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
passion
Kyle Rutkin
authentic novelist. uncertainty embracer. dream includer.
Kyle Rutkin was put on this world to write romantic comedies and inspire people to chase their dreams. His second novel is due for release in the winter of 2012. [www.kylerutkin.com]
The majority of the decisions I made in my 20s can be summed up with one word: uncertainty. It was a “What am I doing? Why did I do that? Am I crazy?” uncertainty. I wasn’t sure I’d chosen the right college or the right major, or even the right place to call home. I wasn’t sure I should’ve taken that first job out of college. I sure as hell wasn’t sure I should’ve quit that job and taken my stuff in a U-Haul up to San Francisco with no real plan. There were times when I questioned my path, my dream, and my Facebook account and wondered if I should move to some remote island to live out the remainder of my life.
But if there’s one thing I’m certain about, it’s that I’ve been put on this Earth to create and to start things – to write.
You know that anxious, excited feeling you get when you engage in something that’s meaningful to you? That unexplainable feeling that what you’re doing is both exciting and frightening? That thing in your life that you seek out but run from at the same time? THAT’s freakin’ passion.
A passion, a calling, a dream – whatever you want to call it – brings out the best and the worst in us. I am scared shitless to sit down at a computer and write. I get anxious when I read something I think is better than anything I’ve ever created. I’m petrified that I won’t live up to my full potential, or that I’ll write something that hits the bestseller list.
But when I sit down and write, I always lose myself in the creative process. Then none of those insecurities matter. The clock doesn’t exist. Words pour out as if they’d been just waiting for me to sit down and begin. There’s nothing that can take me away from the screen then. Sometimes the writing is good, sometimes it’s horrible, but I always feel like my authentic self is revealing itself.
When it comes to your dream, you don’t have to recklessly quit your job and abandon all responsibilities in order to chase it. But do make sure your dream is a part of your life, because it’s your responsibility to chase that feeling of passion and give it back to the world.
In a world of uncertainty, it’s nice to know your passion will always be there.
– Kyle Rutkin
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artist. blogger. superfreak.
Leah Miller is an 18-year old unschooler following her dreams in LA, NY, Chicago, and Paris. Right now, her passion is the entertainment business and she is following that passion as far and as fast as she can. [leahmiller.typepad.com]
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art supporter. real dreamer. voice finder.
Justin Oswald is on the board of directors at p:ear, an organization serving disadvantaged youth in Portland, Oregon. He knows how to make big dreams a reality. [www.pearmentor.org]
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blogger. survivor. moment grabber.
Josephine Bila, M.S.W. is a storyteller who uses her personal experience and training in psychology to transform lives. She creates one blog post every Wednesday on her site. [josephinebila.com]
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composer. muse listener. no-iPod-needer.
Guitarist/composer Tom Taylor and his wife, Stephanie, live north of Colorado Springs. His recordings feature the Kronos and Turtle Island String Quartets; mandolinist David Grisman. Tom teaches at Colorado College.
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professional life shifter. intuitive advisor. authenticity aligner.
Creator of the Life-Shift series, Bridget Pilloud works with people all over the world to help them enact positive change in their personal and professional lives. [www.bridgetpilloud.com]
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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]
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author. humanitarian. speaker.
Cynthia Kersey is the author of best-selling books and is the Chief Humanitarian Officer of the Unstoppable Foundation. [www.unstoppablefoundation.org]
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director. writer. conscious producer.
Mickey Lemle is an award-winning writer, director, and producer. He founded Lemle Pictures, which specializes in producing films with spiritual, environmental, and socially conscious themes. [www.lemlepictures.com]
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