Often I am asked, “How do you know you are truly passionate about your dream?” Passionate enough to realize that dream! One day it occurred to me, how to answer that question in the most succinct way possible.

If you have ever seen the Charlie Brown Christmas program then this will be as crystal clear. If you have not seen it – go watch it as soon as possible.

I want to take you back to the scene where the peanuts are rehearsing for the school Christmas program. Lucy is leaning on the piano while Schroeder tries to pick out the version of Jingle Bells that Lucy wants for the play.

Most people would be satisfied with just about any version, but not Lucy. She knew there was a specific version that was just right for this particular play. She didn’t like the first version or the second and now Schroeder was getting pretty annoyed with her. After all, he had played versions of that song to rival Mozart.

Finally, he just took one finger and starting banging the keys and Lucy shouted, “THAT’S IT!” causing Schroeder to rolled over backwards several times. You could feel the passion in her voice. She knew without an ounce of doubt the moment he played the best version for the play. You might say he struck the right chord!

Lucy’s passion would not let her settle for just any version…even though they were all good.

Lucy’s passion would not let her give in even though she could see that those around her were irritated and just wanted it to be done.

Lucy’s passion would not let her settle, give-up, give-in.

Lucy’s passion was non-negotiable.

Your passion will not let you quit. It will be the drive and the force moving you towards your dream, vision, mission. When you are passionate about something…you are determined to succeed!

Related posts:

1. Raise Your Passion with Mastery for Women Mastery for Women will Inspire, Motivate and Empower you...
2. A Desk, A Piano and a Dream! (Part 3) The lunch bell rang the next day and I...
3. A Desk, A Piano and A Dream! (Part 1) I had imagined myself directing a concert band. I...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

What is it that is deep with in a woman like Ida B. Wells that drove her through brick walls of opposition? Too young to remember much about slavery having been born just before the start of the civil war, but certainly lived through much of the gilded age of America’s history.

What did Ida know or have then, that many remarkable individuals possess today?

Heart? …Absolutely!

Tenacity? …Without question!

Passion? …In abundance!

Whatever her cause at any given moment, and there were many, she approached each one wholeheartedly – undivided in purpose, enthusiasm, will, or commitment.

One of Ida’s most difficult crusades was that of anti-lynching. Most people think of lynching as just being hung by a rope from the neck. But one must realize that during this time in history, African Americans were not simply hung by the neck, they were burned alive and brutally murdered. The word “lynched” used here means much more, hence Ida’s crusade.

Often we marvel at the success of others. We wonder how they could have achieved such phenomenal success against seemingly insurmountable odds. Like Ida, they have a strong why. I learned much about Ida’s time in history while I was in college and I saw many photos of lynched men, women and children. Trust me, you do not want to see such photos. I can only imagine that for Ida, these weren’t merely photos. Three of her dearest friends were lynched – this was her experience. It is also part of what made her “why” so powerful that she pressed forward against every brick wall and often broke through.

Sometimes to get to your dream, you are going to have to press against and break through some brick walls of failure, fear, doubt, negativity and/or adversity, all the while holding the vision of success until you see that first gleam of light coming through that brick wall. That gleam of light will be like a surge of energy, power and strength that will give you the ability to bust through the rest of that wall like a locomotive engine.

The learn more about Ida B. Wells visit http://www.duke.edu/~ldbaker/classes/AAIH/caaih/ibwells/ibwbkgrd.html

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Do you have the a strategic position in your niche market? Are you using the 21st Century Marketing Edge every entrepreneur must employ? Are you a “fully engaged” Conscious Entrepreneur?

If you are successful, then you certainly have the first part down. If your business is an extension of your core beliefs and values and shines through in everything you do, then you have the last part down. And the middle one ties them both together.

The 21st Century Marketplace customers and clients seek to do business with people they know, like and trust. That means as an entrepreneur, you must show up as trustworthy and authentic. You can not fake it. At least not for very long. This is where…Integrity, Contribution, Trust, Passion, Mission and Vision, all come into play.

You have to know how you want to show up in the marketplace. What does your brand say about who you truly are? How do you want to be remembered? What kind of legacy will you leave behind as a business person?

It may be a “dog eat dog” marketplace to some old school, die-hard holdouts, but to those who want to build a better tomorrow, it’s all about how much value can I bring to the marketplace.

The 21st Century Marketing Edge Every Entrepreneur Must Employ is…

Consciousness!

Consciousness is not a thing, it is a lifestyle. It is lived each and everyday, whether at work or play. It is a way of life. And because it is a lifestyle, it can only be employed and effective by those who “authentically” are conscious. Oh and yes, it does require a paradigm shift from the old school marketing model.

