1. Your Starting Point Matters — But What You Do Next Matters More

Buffett begins with something we often forget: luck.

He’s candid about his advantaged upbringing and grateful for the environment that allowed him to thrive. But he didn’t coast. He used what he had — opportunities, relationships, teachers, mentors — and worked consistently over decades. Even at 95, he still goes into the office five days a week.

Take a moment and acknowledge the advantages and outside influences that helped you get here. Then remember: disadvantages don’t have to stop you. Progress comes from what you do with what you have.

Buffett puts it well:

“You will never be perfect, but you can always be better.”

Life won’t be fair, but it will teach you.

2. "Get the Right Heroes and Copy Them"

Buffett frequently mentioned the people who have shaped him — Charlie Munger, Don Keough, Tom Murphy, Stan Lipsey, and others.

Not one of them is known for flashiness or fame. They’re known for character, a quality that Buffett values.

Try this right now:

Write down three people you admire and the quality you admire most about each.
Then ask: How can I practice one of these qualities this week?

3. Don’t Let Past Mistakes Define You

Buffett opens his final thoughts with a reminder we all need:

“Don’t beat yourself up over past mistakes – learn at least a little from them and move on.” 

Any time you mess up, take these two essential steps:

• Learn from it
• Move on

The key is remembering to do both quickly.

4. Know What You Want Your Obituary to Say

Buffett tells the story of Alfred Nobel accidentally reading his own obituary — and being horrified by what it said. That moment pushed him to reshape his life’s direction.

His challenge to us:

“Decide what you would like your obituary to say and live the life to deserve it.” 

A few questions worth sitting with:

• What would I want my obituary to say?

• Who would I want delivering my eulogy — and what would I want them to say?

• Are my daily actions moving me toward that version of myself?

If not, today is a good day to realign.

5. Be Kind and Compassionate (Especially When It’s Inconvenient)

Buffett reminds us that:

"Kindness is costless but also priceless."

It’s easy to be kind to people we like or people we care about impressing. But true compassion shows up when there’s nothing to gain.

A simple question to consider:

How can I be kind to someone I might normally overlook?

6. Buffett's Formula for Success

When Buffett looks back, the themes he highlights are surprisingly ordinary:

• Build long-term friendships.

• Work with people you admire and respect.

• Stay curious.

• Focus on substance, not image.

• Stick to your core competence.

• Help others quietly and consistently.

• Play the long game and let your efforts compound.

These elements are not sexy and won't go viral any time soon — but they work.

Final Takeaway: Life Is Long… Until It Isn’t

Buffett recognizes that:

“Father Time… is undefeated.”

We should too. Recognizing that truth isn’t depressing — it’s clarifying.
It reminds us to live the life we want now, not someday.

If you enjoyed these lessons, you might also appreciate this:

👉 30 Life Lessons from 1,000 People Who’ve Lived a Full Life

Wishing you a rewarding life!

The post Warren Buffett’s Final Letter: Lessons Learned from a Rewarding Life appeared first on Embrace Possibility.

It embodies how I like to view competition - an arena to showcase your efforts with the journey of preparing to compete making you better than you were before regardless of the actual outcome.

A Parent Talks to a Child Before the First Game

"This is your first game, my child. I hope you win.

I hope you win for your sake, not mine. Because winning’s nice.

It’s a good feeling.

Like the whole world is yours.

But, it passes, this feeling.

And what lasts is what you’ve learned.

 

And what you learn about is life.

That’s what sports is all about. Life.

The whole thing is played out in an afternoon.

The happiness of life.

The miseries.

The joys.

The heartbreaks.

 

There’s no telling what’ll turn up.

There’s no telling whether they’ll toss you out in the first five minutes or whether you’ll stay for the long haul.

 

There’s no telling how you’ll do.

You might be a hero or you might be absolutely nothing.

There’s just no telling.

Too much depends on chance.

On how the ball bounces.

 

I’m not talking about the game, my child.

I’m talking about life.

But, it’s life that the game is all about.

Just as I said.

 

Because every game is life.

And life is a game.

A serious game

Dead serious.

 

But, that’s what you do with serious things. You do your best.

You take what comes.

You take what comes

And you run with it.

 

Winning is fun.

Sure.

But winning is not the point.

 

Wanting to win is the point.

Not giving up is the point.

Never being satisfied with what you’ve done is the point.

Never letting up is the point.

Never letting anyone down is the point.

 

Play to win.

Sure.

But lose like a champion.

Because it’s not winning that counts.

What counts is trying."

—Unknown

If you like the messages in this poem, I highly recommend reading the full book. It's full of insights from Wooden's life and view of the world.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema

The post A Parent Talks to a Child Before the First Game (Poem) appeared first on Embrace Possibility.

I had the privilege of meeting Bill a few years ago when I interviewed him for the Modeling Success Series. In addition, to the wonderful insights from that interview, we built a relationship that has been invaluable to me. I'm sadden by the loss of this great man to the world. His spirit and teachings live on.

