Believe in Your Dreams

When you work with passionate people, you get better results! People who are in their ideal careers are more motivated, more innovative and more fun than people just in a job for a paycheck. 

If you need further convincing, check out my latest post on MarthaStewart.com on the Radio Blog! You'll get the see the amazing work of two of my career coaching clients - Designer Trisha Ginter and Photographer Ann Wilkinson and my travel writer husband Craig (also pursuing his ideal career.)

Every customer, every recruiter, every employer wants to hire people who are in their ideal careers. It's the best way to create lasting job security and Trisha, Ann and Craig are all great examples. Hope you enjoy reading it and Happy 4th of July!

What do you think? Do you agree that if you follow your passion, success will follow you? Post your comments and experiences working with talented people!

Have you ever felt uninspired? Have you ever thought about passion and purpose only to feel as if you don't really have much of either? If so, you are definitely not alone. Many of my clients come to me for help uncovering their true aspirations. (To read my article on Finding Your Purpose, click here.)

The key is to recognize that 1) you DEFINITELY do have passion and purpose. It may only be a a little burning pilot light but deep within you there is a knowing of who you are and what you're in this life to become. And 2) sometimes you need a spark to fan that flame into a beautiful, blazing fire.

For me that pilot light was burning for my desire to sing. I love helping people with careers but part of me always dreamt of being a singer. I never thought it was something I could make a living at so I didn't sing at all. Until recently.

A healthy sense of humor may be just what's needed in these trying times. Recently Business Consultant and Comedian George Prinzo appeared on my radio show to share his thoughts on believing in your dreams (especially if your dream is to be an entertainer!)

Here are a few highlights:

- Remember, to get over stage fright, don't picture people in their underwear - it just makes things worse.

- When pursuing your dream - don't quit your day job (unless Career Consultant extraordinaire Maggie Mistal tells you to do so. Who I am to give career advice anyway? I'm just a comedian!)

In the quest for the ideal career, many people find it inspiring to read about others who've achieved this seemingly impossible dream.

My question is always, "If others are living their dreams, why not you?" Rather than getting angry or frustrated or jealous because someone has an interesting job, the perfect schedule, plenty of vacation time, great compensation; why not instead see it as a signal that this is a possibility for you too?

In a new book called, "How'd you score that gig?" Alexandra Levit interviewed more than 100 people in their dream jobs to see what got them there. She found persistence was a very important trait.