Join me and four of my co-authors from the upcoming book, Align, Expand and Succeed: Shifting the Paradigm of Entrepreneurial Success for a FREE Teleseminar.

Register Here Today!

Related posts:

1. Facing the Challenges of Goliath Goals I felt in my spirit that the sun had...
2. Are You Committed To Win? All to often people who have failed to reach...
3. A Desk, A Piano and a Dream! (Part 3) The lunch bell rang the next day and I...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

All to often people who have failed to reach their goals simply lacked the “Commitment” to WIN! Why is it so  many people easily accept defeat and never again step into the arena of “going for their dreams?”

I know it can seem like there is no seemingly possible way YOU can see to achieve your dreams. That’s when I know someone has their eyes and focus on their current ability, circumstances and past failures. Had I kept that outlook when I approached the school superintendent about starting a band program, I never would have gotten it up and running.

When I first walked into his office and said “I want to start a band program,” his initial answer was that I did not have the skills or experience. After all, I was not even a music major in college. I majored in sociology. But that did not deter me. I was COMMITTED to WIN! I held a vision of that band class for two years before I got my opportunity. And so two years later, I was asked by this same superintendent who told me no and the current school principal to start a band program.

I was not only committed to win, but I was committed to EXCELL! I had a budget of zero dollars, not one single piece of band equipment – no chairs, no music stands, nothing! And yet, out of pure PASSION and DESIRE and COMMITMENT, by the time our Christmas program rolled around three months later, I had forty band students, music stands, instruments, sheet music – EVERYTHING I NEEDED to EXCELL. And when those kids performed that night, it was phenomenal. It was one of the most transformational experiences of my LIFE! God had a plan and all I had to do was have faith in His plan for me.

The poem below sums it up so well, that I wanted to share it with you. I want you to explore your Demension for Greatness!

Your Dimension Of Greatness

No one can know the potential,
Of a life that is committed to win;
With courage – the challenge it faces,
To achieve great success in the end!

So, explore the Dimension of Greatness,
And believe that the world CAN be won;
By a mind that is fully committed,
KNOWING the task can be done!

Your world has no place for the skeptic,
No room for the DOUBTER to stand;
To weaken your firm resolution
That you CAN EXCEL in this land!

We must have VISION TO SEE our potential,
And FAITH TO BELIEVE that we can;
Then COURAGE TO ACT with conviction,
To become what GOD MEANT us to be!

So, possess the strength and the courage,
To conquer WHATEVER you choose;
It’s the person WHO NEVER GETS STARTED,
That is destined FOREVER to lose!

~ Author Unknown ~

Being committed to win is a decision. It is not a feeling. Feelings come and go and can not be relied upon. You may feel great today and lousy tomorrow. Most people react to their feelings. True commitment says I am going to do this regardless of how I feel, what people say or think and no matter what my current circumstances. True commitment is a conscious state of mind where you do whatever it takes to keep moving forward. If you need coaching, you get it. If you need training, you get it. If you need accountability, you set it up. If you need to work on your mindset, you work on it. Whatever you need to do – DO IT!

If you really want to be Committed to WIN – then you will jump through whatever hoops you need to jump through to WIN! If that means placing reminders throughout your home, so be it. If that means reading more, praying more, meditating more, seeking more, learning more, etc – so be it.

Are you starting to get the picture of Committment? It is a Decision. It is that “stick to it” attitude that Abraham had, that Moses had, that David had…in the midst of every obsatcle, tragedy and even when they failed to follow God’s leading, they stuck with it and kept moving forward.

BE Committmented to WIN!

Related posts:

1. A Desk, A Piano and a Dream! (Part 3) The lunch bell rang the next day and I...
2. A Desk, A Piano and A Dream – Part Two Walking out of the principal’s office that day, I...
3. A Desk, A Piano and A Dream! (Part 1) I had imagined myself directing a concert band. I...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

I felt in my spirit that the sun had just peeked over the horizon. I thought if I kept my eyes closed it would somehow make it all seem like a dream. I knew I had a Goliath Goal to face that morning, and was struggling to prepare my mind for the journey.

As I lay there with my head on my pillow, looking up at the ceiling, something occurred to me. This “thing” is probably one of the single most important reasons why I did get out of bed at 5:45am on a Saturday morning. This “thing” that occurred to me was my WHY.