Here are three lessons he taught me with both his actions and words:

Follow your passion

The first advice Bill gave me was to stop trying to please everyone and to do what you are made to do. Only when you do what you love can you convey a real sense of enjoyment in working. What's compelling about Bill's advice is that he leads by example. He gave up the comfortable success of taking over his family's business and pursued his passion for writing. His attitude of enjoyment, focus on excellence and fearlessness around failing not only made him wildly successful but also timelessly inspirational.

Be generous

Agreeing to be interviewed, allowing the interview to span a few hours and being a mentor afterwards are all testaments to Bill's generosity with both his time and advice. Throughout his career, he empowered others by giving them permission to write about themselves and cling to their originality.  Around the age of 90, he continued to proactively reached out to others with a letter offering help for "writing problems and stalled editorial projects and memoirs and family history; for singalongs and piano lessons and vocal coaching; for readings and salons and whatever pastimes you may devise that will keep both of us interested and amused."  This snippet really shows the type of person that he was.

Explore and learn continuously

If you've ever read Bill's books or articles, you know that he enjoys traveling and broadening his horizons.  He mentioned to me that the more you learn and stretch your comfort zone, the better your ability to generate uniqueness. That's how others connect to you. By doing something you've never done before, you'll learn something about yourself that you didn't know before.

Bill had a magnificent obsession to help others be who they were meant to be through his writing and teaching. I aspire to follow his lead and help others live their best life by sharing not only my experiences but showing by example.

Thank you Bill for stepping into my life. It has made all the difference.

(For more of Bill's insights and to hear some of his actual responses from the interview on audio, click here)

Photo by madnessofart

The post Life Lessons Learned from the Late William Zinsser appeared first on Embrace Possibility.

This third interview of the Modeling Success Series reminds me why I love what I do and how much I enjoy meeting and learning from extraordinary people. I came away from this particular interview reinvigorated towards living my passion. The person who had such an energizing effect on me was Frances Hesselbein, President and CEO of the Frances Hesselbein Leadership Institute.

Ms. Hesselbein was also the former CEO of the Girls Scouts of the USA and recipient of countless awards including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States. As I entered her office overlooking Park Avenue in New York, I couldn't help but notice her wall, covered in either books or honorary doctorates. She must have noticed because she started our journey together with this story:

After thanking her for allowing me to be a fellow traveler that morning, Ms. Hesselbein enlightened me with her personal definition of success. She knows she is successful when she lives by her main rule of conduct (which she jokes is tattooed on her shoulder with invisible ink):

To Serve is to Live

On that front, she's certainly been very successful.

She also lives by two of Peter Drucker's pearls of wisdom:

"Think first. Speak last."

"Ask. Don't tell."

- Peter Drucker

Simple instructions that lead to a life of success. I've added these 3 principles to my own rules of conduct and have seen great results both personally and professionally. Speaking last has been especially helpful.

Successful people rarely achieve success on their own. Behind every great person is a vast network of people willing to help. To be extraordinary, it is crucial to connect and collaborate with other extraordinary people. Listen to the next audio to find out good ways to connect with like-minded people and leaders.

Audio - Connecting with Leaders - 0:37

The last piece of advice in that audio is to "find great excitement in moving beyond the walls".

Walls protect.

They also limit.

To make an impact in the world, we have to step out of our "walls". We need to leave behind what is safe and familiar to create new paths for ourselves and others to follow. This is not easy and most people stay within their self-imposed boundaries or those set by society. Great people usually have the same boundaries as ordinary people. The difference is great people choose to step across it.

One question that I often ask successful people is:

What do you do when you're not making progress fast enough?

I enjoyed Ms. Hesselbein's answer very much. Listen for yourself in the audio below.

Audio - Progress Too Slow? - 1:26

When was the last time you compared your results with your activity to decide which tasks are truly important to do?

If it was a long time ago or you've never done it, take time to thoughtfully reflect on your results and tasks today. Which activities really matter and which are just nice to do?

Times are always changing and what worked for you today will not work for you tomorrow. Be flexible by challenging yourself and your actions. Keep yourself accountable by being critical of your own performance.

Listen to the audio below to learn what that means.

Audio - Be Critical of Yourself in a Good Way - 1:22

We then switched gears and I asked Ms. Hesselbein a question I get asked all the time by my clients:

"Should I take this opportunity?"

Again, she answered it in such a nice way that I'll rather you hear it from her directly.

Audio - Courage to Take Opportunities - 0:53

What will you use to test whether an opportunity is right for you?

Is your current situation furthering your mission? If not, are you willing to close the door and open a new one?

One of the major takeaways from this interview revolves around Ralph Waldo Emerson's quote:

"Be ye an opener of doors ..."

We learn everyday and it is our responsibility to share that with others. Think of ways today to open doors for other people. If you can't think of anything, start literally and move on from there.

Audio - Opener of Doors - 0:31 

To get more of Frances Hesselbein and her great advice, I highly recommend viewing Frances Hesselbein's Global Webinars and checking out other useful resources on the Frances Hesselbein Leadership Institute website.

