How to Find and Follow your Inner Calling (from the Oprah Winfrey Show - Part One)

Article Title: How to Find and Follow your Inner Calling n(from the Oprah Winfrey Show - Part One)
Submitted by Craig Lock
Category/Subject: Personal growth, dreams, inspiration, success, nmotivation.
Articles by Craig Lock are available at: http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles.html n(Personal growth, self help, writing, internet marketing, words of inspiration and money management)

Publishing Guidelines: This article (as with all my articles)nmay be freely published, electronically or in print.

"We share what we know, so that we all may grow." n n *
"I'd rather attempt something great and fail...n than try nothing and succeed."n- inspiring words from Norman Vincent Peale n(US preacher and author)

Author's Note:
This article (in point form) was largely based upon notes I've taken from Oprah's most iuplifting TV program from some years back (when I had just the seed of a dream in my soul). I have personalised some of the information in following the principles, as well as adding some additional thoughts and anecdotes, from my own jou
ey (as I feel this piece has a lot of meaning to me, as I feel it "mirrors" my own "unchartered" path).

Oprah's personal jou
ey and philosophy has been a great encouragement and inspiration to me in following my personal dream for many years and I'm sharing this piece with the hope and in the spirit of encouraging and perhaps even inspiring other people to follow their personal dreams. That is my dream!!n ncraig n *
How to Find and Follow your Inner Calling n(from the Oprah Winfrey Show - Part One)

Having the courage to follow your dreams.
"I can do anything, if I only knew what it was." How to put the pieces together to follow your dreams in life.

Songwriter. Learning to live yourself is the greatest love of all, 'Touch/Love me in the morning', 'Miss you like crazy', 'Save it all for you'. How Muhammed Ali (a 'renegade') found strength to believe in himself - avoiding the draft - motivated him to write a song. Stripped of everything he had at the time - "The greatest love of all". Have a REASON - "He who has a WHY, will always find out any HOW" (or words to that effect from the German philosopher, Nietsche). Having a reason, a strong purpose (for Being and living) makes you feel great about yourself. The songwriter had dreams of making music when he was young. Use the power of the creativity within you. Are we in touch with our feelings deep inside ourselves? Really feel deep inside, instead of pleasing people. Let them touch you. Scared? It's finding your meaning in life.
Are you unhappy - restless, unfulfilled. The jou
ey of life should not be predictable. Want meaning? Don't know how it will pan out? Nor do I, but it's certainly an exciting jou
ey!

Trust your CREATIVITY. What you really feel inside - touch them. Don't be afraid to expose them. Not afraid??? - the thoughts just visit me - ideas just come. Role play in job.
The jou
ey is the reward. It's wherever you are at the time. Get in touch with your emotions.
Not all people can be great. "If you can't do great things, just do little things in a great way!": Don't live a life of no risk. Don't learn by rote - don't go for security. Take time to find the poetry in yourself - it's not rote (learning), nor is it playing a role. Try it out, be a watchmaker, anything you want . Try expressing your feelings and emotions into a tape-recorder. It's the jou
ey, not the destination that's important.

I want to do something, but I just don't know what to do.
Was it always what you wanted to do?
Lawyer turned "pro" baseball player.
Comedian.

4 questions:

How much more meaningful is your life now?
Is it significant or successful?
I believe that you can become anything you believe you can be. However, you have to work hard to get there. We are often unsure of ourselves, when we go for our dream. Live the dream of your life. You can become anything that you want to be; but you have to work hard on it.

I can do anything, if I only know what it was. The key is finding that PASSION. Your life PURPOSE will fill you with enthusiasm and the passion will propel you towards success.

We often don't BELIEVE in ourselves. Many of us have forgotten what we dreamed of doing, when we were younger. Find out what you love doing - what you are gifted at - there is no exception; you have something to give this world. When you are born, your vision of the world is unique; however, it gets stomped out by the trials and tribulations of life. You will be magnificent at it. What do you love doing, what makes your heart sing?
You can be special, you ARE a unique being. Don't try to be great, but just be YOU. As Martin Luther King said: "Everybody can be great, because anyone can serve." Find the poetry in you. What makes your heart sing?

CAN I BE THE CHANGE I WISH TO SEE IN THE WORLD?
YES, you can! First,

CREATE AN AURA OF PEACE IN YOUR OWN LIFE.

And a final and most important thought...

"Everybody Knows

You can't be all things to all people.
You can't do all things at once.
You can't do all things equally well.
You can't do all things better than everyone else.
Your humanity is showing just like everyone else's.

So...

You have to find out who you are, and be that.
You have to decide what comes first and do that.
You have to discover your strengths, and use them.
You have to learn not to compete with others,
Because no one else is in the contest of "being you".

Then...

You will have learned to accept your own uniqueness.
You will have learned to set priorities and make decisions.
You will have learned to live with your limitations.
You will have learned to give yourself the respect that is due,
And you'll be a being that's vitally alive.

Dare To Believe...

That you are a wonderful unique person.
That you are a once-in-all-history event.
That it's more than a right, it's your duty, to be who you are.
That life is not a problem to solve, but a gift to cherish,nand you'll be able to stay one up on what used to get you down. "nn -- Author Unknown

Submitted by Craig Lock ("Incorrigible Encourager, Information and Inspiration Distributor")nhttp://www2.webng.com/write
z/nhttp://www.craiglockbooks.com

P.S:
From being in a very difficult situation some years back, neventually led to Craig finding and living his dream as a writer, nwho (hopefully) makes a difference by uplifting others and touching lives around the globe...and that is the reason for sharing my various writings.

Thank you sincerely, Oprah for sharingnyour insights and wisdom in encouraging me down my 'untroddennpath' from days of darkness into the light, as I follow my dreams.

"Our talents are our gifts from God...nbut what we do with them are our gifts TO the Ultimate Source"

Together, one mind, one soul at a time, let's encourage, impact, uplift and perhaps even inspire the world." n
THIS PIECE MAY BE FREELY PUBLISHED