Passion Realized

The coauthors of the bestselling Peak Performance dive into the fascinating science behind passion, showing how it can lead to a rich and meaningful life while also illuminating the ways in which it is a double-edged sword. Here’s how to cultivate a passion that will take you to great heights—while minimizing the risk of an equally great fall. Common advice is to find and follow your passion. A life of passion is a good life, or so we are told. But it's not that simple. Rarely is passion something that you just stumble upon, and the same drive that fuels breakthroughs—whether they're athletic, scientific, entrepreneurial, or artistic—can be every bit as destructive as it is productive. Yes, passion can be a wonderful gift, but only if you know how to channel it. If you're not careful, passion can become an awful curse, leading to endless seeking, suffering, and burnout. Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness once again team up, this time to demystify passion, showing readers how they can find and cultivate their passion, sustainably harness its power, and avoid its dangers. They ultimately argue that passion and balance--that other virtue touted by our culture--are incompatible, and that to find your passion, you must lose balance. And that's not always a bad thing. They show readers how to develop the right kind of passion, the kind that lets you achieve great things without ruining your life. Swift, compact, and powerful, this thought-provoking book combines captivating stories of extraordinarily passionate individuals with the latest science on the biological and psychological factors that give rise to—and every bit as important, sustain—passion.

Passion Perkins is hot to trot. After being celibate for five long years, she's ready, willing, and able to end her drought. But she's also determined to hold out for Mr. Right... a man her friends say doesn't exist-until Lavon Chapman walks into her life: a powerful and handsome man who has come to the community to film an inspirational DVD about Passion's minister, Doctor Stanley Lee, and his fiery wife, Carla Lee. But Lavon is only in town for eight weeks...

Are you choosing to be, have, and experience more in your life? Whatever you are experiencing in life these heart-felt stories will enlighten, inspire, and motivate you to pursue your passion.

Discover your Ikigai - find your passion, discover your purpose and live a fulfilled life! In this book, you'll learn everything you need to unlock your full potential and achieve lasting happiness and success. Dive into the fascinating world of Ikigai, a centuries-old wisdom from Japan that will inspire you. Highlights of the book: Meaning of Ikigai: Learn how Ikigai can positively impact your life and lead you to greater happiness, contentment, and well-being. Practical application in everyday life: Integrate Ikigai into your life and develop your passions in different areas. Overcome obstacles and live your Ikigai to the fullest. Spiritual Dimension: Discover the connection between Ikigai and Zen Buddhism, mindfulness and Eastern wisdom. Experience practical meditations and rituals for a deeper spiritual experience. Ikigai in Business and Career: Learn how to apply Ikigai in a professional context and shape your career according to the principles of Ikigai. Travel and Culture: Explore the fascinating connection between Ikigai and Japanese culture, especially Okinawa. Integrate elements of the Okinawa way of life for your own well-being. Psychology and Well-Being: Deepen your understanding of Ikigai through psychological perspectives and utilize scientific findings for a fulfilling life. Practical Exercises and Reflections: Using exercises and reflection questions, find your own ikigai and anchor it in your daily life. Community and Relationships: Build deeper connections with others and work together on projects that have a positive impact on society. Adaptation and Flexibility: Adapt your Ikigai to change and discover new opportunities for continued growth. Overcoming Obstacles: Learn effective strategies to overcome obstacles to your Ikigai. Long-term focus: Take a long-term perspective and work continuously to develop your Ikigai. Don't miss the opportunity to live a full and meaningful life. Walk the path to your Ikigai and find out how to discover your true purpose. Get this book today and start your journey to a life of purpose and meaning!