During the end of my interview with Ms. Hesselbein, I noticed the view from her window was a gloomy one. It was raining and everything was gray outside. When I asked her what she sees outside of the window, her answer was ...

... a bright future.

This was the perfect example of "looking out the window and seeing what is visible and not yet seen".

Listen below to hear why she is so positive (hint: it is not because of her blood type).

Audio - A Bright Future - 4:42

So What Will I Model?

1. Respect everyone - shown by BOTH my actions and my words
2. Actively open doors for other people by sharing with them what and who I know
3. Live by my own definition of success and continuously find and take on other more resourceful rules of conduct such as:
   • To serve is to live
   • Think first, speak last
   • Ask. Don't tell.
4. Be mission-focused., values-based and demographics-driven.
   • Why do I do what I do?
   • What are my beliefs and am I sticking to them?
   • Who am I serving and how can I serve them better?
5. Connect with others by moving beyond my comfort zone
6. Examine what I'm doing to make sure it is important relative to my mission
7. Learn to be more flexible so when what works for me today stops working for me tomorrow, I can shift gears quickly
8. Close the doors on opportunities that don't achieve my mission and open new ones
9. Stay positive and be optimistic
   

What will you model?

The post Modeling Success Series – Frances Hesselbein – #3 appeared first on Embrace Possibility.

Thank you very much for reading the Embrace Possibility Blog. I'm happy to hear through the comments and emails that you enjoy the content and find it helpful. Thank you for allowing me to pursue my passion.

I'm leaving in a few hours for a trip around the world and I'm not sure if I'll have the time or resources to write articles while I'm away. I'll also have very limited access to email but be patient and you'll eventually get a response.

I'll be back early 2013 with even more insightful articles on personal development, health, financial freedom, professional development and relationships. In the mean time, I recommend re-reading some of my previous articles. As you grow, your focus when you read will change and you may be able to take away something new that you weren't paying attention to before.

Enjoy the holidays and stay safe,

Robert 

 PS - Below is an article from the Embrace Possibility Monthly Newsletter from October that I thought was appropriate. Usually it's exclusive content for newsletter subscribers but I'm going to make an exception.

Enjoy!

Why I'm Going Around the World and Why You Should Consider it Too

I've always enjoyed travelling - the people you meet, the foods you eat, even the tired feet and airline seats.

There are so many benefits to travelling and you should not put it off because it will pay dividends for your life both personally and professionally.

Here are a few reasons why travelling should not be seen as a reward for hard work but rather a worthwhile and necessary education for those who want to succeed in life:

Improves Relationships

Mark Twain describes a virtue of travel perfectly when he said,

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness."

You don't know what you don't know. If you've never visited a foreign country, there is no way for you to feel the discomfort of being made fun of or yelled at for actions that you have always believed to be the norm. Every time I return from visiting a foreign country, I find myself more accepting and open to the people from that country because I understand why they act the way they do and how it makes sense in their country even though it doesn't make much sense in mine.

The more places you go, the more you begin to see that one way of life is really no better than another. Realizing this has allowed me to be more open to other people's ideas and I find that I can relate to others on a much deeper level when I take time to be curious about their way of thinking and of life.

Improves Creativity

In my article, 3-Sure Fire Ways to Generate New and Great Ideas, I list travelling as one of the best ways to boost creativity. All new things are really remixes of old things. When you travel, your five senses are completely engaged:

• Smell: exotic foods, strong spices, intoxicating fragrances
• Hear: new music and sounds, different languages
• Touch: interesting people, new goods, unfamiliar textures
• See: vivid colors, animals, architecture, scenery, people
• Taste: local drinks and cuisine

All of these new experiences will also change the way you experience familiar things and the more unique experiences that you have, the more interesting your remixes will be. This is an excellent example of why you shouldn't put off travelling. Think of all the new ideas that you could be having if you make time to broaden your experiences.

In addition, travelling gives you time to think and to read. It takes about 15 hours to go from the US to Asia and you can make use of that down time to feed your mind and to cultivate your thoughts. At home, it's all too easy to get into a routine of trying to get as many things done that we don't take time to really think. I have found that some of my best ideas come from time spent on airplanes.

Improves Happiness

Do you want to know the secret to being happy?

You're in luck. I'm going to tell you, with no strings attached and it's only two words:

Living Intentionally

This means to live a life that you've chosen for yourelf. Unhappy people are those who feel as if they don't have any control or options. They live by coincidence and feel trapped in a life that has been chosed for them. On the other hand, happy people choose the life they want from a endless sea of possibilities.

So why do people let others decide their lives?

They don't want to take the blame when life goes wrong. If you listen to other people and something goes wrong, you can always blame the other person. What you probably don't realize is no matter who makes the decision, you are the one who has to live with the consequences. Think of a time when you blamed someone for something that happened to you. Who ended up paying for the consequences?

Lesson: Never let someone else tell you how you should live your life.

Ever since I read Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne as a child, I thought it would be great to take an adventurous trip going literally around the world. Growing up, to travel around the world was just not practical and it was always something that I'll do when I win the lottery or when I retire. Over the last 3 years, I've realized just how wrong that type of thinking is. There is no reason why I should defer my dreams. When I do so, I am living the life others have chosen for me.

