In the spring of 2010, I was restless, confused and uninspired. Through a series of synchronicities and a leap of faith that launched me into inspired action, I found myself sitting in the training room with Jack Canfield at his signature Breakthrough to Success event.

Three years later, I am clear about my purpose, travelling along an intentional path toward my dreams with an exciting vision for my future. My life is magical and every day is filled with inspiration. I am supported by people who believe in me and my dreams while I help others to connect with their unique purpose and discover their own magic. 

Perhaps 2014 is your year to thrive ... to uncover your dream ... to get back on the path towards your heart's desire? See what Jack has to say ... and stay tuned for an exciting announcement coming later this week about how I can help you can get started! 

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Life is a Laboratory
by Jack Canfield

Everyone has a dream.

Many of us simply lose sight of it or let it go because of some earlier disappointment, rejection, or lack of progress.  The natural tendency is to protect ourselves from getting hurt again, so we deny our dream, afraid to reach out for the people, resources, and opportunities that could support it.

I want to share a quick story about my friend Catherine Lanigan.  She had earned a college scholarship on her strengths as a gifted writer. Catherine’s Harvard professor gave her an F on her first short story and convinced her she had no talent. She wrote nothing more for 13 years.

Then one day in her small Texas town Catherine visited a movie set. When she expressed her desire to be a writer, one of the scriptwriters shot back, "B.S.! If you wanted to be a writer, you would have written."

When Catherine explained how her professor discouraged her, the scriptwriter replied, "An academic guy? What does he know? I write for a living. Tell you what. You go home and write something and send it to me, and I’ll tell you if I think you have any talent in the real world of commercial literature."

A year later, Catherine finished her novel and sent it to the scriptwriter, who loved it and sent it to his agent in New York. The agent also loved it and asked to represent her work. Catherine’s first novel was followed by numerous others including Romancing the Stone and Jewel of the Nile, which became a major motion picture.

Is there a dream buried deep within you? If so, you owe it to yourself—and the world—to fully express it.

First you need to get in touch with your dream. When you get in touch with the essence of who you are and what it is that really wants to come through you, it propels you forward, allowing you to overcome any obstacle, no matter how big.

Secondly, gather feedback from many people (but don’t let someone else’s opinion bury your dream as Catherine did for so long). Whether you’re venturing into a new career, proposing a project in your community, or developing a computer application, get as much feedback as you can. Weigh it; then follow your own instincts.

Finally, try things you’ve never tried before to see what works. When we were kids, we’d try anything, but now? Today a child having a computer problem will hit every button to get it to work. Many adults fear touching the wrong button will break it.

Embrace a spirit of curiosity and playfulness in your pursuit. If one thing doesn’t work, try another. If that doesn’t work, try something else. This can be great fun. Imagine life as one big laboratory—and keep experimenting until your dream yields the results you want.

Jack Canfield, America's #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul® and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you're ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at:www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com

You can also join Jack live on his FREE monthly Ask Jack strategy calls.

Make 2014 your year to live your dreams!

Using feedback to our advantage is one of Jack Canfield's most important lessons. In his trainings he demonstrates the power of feedback using several exercises and demonstrations to emphasize it's value.

I totally get it, but I know I've been resistant about asking for and receiving feedback ... up until now.

As you may know, I wrote a book. It's a fiction novel called Match Meets the Metaphysical: A Transformational Journey to Light and Love. It is now with the editor going through the final editing stage and will soon be sent to the publisher. I anticipate a late fall release. Stay tuned for more details

Jack, author of the Chicken Soup of the Soul series, is a many times best selling author and considered an expert in the field. One of his biggest suggestions was that I send my manuscript out to 6-8 reviewers to get feedback.

He is my teacher and mentor and I have made a commitment to do what he suggests I do. So I put my manuscript on a flashdrive, went to Staples and had them print and bind eight copies. I went to the post office and got postage paid envelopes and retrun envelopes. I came home, made up a reviewer feedback form that a member of my Mastermind group shared with me. I addressed the envelopes to the people who agreed to be reviewers and packaged them up and placed them on the table by the door where I put outgoing mail, my car keys and everything else that is heading with me when I leave my house.

The envelopes sat there for over two weeks! It was literally as if I didn't even see them sitting there next to my keys. Finally I grabbed them on my way out one day, got distracted and while I was driving into town, I realized that I had left them behind.

Hmmmm ... clearly there was something up with that ... some resistance that was holding me back. I did what I've learned to do when that happens. I talked about it. I went to my Mastermind group, several members are published authors, and asked them for help. We laughed as they shared their stories of fear, resistance, of going public with their stories. And finally, they did what they always do. They asked how they could help me get over my fear and resistance of receiving feedback, which was hiding my fear of failure and my fear of success.

The day after the call, as promised, I mailed out  the manuscripts and feedback forms. I've gotten lots of feedback ... the great, the not so great and some amazing suggestions for improvement and changes. From the feedback I now have a wonderful new introduction, an appendix I hadn't even thought of and a more clear idea of who my target audience is and who my target audience is not. From the feedback, I also got insight into the cover design and an idea for a couple of classes that I will be developing from the content of my book and the lessons I've learned and skills I've developed through my experience.

 I took the not so positive feedback and used it in a constructive way. Instead of taking it personally, I asked for more feedback to help me decide what action to take and what changes to make. It helped me tune into and trust my gut, which always leads me in a positive direction.

Now I am a feedback junkie ... and much more aware of how my fear of success show up!