Out-of-the-Box Thinking

By Dan Miller
48days.com

CBN.com – Some of today’s content addresses being an artist. I know it’s not easy when you have creative gifts – but surely you don’t wish for the alternative; submitting to not seeing beauty or experiencing transcendence would be a painful, dry existence.

Enjoy being the “liberator” described by Ralph Waldo Emerson: Everything in creation has its appointed painter or poet and remains in bondage like the princess in the fairy tale 'til its appropriate liberator comes to set it free.

And be satisfied in scaring ‘ordinary’ people as described by Loren Eiseley in The Night Country: It is frequently the tragedy of the great artist, as it is of the great scientist, that he frightens the ordinary man.

We’ve got The Eaglepreneur Package, which includes No More Mondays and other materials that will help find and release your passion – for only $48.

" Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up." —Pablo Picasso

I'm Not Normal

Here’s a great question I got this week from a reader who creates beautiful music – but I’m sure many of you will identify with her.

Dan, I'm an artist. I don't fit any "normal" job because I'm in the 1% of the world’s population. I have felt blocked by obstacles or setbacks all my life. I have wanted to use my gifts and talents in the church, but feel rejected by it. I have big dreams -- I want to be used by God in a big way. I see myself doing many things: singing/writing/teaching. But I have a feeling I'm going to have to create my own "job." There has never been a job description written for what I want to do. I think God is pushing me "out of the box" and has other ideas for me. But I see no clear-marked path of how to best create work. Am I alone in my struggle?

Dear Artist,

I love gifts that God gives us that don’t “fit” nicely anywhere. I find that people with those often end up with a much more authentic life than those who simply chose an often less thought-out and predictable path like dentist, accountant, pastor, teacher, or engineer. Be grateful that you are in a wonderful 1% of the population. And, yes, you will likely have to create your position – there are not traditional “jobs” for people like us. But that’s where we have to use that same creativity and artistic abilities to find how to share our gift with the world in a way that is meaningful, purposeful – and profitable.

I’m listening to all the music intros on your MySpace site as I write this. It’s soothing, restful, and healing – great sound. Just keep in mind that having that skill and putting it to music is the beginning part of seeing any business success. You then have to position, brand, and market it. Having the gift and talent is not enough. You need to know your “unique selling proposition” (USP) and have a clear marketing strategy. Your music may be appropriate for people in hospice situations or as part of a physical rehabilitation program. I know of an artist who has focused on dental offices for selling her art. Someone commented that her art is calming – she took that one cue and has been extremely successful selling into that one profession.

Here is a Business Planning Guide that has 48 different ways to market. You have to have a clear 4-5 that you are doing at any given time.

No, you are not alone in your struggle. Thousands are asking the same questions and having the same feelings. Being “out of the box” is a blessing. Many people "inside the box" are smothering.

What Will Make Your Heart Sing?

Winston Churchill said, "To every man there comes in his lifetime that special moment when he is figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered a chance to do a very special thing, unique to him and fitted to his talents. What a tragedy if that moment finds him unprepared or unqualified for the work which would be his finest hour."

Many people struggle with being ready for that moment.

Here are some revealing statements from clients about where they see themselves:

51-year-old businessman – "I feel like I've lived my whole life by accident."
34-year-old CPA –"I feel like a prostitute – in return for a very nice salary, they've taken my heart, soul, and mind."
Wife of professor – "I feel like we have been free-falling for the last 13 years."
Salesman – "I feel like I'm a ball in a pinball machine."
56-year-old (Ph.D. in Theology currently driving a bus) – "I feel like I've been given six seconds to sing, and I'm singing the wrong song."
53-year-old businessman – "I feel like my life is a movie that's almost over, and I haven't even bought the popcorn yet."
Collection Agent –"I've lived my life up until now as though driving with the parking brake on."
46-year-old "successful" car salesman –"I feel like a lost ball in tall cotton."

39-year-old automotive engineer – "I'm a butterfly caught in a spider's web, with my life slowly being sucked out."
27-year-old computer specialist – "I'm a box of parts and nothing fits together."
31-year-old attorney – "Law school sucked all the life and creativity out of me."
32-year-old in family business – "The merry-go-round of my professional life has left me no farther than a few steps from where I got on and with a weak stomach."