We're not promised tomorrow. We're not even promised the next 5 minutes. I find it useful to ask myself: If I pass away tomorrow, would I regret how I've spent my time last week? How I spent today?

I haven't won the lottery and I am not retired but I'm still going to travel around the world. It wasn't money that was holding me back, it was my own beliefs. When people ask me about my trip and I tell them my itinerary, they usually say, "That's amazing. I wish I could take a trip like that". My reply to them is "Why don't you?" and they go into a small rant about all the reasons why they can't. They usually end by telling me it's on their bucket list or if they ever won the lottery, that's the first thing they'll do. Usually I just smile because that's exactly what I would have said not too long ago.

By now, you know my passion is to help people move forward to live their best life. I hope that this article and my life will inspire you to start living the life that you really want. Stop seeing life as trade-offs. There is no reason why you can't have everything you want.

I hope you enjoy this month's newsletter and thanks again for helping me pursue my passion!

Robert

The post Gone Travelling … appeared first on Embrace Possibility.

(Sadly, William Zinsser passed away on May 12, 2015)

For the second interview of the Modeling Success Series, I had both the honor and pleasure of interviewing William Zinsser, the renowned American writer. It was a philosophical, inspirational and educational experience.

I first met Mr. Zinsser (telemarketers call him William) when I read On Writing Well, a widely accepted primer for writers. I enjoyed his practical tips and how he emphasized simplicity as a strength in writing.

As I learned more about Mr. Zinsser from reading his award-winning blog on American Scholar, I realized his success is not only attributed to his accomplished writing career (19 books and countless published articles) but also the way he leads his life. Besides being a writer, a teacher and a jazz pianist, Mr. Zinsser is also a permission-giver (to be explained).

My appreciation for Mr. Zinsser’s way of thinking and life deepened when I finally met him in person for this interview. He is a true connector and genuinely interested in other people. During this interview, there were several times when I felt like he was interviewing me.

I have included audio snippets of the actual interview throughout this article.

Enjoy!

It’s hard to believe Mr. Zinsser is turning 90 this year. The only sign of his age is the wisdom he imparts. His memory, which he equates to his identity, is fully accessible and we start the interview discussing the virtues of “letting go”. Mr. Zinsser comments that at his age “you let certain things fall away that is not important.” He recognizes that many of the things that were important to him have moved to the background and that “the smallness of life” has moved to the foreground.

Audio - On Letting Things Go - 4:05 

After quoting some insightful lines from one of his favorite books, Walden by Henry David Thoreau, Mr. Zinsser elaborates on what is important. He reflects on his experiences as a soldier in World War II and his difficult decision to give up a cushy position lined up in the family business to follow his dream to work as a “newspaperman” for the Herald Tribune. Here is what I took away from his message:

“You should not follow any expectations that are not the right ones for you”

William Zinsser was expected to go into the family business but he knew he wanted to write for the Herald Tribune from a young age where he had to spread that newspaper on the floor because it was too big for him to open in his arms. It was not easy for him to decline his father’s offer for a set job in the family’s business but it was the right one.

This has encouraged me to do what is right for me not what is right for other people. Disappointing other people may be painful but it's much worse to disappoint yourself. Do what you want because you're only given one life.

Check out Mr. Zinsser’s commencement address at Wesleyan University that inspired a few professors there to quit and pursue their own dreams.

“Whatever you’re doing, try to convey a sense that you’re enjoying what you do”

Although this was mentioned in On Writing Well, this surprised me when I heard it during our interview. I always thought “the struggle” was a necessary part of paying my dues and rarely focused on enjoying myself to get what I want. Mr. Zinsser drove the point home by saying he doesn’t write for other people, he writes for himself and that's the reason people choose to read his work.

For those familiar with Mr. Zinsser’s writing, you know that he never writes about anyone's life that he doesn't approve of and he doesn't write to “debunk or destroy” others. Rather, he bears witness to people he has been following and writes to build people up and for his own enjoyment.

If you don't enjoy what you do, what's the point?

“Must have a belief in your own uniqueness”

There is nothing wrong with listening to experts and emulating the greats but what is wrong is losing your own identity along the way. This happens when you lack confidence in your own abilities. You are unique when you were born and you have to remember that. When I asked Mr. Zinsser what happens if you don’t feel unique, he said you must generate it.

So how do you generate uniqueness?

• Question your life – Most people don’t think about their lives actively and they end up sleepwalking through it. Challenge your beliefs and assumptions. Challenge the beliefs and assumptions of your parents. Start asking yourself "What if".
• Have a sense of ego – be a rebel and have a “sense of own limitless possibility” – Mr. Zinsser wasn’t drafted for the war, he volunteered.
• Broaden your horizons – your experiences make you unique and the mix that comes from combining your unique experiences is what will set you apart. Travel to different places. Read different books. Listen to different music.
• Keep stretching yourself – don’t stay in your comfort zone. If you want to generate uniqueness, keep stretching and do something you've never done before. I've found that a twinge of fear or self-doubt is usually a good sign that what you're pursuing is a good stretch. Embrace it.