What does a passionate life truly look like and how is it achieved? Based on the incredible success of The New York Times bestseller, The Passion Test: The Effortless Path to Discovering Your Life Purpose, co-author Janet Bray Attwood continues to share the secret to living a passionate life. Inspired by the Passion Test is an emotional anthology of true stories of personal transformation from people whose lives have been directly affected by this powerful yet simple step-by-step process. It will uplift your spirit and give you the tools, advice, and inspiration you need to: get unstuck, overcome challenging situations, find clarity about your life direction, and make passion-based choices to create a truly fulfilling and purpose-driven life. Since The Passion Test book was released in 2008, co-authors Janet Bray Attwood and Chris Attwood have helped thousands of people worldwide discover their passions and connect with their purpose in life. Now with almost 2,000 facilitators in over 60 countries certified to teach The Passion Test process, the book’s effect continues to expand exponentially. Over the years the Attwoods have received countless personal stories from people whose lives have been directly affected by this powerful yet simple step-by-step process. Inspired by The Passion Test is a collection of these stories. Janet Bray Attwood is a visionary, a transformational leader, and the co-author of the New York Times bestsellers, The Passion Test: The Effortless Path to Discovering Your Life Purpose and Your Hidden Riches: Unleashing the Power of Ritual to Create a Life of Meaning and Purpose. Janet has spoken on how to discover passion and purpose throughout the world and has shared the stage with His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Dr. Stephen Covey, Richard Branson, Nobel Peace Prize winner F.W. de Klerk, Jack Canfield, Zappo's CEO Tony Hsieh, and Rev. Michael Beckwith. She is a founding member of the Transformational Leadership Council and a living example of what it means to live with an open heart and mind. Co-author, Geoff Affleck helps self-help authors reach more people with their message. He is the #1 bestselling co-author of Enlightened Bestseller: 7 Keys to Creating a Successful Self-Help Book; Breakthrough!: Inspirational Strategies for an Audaciously Authentic Life; and Ready, Set, Live!: Empowering Strategies for an Enlightened Life. Representing eight countries, contributing authors Ulrike Berzau, Patty Blakesley, Elayna Fernández, Shivani Gupta, Carol Haave, Ratika Hansen, Jill Hughes, Susanne Knudsen, Snježana Kurešević, Yves Nager, Deborah Redding, Veronique Scheldeman, Karen Smith, and Jens-Simon Ulvoy openly share their personal journeys of overcoming adversity to a life filled with passion and purpose. For many of the contributing authors, The Passion Test’s impact on their lives has been so profound that many of them are now certified to teach Passion Test workshops to help others discover their passions and follow a passion-based path in life.

The methods of attaining great heights are frequently discussed, with many postulations propounded by pundits and individuals of phenomenal accomplishments, yet reaching the pinnacle of such heights remains ever so elusive to the masses; hence, only a select few are able to make these extraordinary strides. In Drive to Passion, Ted Obomanu chronicles the lives of a few highly accomplished individuals: Harland Sanders, a perfectionist, who was the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC); Winston Churchill, the vivacious and popular prime minister of Britain, who led his country to victory during the Second World War; Joseph Kennedy, patriarch of the Kennedy clan, business mogul, and kingmaker; Sidney Poitier, acclaimed actor and the first African-American movie star to receive an Oscar in a leading role; Abraham Lincoln, one of the greatest presidents of the United States, responsible for the abolition of slavery; Suze Orman, financial guru and popular TV host who epitomizes passion; Barack Obama, the first African-American president of the United States, who accomplished this unprecedented feat despite its improbability; Oprah Winfrey, owner of a TV network, one of the wealthiest and most powerful people in the world, and was the host and producer of one of the most popular TV shows ever. Obomanu does this to explore firsthand how these individuals were able to reach the summit of their vocations. He also turns the chronicling of these great individuals lives into an intriguing narrative, without compromising the lessons. Obomanu makes significant findings in this book: Passion more than anything else is responsible for success and greatness, which is self-evident in the lives of the great individuals he chronicles; to attain distinction, the quest for passion should always be centered around a niche; passion is fueled by drive, and a shift in focus from passion to the rewards of accomplishments, such as wealth, may potentially derail the attainment of success and greatness; mentors play a huge role in the accomplishment of our goals. At the conclusion of this great reading, Obomanu delves into how spirituality and personal development can greatly enhance the quest for passion and how the pursuit of passion can trigger happiness and longevity. He sums up by asserting that the aspiration of success and greatness should be driven by all the components of passion to ensure its sustainability and potential value to society.

Why is there so much bipartisan bickering? Why are some folks so darned adamant about their political viewpoints? Should we all actually develop a political belief system? But who really gives a hoot about politics, anyways? Have the schools of this USofA adequately prepared our 18 year olds for one of the important privileges that they can now engage, namely to vote? And even after 18 years old, how and when does each of us actually become EXPERT at selecting our politicians? How can any one person know who to vote for, and does it really make any difference which way we vote? They say that if I don't vote then I have no right to complain about who we get in our government. But that doesn't make any sense, or is it just me? Some say that the MEDIA is biased, but how can that be? They just report the news, don't they? Why won't our government just do more to FIX things and to HELP people? What SHOULD our government REALLY do to help us solve our problems? I've even heard people talk about dark and strange conspiracy theories; about people who are so super rich and powerful, who plan things in secret, and that THEY are the REAL people in control in this world, playing us as if we're all just tokens on a game board ...