
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
lean forward

I run a lot! Some people might think it’s crazy, but running is my spiritual connection to life. It’s hard to put into words because it’s the feeling of being alive. Through running, I have a purpose. It connects me with community and with the bigger picture that unites us all. It allows me to serve something greater.
I’m still learning to hear what my body tells me, both physically and emotionally. I’m trying to get better at listening. Like running, listening to my body is a practice. I like to get up before the sun rises, take a deep breath, be still, and listen. On most mornings, my body tells me it’s time to go for a run, but sometimes it says, “You’re going to work hard the rest of the week, so today you need a break. Stay in your jammies, do some writing, and cook yourself some pancakes!”
Occasionally, I have a day when I know I have to train, but I’m just not feeling it. When that happens, I tell myself to take the first step. Within a few minutes of stepping out the door, I feel that flow and I’m back to my connection and my purpose. The first step is always worth it. This applies to the bigger picture of life, too. Small steps in the beginning can amount to something significant in the end. They can lead us to places we could never have foreseen.
Taking a first step is like taking a leap of faith. I recently read a story about an Olympic skier. In an interview, he was asked about the difference between winners and everybody else. He said that winners lean forward the most when things get hard. There’s a parallel with the practice of taking the first step. Connect with your passion and the spark that drives you, then take a step towards that. When it gets hard, remember to lean forward. If you’re confused and unfocused, lean forward. It’s so literal, but also applicable to so much of life.
We can find motivation by going back to the basics and asking, “What do I value?” When we discover what we truly value, we can use that as a building block. Value-driven action can really help our world. Take a moment to ask, reflect, and listen.
– Katie Visco


Explore More Meaning
-
infant vocalist. continuous learner. light shiner.
Chandrika Tandon is a Grammy-nominated singer & composer who has received praise from NY Times for her "limpid, serene voice.” Her new album “Soul March” reinterprets “Raghupathi Raghava Raja Ram,” a song sung by Gandhi and his followers during the 1930 Salt March.
-
greatness inspirer. show-n-tell survivor. self-follower.
Best-selling author and speaker David Irvine is one of the most respected voices in Canada on authentic leadership, accountability, and organizational culture. His focus is building trusting workplaces that attract and retain greatness. [www.davidirvine.com]
- More
Comments