Audio - On What's Important in Life - 5:24

Audio - On Generating Uniqueness - 6:44

During the interview, we had an interesting discussion about how difficult it is for people to give themselves permission to do great things and to be great. One of the major roles Mr. Zinsser plays is that of a permission giver. When teaching his memoir writing class, his students frequently lament “but who would want to read my memoir. Who is going to care about my life?”

He empowers them by saying “I would. I care.” and he finds that this helps them move forward.

When I work with my clients, I see the same issue. People, who are stuck in life, are really just waiting for permission to move on. Once they have it, I've seen them make excellent progress.

Audio - On Giving Permission - 2:33

Bottom Line: You don't need Mr. Zinsser or me to give you permission. Give yourself permission to be great.

On Success

When asked about his definition of success, Mr. Zinsser doesn’t give a dollar amount or describe the typical retirement scenario involving some island in paradise. He simply says after pausing for thought:

“Success is doing what you want to do and doing it well.”

This resonates with my definition of success – I’m successful as long as I’m pursuing my passion to help people move towards what they want in life. One of the most common issues I see with my clients is that they don’t know what they want. How can you move forward when you're not sure where you are going? If you’re in this group, I recommend checking out my Know What You Want Workshop.

Audio - On the Definition of Success - 1:17

As Mr. Zinsser recounts the story of his son’s rise to being a successful artist, the message I took away is to be happy in what you do and let your vision guide you. If you’re not sure how to get there, it’s better to just start somewhere and no matter where you are, do excellent work.

“Don’t feel like you need to work for a magazine that your mother’s heard of” said Mr. Zinsser as he impressed upon me the adage that there are many paths to where you want to go and to be flexible in life. He also emphasizes the value of great mentors and the skill of figuring out what your audience wants.

We end the interview with a discussion about the keys to success. Mr. Zinsser attributes his success to:

• Optimism – the kind where you feel confident you can get a taxi on a snowy night
• Consistency – doing what you say you’ll do when you said you'll do it
• Ability to Get Things Done - this one doesn't need much explaining
• Humor - being light and getting along with everyone

If you want to hear more of this interview and learn why William Zinsser doesn’t use email or how he is able to build such great relationships, sign up for my mailing list to get free access to the other audio files for this interview.

So What Will I Model? (There is a good amount)

1. Conveying enjoyment in my work and stop trying to please everybody
2. Cultivating optimism, humor, and consistency
3. Giving myself permission to cling to my originality and knowing that it is good enough
4. Not waiting and taking action - just starting somewhere and being excellent at what I am doing
5. Continuously broadening my horizons by traveling and experiencing new things
6. When people come to me for X, giving them X+1
7. Dropping in on people (sign up for the mailing list to hear the audio excerpt with this idea)

What will you model?

The post Modeling Success Series – William Zinsser – #2 appeared first on Embrace Possibility.

I came across this commencement address while writing up a recent interview I had with Mr. Zinsser. He told me about this speech in our interview and how it inspired several professors attending the commencement to quit and pursue their own dream.

I was intrigued and after reading it, amazed. If you don't want to have a fire lit under you to pursue your own passion, don't read this speech because you won't be the same after. This speech will give you courage to live YOUR best life. A fair warning: If you value stability, you'll be offended. If you want the easy life, you'll be disgusted. If you've blamed bad luck for your situation, you'll be ashamed.

There are many great lessons and I'll let Mr. Zinsser teach them in his own words. (I've bolded and underlined some parts that really resonates with me.)

The sportswriter Red Smith was one of my heroes. Not long before his own death he gave the eulogy at the funeral of another writer, and he said, "dying is no big deal. Living is the trick." Living is the trick. That's what we're all given one chance to do well.

One reason I admire Red Smith was that he wrote about sports for 55 years, with elegance and humor, without ever succumbing to the pressure, which ruined many sportswriters, that he ought to be writing about something "serious." Red Smith found in sportswriting exactly what he wanted to do and what he deeply loved doing. And because it was right for him he said more important things about American values than many writers who wrote about serious subjects--so seriously that nobody could read them.

Another story.

When I was teaching at Yale, the poet Allen Ginsberg came to talk to my students, and one of them asked him: "was there a point at which you consciously decided to become a poet?" And Ginsberg said: 'It's wasn't quite a choice; it was a realization. I was 28 and I had a job as a market researcher. One day I told my psychiatrist that what I really wanted to do was to quit my job and just write poetry. And the psychiatrist said, "why not?" And I said, "Well, what would the American Psychoanalytic Association say?" And he said, "There's no party line." So I did. We'll never know how bit a loss that was for the field of market research. But it was a big moment for American poetry.

There's no party line.

Good advice. 

You can be your own party line. If living is the trick, what's crucial for you is to do something that makes the best use of your own gifts and your own individuality. There's only one you. Don't ever let anyone persuade you that you're somebody else.

