author. speaker. motivator.
Affectionately known as "America's #1 Success Coach," Jack Canfield is the originator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series and a leading authority in the areas of self-esteem, achievement motivation, and peak performance. [www.jackcanfield.com]
political powerhouse. media mogul. author.
Arianna Huffington is the co-founder and Editor in Chief of the Huffington Post and the author of twelve books. [www.huffingtonpost.com]
author. speaker. linchpin.
Seth Godin is a prominent author, blogger and speaker. [www.squidoo.com/linchpin]
yogi. philanthropist. dynamic teacher.
Krishna Kaur is the founder of YOGA for Youth, a program that takes yoga, meditation, and stimulating discussions on the philosophy of yoga to urban youth. [www.yogaforyouth.org]
producer. philanthropist. tv legend.
Norman Lear has enjoyed a long career in television and film. He is also a political and social activist and philanthropist. [www.normanlear.com]
race car driver. activist. carbon free girl.
Leilani Münter is a professional race car driver and an environmental activist who uses her voice in the number one spectator sport in America as a catalyst for change. [www.leilanimunter.com]
Freedom Fighter. Philanthropist. Game Changer.
By going undercover to meet slaves and slaveholders, Kevin Bales exposed modern slavery's penetration into the global economy. He co-founded Free the Slaves, which has helped to liberate thousands of slaves. [www.freetheslaves.net]
mom. big dreamer. lady in red.
Sophie Chiche, lifebyme.com founder and curator, enjoys asking deep questions and living a life of meaning. Today she's launching Shape House, an urban sweat lodge, a place to melt away fears and fat. [www.shapehousela.com]
Writer. Entrepreneur. Daily Lover.
Entrepreneur and writer Mastin Kipp founded TheDailyLove.com, which merges pop culture with inspiration, and co-founded The Love Yourself Company, an apparel company that has started a global self-esteem movement. [www.TheDailyLove.com]
singer. musician. crier.
Liz Phair is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. [www.lizphair.com]
archbishop. author. peaceful leader.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu is Chairman of The Elders, a group of world leaders who address some of the world's most pressing problems. He works energetically for human-rights and in his ministry. [www.tutu.org]
author. ceo. humanitarian.
Zainab Salbi is the founder and CEO of Women for Women International, a group dedicated to helping women survivors of war rebuild their lives. [www.womenforwomen.org]
speaker. psychotherapist. life embracer.
Despite his physical challenges, Sean Stephenson has taken a stand for a quality of life that has inspired millions of people around the world. He's a professional speaker, psychotherapist, and author. [www.timetostand.com]
yogi. meditator. teacher.
Kia Miller teaches Yoga at Yoga Works in Los Angeles, leads teacher trainings, and runs retreats and workshops on meditation, chakras, pranayam, and mantras, and other practices. [www.kiamiller.com]
creator. writer. idea geek.
Simon Mainwaring is an ex-Nike/Wieden creative, former Worldwide Creative Director at Motorola/Ogilvy, branding/advertising writer, author/speaker/blogger, Australian, idea geek. [www.simonmainwaring.com]
Strategist. Writer. Life Coach.
Shannon Bindler is a style editor, life coach, and the co-founder of Get Up Girl, an empowerment company that inspires women to shine. [www.getupgirl.com]
Designer. Art Director. Passionate Creator.
Grammy-nominated art director/designer/photographer Mathieu Bitton has designed over 450 CDs and movie posters. He's a renowned collector of and authority on black films and their soundtracks. [www.candytangerine.com]
Agent. Producer. Photography Enthusiast.
Opus Reps founder and agent-producer Jorge Perez travels the world producing photo shoots with great photographers and celebrities. He's also very involved with Meals on Wheels in Los Angeles. www.opusreps.com
clarity
David Allen
author. speaker. productivity guru.
