
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
confidence

I’ve never been one for details. Because of this, I live my life trying to accomplish only two large goals. The first and most important is to have a happy home. I grew up in a home filled with laughter and love. It was the place friends would run away to in search of understanding, where our extended family would come when they needed help, and where my three siblings and I formed the tightest of bonds. This is something I’m now trying to achieve in my own home. I set aside at least one day a week in which I unplug from the world and spend time with my family. This day always recharges me, makes me realize what’s most important to me, and fills my life with meaning.
My second lifelong goal is to help others. Whether I do something small or large, the inner feelings that come when helping someone confirm that I’m doing what’s right. These feelings fuel me and keep me going in life. They motivate me to be a better person and remind me to actively look for ways to help those around me.
Regardless of what else I set out to accomplish, as long as there’s evidence that I’m achieving those two big goals, my life seems meaningful and full of purpose.
When I was in junior high I was faced with a decision and didn’t know what to do. Like most kids that age, I was concerned about what others would think. Upon asking my older sister her thoughts, she gave me one of the best bits of advice I’ve ever been given. She said, “Be confident and others will follow.” Although at first I was a little hesitant to take her advice, I ultimately did, and what I soon learned was that she was right! Since then, I’ve come to realize just how right she was.
When you truly desire to do something, as long as you go at it with confidence, others will be right behind you to follow in your footsteps. At times when I’m not sure, I take a second to close my eyes and I hear those words again: “Be confident and others will follow.”
– Michael Bailey


Explore More Meaning
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author. artful re-evaluator. hidden answer seeker.
The new book by Brian Solis, What's the Future of Business: Changing the way businesses create experiences, explores the landscape of connected consumerism and how business and customer relationships unfold in four distinct moments of truth. [www.wtfbusiness.com]
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appreciative son. moment cogitator. lesson learner.
Jeff Semigran is a senior at UC Berkeley studying environmental and civil engineering. He is an alumnus of the Teen Insight Seminars and Leadership series. This piece is part of the Insight University and Life By Me week of giving back. www.givingtuesday.org/insight-university
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