a while (in 2nd stage)? You come to realize, time and time again, that no matter what, ‘it’ is still what you want to do regardless of what has happened in past and what may happen or not happen in future.

After years of experiencing this cycle, I have decided years ago that regardless of what I was doing, and regardless of whatever ‘career’ decisions I may have to make, it must be to advance or support my creative endeavors. It makes more sense because every time I have tried to suppress it, tried to ignore it and tried to pretend that urge is not there, all I ended up doing was wasting my time. I have learnt to embrace my urge to express myself in creative ways and have accepted that it is part of me and less time I spend defeated, sooner I could get to work towards what really matters. Perhaps you can use something from my experience and if what you are experiencing is same, hopefully you would not spend too much of your life thinking that your ‘passion’ is not really what you want to do. Because honestly, what would be better than doing things to make your life happen way you dream it?

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