My father was a businessman. His name was William Zinsser, and he had a business called William Zinsser & Company that had been founded by his grandfather, also named William Zinsser, who came to New York from Germany in 1849 with a formula for making shellac. He built a little house and a little factory way uptown at what is now 59th Street and Eleventh Avenue. I have an old photograph of those two buildings, all alone in an open field full of rocks that slopes down to the Hudson River. That business stayed there until 15 years ago--a 125 years. It's very rare for a business to stay in the same family on the same block in mid-Manhattan for a century, and I can assure you that it builds a sense of family continuity. One of the most vivid memories of my boyhood is how much my father loved his business. He had a passion for quality; he hated anything second-rate.

Seeing how much he loved his work and how good he was at it, I learned very early what has been a guiding principle of my life: that what we want to do we will do well. The opposite, however, is also true: what we don't want to do we won't do well--and I had a different dream. I wanted to be a newspaperman.

Unfortunately, my father had three daughters before he had me. I was his only son. He named me William Zinsser and looked forward to the day when I'd join him in the business. (In those Dark Ages the idea that daughters could run a company just as well as sons, or better, was still 20 years off).

It was a ready-made career for me--lifelong security--and maybe I also owed it to my mother and my sisters to carry on that hundred-year-old family tradition. But when the time came to choose, I knew that that just wasn't the right thing for me to do, and I went looking for a newspaper job, and got one with the New York Herald Tribune, and I loved it from the start.

Of course, that was a moment of great pain for my father--and also for me. But my father never tried to change my mind. He saw that I was happy, and he wished me well in my chosen work. That was by far the best gift I ever received, beyond price or value--partly, of course, because it was an outright gift of love and confidence, but mainly because it freed me from having to fulfill somebody else's expectations, which were not the right ones for me.

The Herald Tribune at that time was the best written and best edited newspaper in America. The older editors on that paper were the people who gave me the values that I've tried to apply to my work ever since, whatever that work has been. They were custodians of the best. When they made us rewrite what we had written and rewritten, it wasn't only for our own good; it was for the honorableness of the craft.

But the paper began to lose money, and the owners gradually cheapened their standards in an effort to get new readers (which they therefore couldn't get), and suddenly it was no longer a paper that was fun to work for, because it was no longer the paper I had loved. So on that day I just quit. By then I was married and had a one-year-old daughter, and when I came home and told my wife that I had quit she said, "what are you going to do now?" which I thought was a fair question.

And I said, "I guess I'm a freelance writer." And that's what I was, for the next eleven years. It's a life full of risk: the checks don't arrive as often as the bills, or with any regularity. But those 11 years were the broadest kind of education; no other job could have exposed me to so many areas of knowledge.

Also: In those eleven years I never wrote anything that I didnt' want to write. I'd like you to remember that. You don't have to do unfulfilling work, or work that diminishes you. You don't have to work for people you don't respect. You're bright enough to figure out how to do work that you do want to do, and how to work for people you do want to work for. 

Near the end of the '60s my wife said she thought it might be interesting to live somewhere besides New York and see what that was like. Well, to suggest to a fourth-generation New Yorker that there's life outside New York is heresy. But I began to discuss the idea with friends, and one of them said, "you know, change is a tonic."

I didn't know that.

I was afraid of change; I think most people are.

But I seized on the phrase "change is a tonic" and it gave me the energy to go ahead. I had always wanted to teach writing: to try to give back some of the things I had learned. So I started sending letters to colleges all over the country--big colleges, small colleges, colleges nobody had ever heard of, experimental colleges tha I actually went and visited; one was in a redwood forest in California and one seemed to be in a swamp in Florida--asking if they had some kind of place for me.

And they didn't, because I was not an academic--I only had a BA degree, like the one you'll have in about five minutes--and it was very discouraging. But finally one thing led to another. It always does. If you talk to enough people about your hopes and your dreams, if you poke down enough roads and keep believing in yourself, sooner or later a circle will connect. You make your own luck.

Well, one thing led to another, and one day I got a call from a professor at Yale who said he would take a chance and let me teach an experimental writing course for one term (by the way, that was almost two years after I had started sending all those letters). And on that slender thread we sold our apartment in New York and moved to New Haven, a city we had never seen before, and started a new life.

Yale was totally generous to me, though I was a layman from out of nowhere--a journalist, god forbid. I was allowed to initiate a nonfiction writing course, which the Yale English department later adopted, and I was also allowed to be master of one of Yale's residential colleges. So those were rich years for me--years of both teaching and learning--because they were unlike anything I had done before.

Now the fact that Yale let me do all this is the reason I'm telling you the story. I didn't fit any academic pattern. But finally, being different was not a handicap. Never be afraid to be different. Don't assume that people you'd like to work for have defined their needs as narrowly as you think they have--that they know exactly who they want. What any good executive is looking for is general intelligence, breadth, originality, imagination, audacity, a sense of history, a sense of cultural context, a sense of wonder, a sense of humor, far more than he or she is looking for a precise fit.