Whatever you goal is, you better have a strong enough “WHY” that you can back with passion and move towards with joy. These Goliath Goals, are the life-changing goals that separate mediocre lives from extraordinary lives. We all have them throughout our lives. As children almost all of our goals are Goliath in nature, but as we age and become adults they are relegated to a shrunken and small nature. It’s as though society and the adults around children beat those Goliath Goals out of the mindset of children.

Think back to when you were a child, or of children you know today. When they desire something, the only thing that matters to them is that they desire it. They are not thinking about how much it cost, how long it takes or even what other people are going to think or say. The kid shares his/her goal, vision, dream with such passion and excitement with the nearest adult, not realizing that this adult no longer is capable of dreaming Goliath dreams. This adult then starts in on the poor kid. “We can’t afford that. What gave you such a crazy idea in the first place?”

It’s starts happening. This child who had such great faith, starts to be brainwashed (mindwashed) into thinking that dreams don’t really come true. Over time the damage is done and by the time this child is grown up, he/she has accepted the “status quo” and is on their way to a life void of dreams.

The first part of facing the challenges of Goliath Goals is to face your own inner beliefs. Do what you have to do to deal with those beliefs. Seek out ways to re-train your mind to dream like a child – to have child-like faith. You can not afford to ignore this important step. If you do, you will find yourself taxing on the runway of life, going in circles around your goals, but never taking off.

Read books, go to seminars, get on webinars, work with a coach, pray, meditate, listen to CDs in your car, while working out…every chance you get, be doing something about your belief that you deserve and is your birthright to live a full, abundant and joy-filled life. And when you get this down, you are now empowered to go out there and guide someone else back to child-like faith.

So again, the first challenge of Goliath Goals…is to Have ONE!

What is your Goliath Goal?

WHY? WHY? WHY? (so you stick with it no matter what!)

How are you going to Discover it? Achieve it? Live it?

God has a plan for your life. Good plans. Great plans. Plans to prosper you in all ways. But He will not force you to accept His plans. He gives each of us freedom of choice. You get to choose. Really. But in choosing, please understand, that I never used the word “easy.” There will be times when you want to give up. Just as I did the morning I got up to walk/run my 6 miles in prep for a marathon. It all came back to mindset and my “Why am I doing this again?”

Remind yourself often of your WHY. You will need it often throughout your journey, just as I did as demonstrated in the video below.

Related posts:

1. Get Passionate About Your Goals “Discover Your Purpose, back itwith Passion and Live it...
2. Raise Your Passion with Mastery for Women Mastery for Women will Inspire, Motivate and Empower you...
3. Are You Committed To Win? All to often people who have failed to reach...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

This morning I did not want to get out of bed. Who wants to get up on a beautiful, cool Saturday morning at 6:00am? My friend knocked on my door, “Are you up?”

“Only if I have to be.”

“How many eggs do you want?” she said.

“Two,” I responded, as I rolled over and pulled the covers over my head. I looked out the window, and sure enough, it was daylight. I’m normally a morning person. Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and ready to go early every morning. But this time I had to drag myself out of bed.

I thanked God for another day and many other blessings in my life. I asked for strength to get up and going. Then I thought about the children and adults who battle blood cancer. I thought about the treatments they endure. I thought about the pain and uncertainty they deal with constantly. I thought about my own mother who had died of lung cancer 8 years earlier. Then I thought…I can do this. If they can do what they do, I can do this for them. I got up, got dressed and walked into the kitchen.

My friend Barb had a plate with two eggs and toast waiting for me at the kitchen table. I finished my nurishment. We packed our walking gear, water, power bar and a banana. Drove to the site to meet the other Team In Training participants, stretched and hit the trail. 

It was one of the toughest trainings so far because of all the hills we had to climb. But these hills were nothing compared to the hills those who battle Leukemia/Lymphoma must climb. So I climbed. And then there it was. The most beautiful sight I seen in a while. Folsom Lake. The sun shone over it and the waters just glimmered. I thought about the hills these brave people climb daily and about the joy when they reach the Lake of healing.

For some that lake is not here on earth, and for others it is. Healing does come. And I walk for this cause because I have felt what only one can feel when you go through this with a family member. I am ever in prayer for all you brave souls who are climbing those tough hills. Keep your head up, take small steps and find as many ways as you can to put yourself in happy thoughts. I am thinking thoughts of you in a healed and healthy body.

