Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” is a great line from Emerson. If there’s no enthusiasm in what you do, it won’t be remarkable and certainly won’t connect with people on an emotional basis. But, if you put that magic energy into all of your work, you can create something that touches people on a deeper level. How can you bring MORE enthusiasm into your work? What do you have to think or believe about your work to be totally excited about it? Answer it now.

If we are doing exactly what we are supposed to be doing at any given time (call it our “purpose”), then enthusiasm is an inevitable consequence of such action. Enthusiasm isn’t something we can fake. Not the true, genuine type that connects with people.

I cannot “bring more enthusiasm” to my work other than that which is already there. The question for all of us is whether we are fulfilling our life’s purpose, or not.

(I note that there are days when all of us would rather stay in bed. On these days we need to bring determination and focus to our work. We need to be mindful that in our interactions we act with kindness and compassion. But that’s not enthusiasm. Survival maybe, but not enthusiasm.)

Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind. Absolve you to yourself, and you shall have the suffrage of the world. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

We live in a society of advice columns, experts and make-over shows. Without even knowing it, you can begin to believe someone knows better than you how to live your life. Someone might know a particular something better – like how to bake a three-layer molten coconut chocolate cake or how to build a website – but nobody else on the planet knows how to live your life better than you. (Although one or two people may think they do.) For today, trying asking yourself often, especially before you make a choice, “What do I know about this?”

OK, will do.

As an aside, it’s the kind of question I should always ask, but don’t. Sadly I’ve known that for a long time. Thanks Jen Louden.

Greatness appeals to the future. If I can be firm enough to-day to do right, and scorn eyes, I must have done so much right before as to defend me now. Be it how it will, do right now. Always scorn appearances, and you always may. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Trusting intuition and making decisions based on it is the most important activity of the creative artist and entrepreneur. If you are facing (and fearing) a difficult life decision, ask yourself these three questions:

1) “What are the costs of inaction?” I find it can be helpful to fight fear with fear. Fears of acting are easily and immediately articulated by our “lizard brains” (thanks Seth) e.g. what if I fail? what if I look stupid? If you systematically and clearly list the main costs of inaction, they will generally overshadow your immediate fears.

2) “What kind of person do I want to be?” I’ve found this question to be extremely useful. I admire people who act bravely and decisively. I know the only way to join their ranks is to face decisions that scare me. By seeing my actions as a path to becoming something I admire, I am more likely to act and make the tough calls.

3) “In the event of failure, could I generate an alterative positive outcome?” Imagine yourself failing to an extreme. What could you learn or do in that situation to make it a positive experience? We are generally so committed to the results we seek at the outset of a task or project that we forget about all the incredible value and experience that comes from engaging the world proactively, learning, and improving our circumstances as we go along.

Dan Andrews speaks the truth.

Abide in the simple and noble regions of thy life, obey thy heart. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Write down your top three dreams. Now write down what’s holding you back from them.

My dreams are mine, and mine along.

Fear. Read this: fear.less.

A man should learn to detect and watch that gleam of light which flashes across his mind from within, more than the lustre of the firmament of bards and sages. Yet he dismisses without notice his thought, because it is his. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

My favorite quote of all time is Alan Kay: ‘In order to predict the future, you have to invent it.’ I am all about inventing the future. Decide what you want the future to be and make it happen. Because you can. Write about your future now.

My future is pretty simple: it’s one where I achieve the things I want to achieve by focusing on the things I need to do.

When good is near you, when you have life in yourself, it is not by any known or accustomed way; you shall not discern the foot-prints of any other; you shall not see the face of man; you shall not hear any name;—the way, the thought, the good, shall be wholly strange and new. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Can you remember a moment in your life when you had life in yourself and it was wholly strange and new? Can you remember the moment when you stopped walking a path of someone else, and started cutting your own?

Write about that moment. And if you haven’t experienced it yet, let the miracle play out in your mind’s eye and write about that moment in your future.

Now I know if you read my #Trust30 posts you’d perhaps think I was not taking this terribly seriously. You’d be right. All the “what would you do if …” and “it’s the last 30 nanoseconds of your life” becomes a bore. I mean any of us could die right nowasdfkjdsal;djkfoeij#$*INWDkadfn

But hey, I’ll play along in the spirit that life is fun and way too many people take things way too seriously; myself included on occasion.

The other day I was standing in my kitchen watching my girls make cupcakes (I went on to make the most insane chocolate brownies FWIW). I tilted my head to one side and all of a sudden everything sounded different: clearer, brighter, bigger; so much more alive. Then it went away.

So I wonder: is the sparkly-ness the way everything always sounds and I hear everything muddled, or do I hear “normally” and I had a brief insight into what life could possibly be?

Anyhow, I’ve always walked my own path and frequently at great cost. The simple fact is that I see the world through a very different prism. It’s a reason I get frustrated when I look at a particular business and can see how things are going to play out yet people need it to be explained. I mean the sky is blue right ..?

Do your work, and I shall know you. Do your work, and you shall reinforce yourself. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Take a moment, step back from your concerns, and focus on one thing: You have one life to achieve everything you’ve ever wanted. Sounds simple, but when you really focus on it, let it seep into your consciousness, you realize you only have about 100 years to get every single thing you’ve ever wanted to do. No second chances. This is your only shot. Suddenly, this means you should have started yesterday. No more waiting for permission or resources to start. Today is the day you make the rest of your life happen. Write down one thing you’ve always wanted to do and how you will achieve that goal. Don’t be afraid to be very specific in how you’ll achieve it: once you start achieving, your goals will get bigger and your capability to meet them will grow.

w00t w00t, here we go. The following is not something I’ve always wanted to do, but it’s something that has grown on me recently. I’d love to attend every F1 Grand Prix in a calendar year, perhaps with media accreditation or even better as a guest of one of the teams. Red Bull anyone? They are the party people after all … now, where’s Mark Webber’s phone number?

On a less “it’s all about me” note, if I can raise happy, confident, intelligent, thoughtful children then my job will be done.