America has more than enough college graduates every year who are willing to go through life being someone else's precise fit. What we need are men and women who will dare to break the mold of tired thinking--who just won't buy somebody saying, "we've always done it this way. This way is good enough." 

Well, obviously it's not good enough or the country wouldn't be in the mess it's in. I don't have to tell you all the areas where this wonderful country is not living up to its best dreams: Poverty. Inequality. Injustice. Debt. Illiteracy. Health care. Day care. Homelessness. Pollution. Arms-spending that milks us of the money that should be going into life-affirming work. There's no corner of American life that doesn't need radically fresh thinking.

Don't shape yourself to a dumb job; shape the job to your strengths and your curiosity and your ideals. I've told you this story of my life for whatever pieces of it you may have wanted to grab as it went by... If I had to sum up why my work has been interesting it's because I changed the direction of my life every eight or nine years and never did--or continued to do--what was expected.

I didn't go into the family business; I didn't stay at the Herald Tribune; I didn't stay in New York. And I didn't stay at Yale. In 1979 I made a resume, like every Yale senior (they showed me how to do it--how to make it look nice), and went job-hunting in New York, and got a job with the Book-of-the-Month Club, which was still another new field for me, and in many ways those eight years were the most interesting years of all. So don't become a prisoner of any plans and dreams except your own best plans and dreams.

Don't assume that if you don't do what some people seem to be insisting that you do, in this goal-obsessed and money-obsessed and security-obsessed nation, it's the end of the world. It's not the end of the world. As my experience with my father proves, something very nourishing can happen--a blessing, a form of grace. Be ready to be surprised by grace.

And be very wary of security as a goal. It may often look like life's best prize. Usually it's not....For you, I hope today will be the first of many separations that will mean the putting behind you of something you've done well and the beginning of something you'll do just as well, or better. Keep separating yourself from any project that's not up to your highest standards of what's right for you--and for the broader community where you can affect the quality of life: your home, your town, your children's schools, your state, your country, your world.

If living is the trick, live usefully; nothing in your life will be as satisfying as making a difference in somebody else's life. Separate yourself from cynics and from peddlers of despair. Don't let anyone tell you it won't work. Men and women, women and me, of the Wesleyan Class of 1988:

There's no party line.

You make your own luck.

Change is a tonic.

One thing leads to another.

Living is the trick.

Thank you.

What are you going to do now? Is it time for you to make your own luck?

The post William Zinsser’s Commencement Speech at Wesleyan University 1988 appeared first on Embrace Possibility.

Most people would apply for the victim card at this point and blame anything negative they were doing or how their pitiful lives turned out on their childhood. Not Chuck Close.

He rose above these challenges through his passion for art and became one of America's most celebrated artists.

Chuck's story up until this point is inspiring enough and I wish I could end Chuck's story here with "and then he lived happily ever after" but I can't.

On December 7, 1988, Chuck had a spinal artery collapse while delivering a speech in New York that left him paralyzed from the neck down. He referred to this as "the event". Here was an artist who lost the physical ability to pursue his passion for art...

Would we blame him for giving up?

No, we wouldn't. It's hard enough to overcome one tragic event but two is too much. This sounds like the perfect time to rest on his laurels. At least he experienced success before this happened.

Did he give up?

No, he didn't.

He became resourceful. He didn't wallow in his unfortunate situation and reflect on why this was happening to him. He didn't tell himself that he has already accomplished more than enough with everything that has happened to him. He focused on how he can continue to pursue his passion.

This persistence fueled his creativity and led him to discover that he can make small paintings while holding the paintbrush with his teeth. After some intensive physical therapy, he regained some movement in his arms and strapping a paintbrush to his wrist with tape, he created large mosaic-form paintings that were just as popular as his work before "the event".

Check out some of Chuck Close's artwork by clicking here.

This is a great example to never give up. No matter what happens or what setbacks you have, continue to find ways to pursue your passion because there is always a way (Albert Einstein didn't give up either). It may not be the way you intended but as long you are pursuing your passion, it won't matter.

What roadblocks do you have in your life that is stopping you from pursuing your passion? Are you focusing on your bad luck or are you being resourceful and thinking about how to pursue your passion despite these roadblocks?

If Chuck can do it, so can you.

If you want to hear more about Chuck Close's story from Chuck himself, check out Chronicles of Courage: Very Special Artists where Chuck Close speaks candidly about how his disability impacted his life and work.

The post Fueled by Passion – Chuck Close appeared first on Embrace Possibility.

There is a simple formula for success:

All you have to do is ...

...think, feel and act like a successful person.

That's it.

So why aren't more people successful?

It's because they think, feel and act based on their guess of what a successful person thinks, feels and acts like. Unfortunately, their guess is usually wrong and they end up thinking, feeling and acting in a way that does not help them become successful.

So what is the lesson here?

Don't assume or speculate. If you want to find out how successful people think, feel and act,

Just Ask Them.

There are out there, more accessible than ever and willing to give back by sharing their experiences. All you have to do is ask and then model how they think, feel and act. How do they tackle tough situations? What is their definition of failure? How do they handle setbacks?

