
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]

Arianna Huffington is the co-founder and Editor in Chief of the Huffington Post and the author of twelve books. [www.huffingtonpost.com]

Seth Godin is a prominent author, blogger and speaker. [www.squidoo.com/linchpin]

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]

Norman Lear has enjoyed a long career in television and film. He is also a political and social activist and philanthropist. [www.normanlear.com]

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]

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]

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]

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]

Liz Phair is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. [www.lizphair.com]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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
potential

I’ve really been exploring, and curious, and excited about this idea of transformation and potential. Where does real sustainable transformation come from? The idea of potential and what’s possible for us has really been my quest over the last year.
I was living in Paris. I had an amazing job and a really great relationship with my company. My career was very satisfying, but I began to realize more and more that I needed to make a radical change if I wanted to experience the same level of fulfillment in my personal life.
It usually starts with a feeling of emptiness. Something within us just feels unsettled. We start looking outside to our circumstances. We start to say, well, maybe it’s the job? So, I need to change something there. Maybe it’s the relationship? I need to change something there. Maybe it’s me? I need to lose weight to be happier. We start to look outside to try to identify all these things. That’s normal, and totally understandable, but I think the real transformation, the real wisdom comes when we look within. Our state of mind and our wellbeing has nothing to do with our external circumstances. It’s driven from within.
If you think about when we’re confused, or we’re frustrated, or we’re deep in a low mood, it’s like a camera. Our aperture is closed. It’s hard for light to get in. Our thinking is very contracted and tight. Sometimes just recognizing that creates a loosening, and the aperture starts to open more and more. Then new thoughts can come in, new ideas, new insight. Then, pretty soon our aperture is wide open for more light to come in. This is where potential has more room, more ability to come forth.
Our innate capacity for potential and our innate wisdom is accessible at all times. Last year I was working with Michael Neill, and he said something to me that I think embodies him so much, and the type of work I want to do. He said, What if Bill Gates came to you and had amnesia and forgot who he was. You know who he is, but he’s forgotten. So he sits down with you and asks for your help with business strategies. What would be more beneficial? For you to give him your strategies, or to help him remember he’s Bill Gates?
– Barbara Patterson


Explore More Meaning
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soul teacher. passionate writer. proud introvert.
Tamisha Ford, MBA, is a strengths strategist, assertiveness coach, and guide. She is the Founder of Strong & Soulful Living, which helps people embrace their strengths and spirituality in a socially saturated and distracted culture. [www.tamishaford.com]
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