David Allen is a consultant, international lecturer, bestselling author, and the founder of the David Allen Company. [www.davidco.com]
The two most meaningful things to me occur simultaneously: clarity and connecting to the highest levels of energy I have access to. There’s a relationship between those two things – the clearer the space, the easier it is to move around in terms of where my focus is, how I focus, and what I focus on.
My overall life purpose and guiding principle is best described as connecting to, expressing, and engaging with the highest energy field available to me. My path is that of an educator and a model of freedom and clarity for other people. When I facilitate clarity and show people their ability to achieve clarity, that’s a good day for me.
I’ve been involved in meditative, contemplative, reflective, and spiritual exercises for more than forty years. These things are not about doing nothing. They’re about shifting focus to more subtle levels of participating with what I’m noticing, observing, and engaging with. The universe is never quiet. It’s always on. The reason to become quiet is so that sounds from another level become more easily recognizable.
One of my best tactics for staying engaged with what’s meaningful to me is participating in my life rather than contracting, withdrawing, or avoiding it. Connecting with people is key for me. I get weird if I unhook from directly working with people for very long.
Also, I’ve always been fascinated by efficiency. How little effort do we need to expend in order to achieve results? My first job, at the age of five, was as a magician. I’m fascinated with the relationship between the invisible and the visible, and with making things show up without having to work at it. That’s the ultimate in efficiency. Efficiency doesn’t have to be cold and mechanical. Exploring the issues of why you’re on the planet and how effectively you’re doing what you’re here to do is a form of efficiency.
In my experience, God or higher energy, or whatever you prefer to call it, is really a flow that’s not accessible in a purely passive state. Tapping into it requires high engagement. When we connect with clarity, when we manage our intentions and our attention, we increase our capacity for positive energy. For me, working there, figuring that out, is the ultimate game.
– David Allen
Your Turn
- Walk around your life and make a list of the unfinished commitments you notice – the garage to clean out, the language to learn, the conversation to have. What are three things you could complete today? This week? This month?
- Do you have habits that take you out of your clarity – like not getting enough sleep, abusing substances, or negative thinking?
- Is there someone in your life who has the clarity you don’t? Ask them for help today.
Explore More Meaning
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Radio Personality. Coach. Conversation Starter.
Elese is a coach, speaker, lecturer, and radio talk show personality who hosts a weekly show called "A New Way to Handle Absolutely Everything." [www.elesecoit.com]
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martial artist. manifestor. stuff relinquisher.
Anthony Capobianco is the founder of Zen Tea Traders where he shares his passion for tea with others through his company. [www.zenteatraders.com]
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author. mama. pleasure pioneer.
Regena Thomashauer (Mama Gena) is a revolution: an icon, teacher, author, mother, and a pioneer in researching the nature of pleasure and dedicating her life to the discipline of pleasure. [www.mamagenas.com]
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Poet. Educator. Philanthropist.
Author, poet, and educator Paul F. Cummins is the Executive Director of the New Visions Foundation, which finds innovative ways to educate underserved children. [www.newvisionsfnd.org]
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blogger. mother. possibility creator.
Claudia Pornaro is a mother, blogger, writer, and creator of amazing possibilities now that she knows what she want to be when she grows up. [www.facebook.com/claudiapornaro]
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life by me’er. comedian. pretty thankful guy.
Life By Me’s Content Editor, Mikey Scott, gets to hear stories from people around the world creating meaningful (and pretty darn fun) lives for themselves. And he thinks that’s pretty neat. [www.mikeyscott.com]
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tarot card reader. question asker. limit breaker.
Megan Maione works with clients on clearing points of view, judgments, projections, and conclusions utilizing tarot. Her goal is to identify their targets while helping them be in allowance of the way things show up and integrating intuition. [www.tarotbymegan.com]
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journalist. londoner. re-thinker.
Nick Johnstone has written for major periodicals and interviewed the likes of Keith Richards and Roman Polanski, as well as writing numerous books, including his personal memoir. [wwwnickjohnstone.blogspot.co.uk]
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