Related posts:

1. Facing the Challenges of Goliath Goals I felt in my spirit that the sun had...
2. A Desk, A Piano and A Dream – Part Two Walking out of the principal’s office that day, I...
3. JOY – Just Overcome Yourself! J♥O♥Y→ Just Overcome Yourself! JOY is a result of...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

I’m training for the Nike Women’s Marathon to take place in October in San Francisco. I am raising money for the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society. Today I walked/ran 5 miles at Sculpture Park as part of my training for the week. I walked a total of 11 miles this week. I would love and appreciate your support for this great cause. Donations can be made at http://pages.teamintraining.org/sac/nikesf10/anitacrawfordclark

Related posts:

1. Lake of Healing This morning I did not want to get out...
2. A Desk, A Piano and A Dream! (Part 1) I had imagined myself directing a concert band. I...
3. Success Does Not Come As Standard Equipment at Birth The last new car I bought was a 2009...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

J♥O♥Y→ Just Overcome Yourself! JOY is a result of loving. Loving one another is a commandment. JOY is absent where love and forgiveness is refused. Every moment we are choosing whether or not to love one another.  John 15:11-12 says, “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.”

Too often people allow others to control their joy. Most people go to work, especially on Monday, and before they ever get there, they start thinking about who they don’t like. They start thinking about their unreasonable boss, lazy co-worker, wishing it were Friday and on and on it goes. How can anyone have JOY approaching the day and people with those sort of thoughts? They can’t!

You have to turn that around. You have to appraoch each day, especially Monday, with a JOY-Ful heart (mindset). Why not think instead, “I am grateful for another day. I am going to smile and be a blessing to my boss, co-workers, and everyone I meet. I don’t know what they are facing outside the workplace. But I want them to know that when they see me, I will be smiling. That they will always hear a kind and encouraging word from me. And because of my smile and my kind words and my goodwill, they will know they are loved.

When you start to approach your days and others this way, you will find you have “overcome” yourself. Most people are unable to express these qualities because they are still their own. It is still about them. And mainly them. They say things like, “Well, you don’t know what she/he did or said to me.” There’s that word again, ME. M-E = My Excuse. There is no excuse. Either we love one another, or we don’t.

I choose LOVE. I get JOY!

Related posts:

1. Raise Your Passion with Mastery for Women Mastery for Women will Inspire, Motivate and Empower you...
2. Networking from Trust vs. Desperation When you are desperate, you do not have patience,...
3. Get Passionate About Your Goals “Discover Your Purpose, back itwith Passion and Live it...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

The last new car I bought was a 2009 Toyota Camry. The base model was nice. It had all the basic components necessary to operate efficiently. But I was not willing to settle for the status quo. I decided to add a built in GPS, tint the windows and upgrade the tires. In doing so, it cost me more to purchase the car. But having those few extra features were oh so nice. Many people settle for the base model when it comes to success. The base model for success is called mediocrity.

Success does not come as standard equipment at birth. But you may be thinking, “Isn’t it a success when a baby learns to walk?” It’s expected. Most all babies learn to walk, feed themselves and talk. As they grow up they learn to read, write, add, subtract and so on. All these are milestones that are a natural part of human development.

Success, in particular for entrepreneurs, requires a person to step out of what is natural, to deviate from their comfort zone, to persevere long after most have settled for what comes naturally. Successful people are willing to endure more, pay more, learn and apply more.

Sometimes the only thing keeping you from success are your “BUTs.” It’s time to “kick some BUTs” and make success a #1 priority. Whatever BUTs are standing in your way…

• I would read that book, but…
• I would learn that strategy, but…
• I would go to that business mixer, but…
• I would make more phone calls, but…
• I would get up early, but…
• I would get up to par on social media, but…
• I would make a video, but…

BUT Nothing will ever happen until you “kick every single BUT” you have. And if your BUTs try to get back up and fight, kick them again. Everyday if you must, until your BUTs become DIDs!!!

Doing Inpired Daily Steps

• I DID read that book…
• I DID learn that strategy…
• I DID go to that business mixer…
• I DID make more phone calls…
• I DID get up early…
• I DID get up to par on social media…
• I DID make a video…

It really is about making a decision and then taking immediate action and doing whatever you need to do to make it happen. That will vary from person to person. There is only one thing for you to do…figure it out! Keep doing. Keep searching. Keep believing. Keep your focus. Keep pressing. Keep growing.  Keep an open mind. Keep at it!

This video I added here…I did not stop until I learned how to do this type of screen shot video. It’s so cool and so much fun.

Related posts:

1. Women Entrepreneurs of Greater Sacramento Raising the Bar of Business Success & Networking The Women Entrepreneurs of Greater Sacramento is raising the...
2. Raise Your Passion with Mastery for Women Mastery for Women will Inspire, Motivate and Empower you...
3. Facing the Challenges of Goliath Goals I felt in my spirit that the sun had...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.