Don't expect luck to present you with your "finest hour." Remember, luck is when preparation meets opportunity. What three things are you doing right now to prepare for greater opportunity this year – and to perhaps experience your "finest hour?" The best person to predict your future is you.

Portrait artist James Whistler decided to paint his mother when the person who had scheduled an appointment with him failed to show up. (Don't wait on perfect conditions for success to happen; just go ahead and do something.)

Excerpts from pages 42-43

48 Days Online Radio

Here's a sampling of the questions I tackled this week. You may be like the reader in question No. 4 – stuck in a "rut" and don't know what to do.

1. How do you know the difference between being in the wrong job or being in the right job and you're being stretched?

2. I was wondering if you might dedicate an entire podcast to raising kids to be hard workers and have a "No More Mondays" mindset. I need help being creative with my kids and helping them be creative in ways to make money.

3. Can you talk about pricing soft services like coaching and how to find the right price to charge?

4. I am stuck in a "RUT." I go to a job every day (commuting in rush hour traffic for an hour) that I know is not my calling, sitting at my desk for most of the day doing nothing, and I am learning nothing. I don't know what to do.

5. What do you do if you want to start a business but every idea is either something you don't want to do, don’t know how to do, or don’t have the money to do?

If you have a question, just click on the 48 Days Online Radio link and you can ask about starting your own business, getting a better job, or finding your purpose in life.

That’s the same place you can listen to this week’s broadcast immediately – no downloading – no wait.

48 Days Highlights

The Extra Degree
Public Domain – Free Resources
Frequently I have radio questions where someone asks about getting documents that are in the “public domain.” I have mentioned in the past that I have gotten free books and resources where they are old enough there are no copyrights in place. The Acres of Diamonds gift we have as a free e-book when you sign up for the 48 Days newsletter is an example of that. If you want more information, I recommend Yanik Silver’s course on Public Domain Riches. That’s what I did when I started mining the riches just sitting out there.

Personal Coaching
Many of you are asking about my personal coaching. Yes, I still work with 2-3 people a month. And, yes, we get a lot of requests. I screen each request and either contact you myself – or refer you to a matching coach in our network. I take seriously the confidence shown by the requests and make sure each one is given personal attention. If you want to review the options and give me some basic information, I’ll be honored to evaluate it and give you some feedback. Just go to Personal Coaching and get started.

Here's a note I received this week from a coaching client:

I think when I first wrote to you, I said I was at a point in my life where ‘I was sad most of the time and had moments of happiness and was looking to get back to being happy most of the time with moments of sadness’. I am there, again.

Thank you for your help and your part in my journey. I truly appreciate your positive encouragement, the sharing of your experiences and knowledge, and your ‘reminders’ of the important things about actually ‘living’ ones life. Thank you! Thank YOU! THANK YOU!

Chuck Bowen Coaching - Financial, Career, & Business
"Need to do better (maybe a lot better?) with your personal finances? Is your business as profitable, or enjoyable, as you'd like it to be? Contact Chuck Bowen Coaching. If you want to transform your life permanently for the better, he's your guy. Dave Ramsey trusts Chuck to train his financial coaches, and he serves as President of Dan Miller’s 212 Connection. What better proof is there?!"

PRODUCT HIGHLIGHT

Need help finding your Acres of Diamonds?
The most popular product in the 48 Days arsenal continues to be the 48 Days Career Profile. Before you begin seeking a better job or self-employment, you need to be sure you are pursuing opportunities that match your personality style and will fulfill and reward you for a lifetime!

Humor: Strange Books

A professor was reviewing applications for acceptance into the Information Technology program at a respected university. The program was highly competitive and difficult to get into, but one student made the decision whether to accept him quite simple.

When asked to fax over his college transcript, the student replied, "Well, I would, but it's the only copy I have."

Dan Miller is the bestselling author of 48 Days To The Work You Love and a renowned Life Coach specializing in career fulfillment. His weekly newsletter reaches 70,000 subscribers. Dan’s articles are featured here at CBN every Tuesday, and you can find out more about Dan at www.48days.com.