The great part about modeling is that you can cherry pick the qualities you want and ignore the qualities you don't want.

But what if I really can't find anyone to model?

Enter the Modeling Success Series.

In this series, I will be posting exclusive interviews with people I consider to be extraordinary and successful who I model myself after. We all have different definitions of success and extraordinary so it is for you to decide how valuable each article in the series is to you. If you have any nominations, feel free to send them my way.

I am honored to kick off this series with Leo Babauta.

Leo is a simplicity blogger & author. He created Zen Habits, a Top 25 blog (according to TIME magazine) with 200,000 subscribers, mnmlist.com, and the best-selling books focus, The Power of Less, and Zen To Done.

Babauta is a former journalist of 18 years, a husband, father of six children, and in 2010 moved from Guam to San Francisco, where he leads a simple life.

You can check out his full bio here.

Due to our busy schedules, we conducted this interview via email so the interview will be presented in a questions and answers format.

Here is the interview:

Robert: Hi Leo, what are some of the things you are working on these days and how do you decide what you want to focus your energy on?

Leo: I’ve been working with a group of readers who’ve joined my Sea Change Program -- a membership program designed to help people change their lives, gradually but completely. As an example, we had a two-month course called The Mindful Diet, where they learned to change their eating habits by eating mindfully, and soon I’ll be running a course called Unprocrastination. I focus my energy on things that excite me, and that I think will help people most.

Robert: What would you say are the major contributors to your success? Were any of these unexpected?

Leo: I’ve learned to focus my energy on the things that matter -- creating content that people want, rather than focusing on stats, SEO, social media, etc. I think my writing about simplicity and habits tapped into a need that was out there that I completely didn’t realize until Zen Habits started taking off (in the first six months). So yes, this was completely unexpected.

Robert: Was there a distinct moment on your journey when you went from faith that everything will work out to absolute certainty? If so, what made it possible to make that shift?

Leo: I never had faith or certainty that things would work out, and still don’t. I don’t believe in worrying about what might happen as a result of my efforts, as it’s impossible to know -- I prefer to focus on the efforts. I do know that I quit my day job a year after starting Zen Habits, because I’d paid off my debt and was making as much money as I’d made in my regular job … but even at that point, I had no idea whether it would work out. I still don’t, except that if I’m enjoying what I’m doing, then things have already worked out.

Robert: What are you thinking about when you are writing your blog and creating products and services?

Leo: I think about the reader. I think about what problems the reader might be facing that I can help with, based on my experiences. Then I do my utmost to help. That’s all I do, ever.

Robert: You are certainly very productive (creating a successful blog, raising 6 kids, actively exercising, writing best-selling books, creating content for your membership site, etc.). How do you prevent these activities from distracting each other and what have you noticed are your most effective ways to get things done?

Leo: I do one thing at a time, and focus only on that. Single-tasking is the most effective way for me to get anything done.

Robert: What advice would you give someone who feels underrated and not sure if it is possible for them to live their life to the fullest?

Leo: It’s impossible to know if you going to live life to the fullest, so don’t worry about that. You might live an amazing life, but how would you know if you lived it to the fullest? Maybe there was more you could have done? Instead, focus on enjoying the present moment, and doing what you’re passionate about right now. If you live life as a series of happy, content, passionate moments, you can’t say you did anything wrong.

Robert: Thanks Leo!

So what will I model?

• Single tasking - Do one thing at a time
• Focusing on the audience and solving their issues
• Live more in the present moment and stop worrying about whether things will work out

The post Modeling Success Series – Leo Babauta – #1 appeared first on Embrace Possibility.

I didn't come from a rich family so I didn't get the same opportunities.

I wasn't born attractive enough. 

I can't move up in my company because English wasn't my native language.

The list of excuses goes on.

How often do people quit because of their handicap? How many people make excuses because their life is too tough and resign to a life of mediocrity because they've given up without trying?

Unfortunately, too many.

But once in a while, I'll find someone who pursues their dream against all odds and really inspire me to continue to strive for my own dreams no matter what happens.

Enter Nick Vujijic.

Nick was born without arms. I can't even begin to imagine how my life would be without just my hands. I'm not sure how I would deal with life. Would would you do if you didn't have arms? Would it be unbearable?

Well guess what?

Nick was also born without legs. That's right. No arms or legs yet at the current age of 27 he is the president of an international non-profit organization, an author and the owner of his own motivational speaking company. He travels the world following his passion to motivate people around the world to gain perspective, to find their purpose and to live the big dream. Occasionally he even finds time for surfing (see picture) and learn more about Nick at his main site.

Below is a video of Nick living his purpose. Every time I watch this, It puts my life and hardships in perspective and I am truly inspired to disregard any excuses I am making and continue living my passion and focusing on how I can make it happen and not whether I should. I hope it will do the same for you.

If you have an inspirational story that has helped you to continue following your dreams, please share it in the comments section below. Thanks!

The post No Arms, No Legs, No Worries – Nick Vujijic appeared first on Embrace Possibility.