
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
significance

I’m very clear about my unique ability, which is to create seemingly impossible outcomes. I was put on Earth essentially to do the impossible. Other people say, “There’s no way you can do that,” and I say, “Hmm. Maybe.” When I’m excited about getting up in the morning, when I’m looking forward to a big day, it’s because I get to play in that arena.
The discovery of connecting with my unique ability was really helpful. It hadn’t dawned on me that I could do some things that others had no clue about. It took a while to figure out that this ability is something I was given – I would say by the hand of God. Why did I get this? If I got it, there’s a reason, so maybe I’d better use it. Maybe I’d better use it all the time.
We sometimes don’t connect with what’s meaningful to us because it’s scary as hell to own that power. Once you connect with that one gift you got that no one else has, there’s a responsibility, there’s an obligation. If you’re the one person who has your one true gift, your unique ability, your genius, then what are you doing sitting at home watching TV all the time?
I find that it scares the crap out of most people to realize about themselves that, “Wow, I can actually move mountains.” Maybe they can cure people, or help out in some other significant way. What if their whole life were about that? In my experience, to most people that’s scary beyond belief because then they’d have to own their full power.
There are clearly so many people suffering and hurting, but also focusing on their own pity party. The chances are good that if they were doing something meaningful, contributing somehow, using their gift, their life would have so much more significance.
They’d have to admit they’re responsible for their own life, and they don’t want to be. They’d rather lay the blame elsewhere, like say it’s because of Obama that they don’t have a good job. You’re going to blame this on the president? Give me a break. Go get the life you want.
– John Hittler


Explore More Meaning
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social/spiritual activist. forest preserver. bridge builder.
Jes Richardson is a social/spiritual activist whose issues change protesting the Vietnam War, working with Cesar Chavez's Farm Workers, building a bridge of hearts to Iran but who always comes from a place of love. [www.BridgeofHearts.org]
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