The truth is, you can - but you may not believe it's possible, yet.

If you haven't figured it out by now, there is no magic pill, and all the gurus in the world won't get you from where you are to where you want to be until you learn how to listen to your own instincts, trust yourself, and really go for it in your life and business.

For most entrepreneurs, this is a difficult lesson to learn. I know, because I've been there... chasing one shiny thing after another, just knowing that "this time", the magic pill would bring me to the level of success I've always dreamed about.

I started thinking about all the "gurus" and "blueprints" I had paid way too much money for. Then, I took a good look at the folks behind those products and services. That's when something clicked in my brain. It's not that they weren't worth their fee (okay, SOMETIMES it really was info-crap, but I digress). It was that their offer wasn't the solution to my real problem... a lack of confidence in what I had to offer the world.

That's when I realized that all those "gurus" had one thing in common: They didn't have a role model when they got started. They stumbled, learned how to trust their own judgment, and found their own path. You see it in guys like Richard Branson, who made some pretty big mistakes before he became the incredibly successful entrepreneur he is today. Richard got clear on his definition of success. He created his own way.

You will never be Richard Branson. Being "the next Richard Branson" shouldn't be your goal, either.

Define Your Own Success, Be Your Own Guru, And Make It Happen.

There is no magic pill, and hope is not a strategy. The biggest mistake I see entrepreneurs making right now is that they want the "easy button" to success. They want to skip the mistake-making, hair-pulling moments of business and just have success handed to them. But the deeper issue with this is that you don't trust yourself to become successful. You don't believe (deep in your bones) that if you did make a mistake (OH! The HORROR!) that you could recover - or that anyone would still want to do business with you.

Here's a quick summary of success in the Noble Empire: You screw up, you have a glimpse of success, you keep trying, you screw up some more, some clients will love you, some will hate you, and the ones that last are the ones that matter. THAT is how you find lasting success (in anything, really, not just business).

If you never listen to yourself, you become hostage to the “guru du jour” and their definition of success. You need to listen to (and trust) yourself again. When I look at the greatest entrepreneurs of current and recent history, these folks are creating their own definitions of success - and they're sticking to them. That's the only thing that separates you from them: they have a vision and believe in themselves enough to take action. You're stuck somewhere in the middle of that...

• Maybe you've got a vision, but aren't confident in how to make it a reality.
• Maybe you've waffled back and forth between quitting the day job and jumping into your business with both feet.
• Maybe you've been chasing so many bright, shiny objects that you don't know what your definition of success really is.
• Maybe you've been feeling so alone in this, that you just didn't think you could get started on your own.
• Maybe you've gotten started, but you can't seem to stay focused because "stuff" keeps coming up.
• Maybe your inner critic keeps telling you it can't be done.

Whatever your situation, Be Your Own Guru is here to help.

How to Be Your Own Guru (Three Ways To Join Us!)

Starting April 15, I'm bringing in some of the smartest, most talented, and savvy thinkers, do-ers, authors and entrepreneurs to help you get off your butt (and your "yeah, but...") and get moving on your real definition of success. This is a multimedia event that will help you trust yourself, get clear on your own definition of success, and have you taking action as we go. You can participate in a couple of ways:

1. If you like to stay kind of anonymous and just want to check-in from time to time, visit the blog (you're here now!).
2. If you've got a kindle, you can pick up the series on Amazon for less than a buck (and Amazon has a 14 day free trial. Cool, no?)
3. If you're an over-achiever like me, get registered for the email series (the yellow sign-up box is where you do it), which features not only the daily posts, but also specific action items that you can begin to implement to make faster progress on your journey. Plus, when you register, you're eligible for the surprise bonuses that we're throwing in along the journey (goodies galore!)

Or you can do all three, and know you're covered in every direction. The more you participate, the better your results will be. Plus, I've invited our guests to stop in and chat with you on the blog during the series. We're working hard to create a community of action-oriented artist-entrepreneurs here, and if that sounds like you, join us!

You can trust yourself with this!

For Be Your Own Guru, I’ve tapped some of the smartest, sharpest, most talented folks I know to help you kick your excuses to the curb and make things happen for you. This series is for dreamers AND do-ers! Each of the amazing big-thinkers joining us for this series will be sharing inspiration, ideas, tips, and strategies to help you get off dead center, stop looking for a magic pill, build your Noble Empire and live an inspired life (whatever that means to you). Remember, the only definition of success that matters is your own. And it doesn’t necessarily look like anyone else’s. Our amazing guests will have you laughing, crying, and realizing that the only thing stopping you from the success you define are the excuses that you’ve created along the way. Some have overcome mental illness, disease, poverty, single parenthood, difficult marriages, kids, debt, and relocation, while others had it “easy” in that respect, and “just” had to overcome their inner critic. All of them have defined (and continue to define) their own brand of success, and are sharing their insights with you. Some, you may already know, some may be completely new faces, all of them are gifted, talented action-oriented folks that will make you say “Wow… if they can do it, so can I!” We're still getting all the details together for the series. Here's a list of our confirmed guests so far (in no particular order):

I am SO excited!

To be clear, when you register, you'll get a daily email from me with [BYOG]  in the subject line. The event begins April 15 and ends May 17. After that, if you want more training on building a noble empire and living an inspired life, you'll need to subscribe to my weekly e-zine. You won't be automagically added to any other lists, and I won't be blasting a bunch of marketing messages to you. That's not how I roll.

This series is about helping you sharpen your focus, get clear about what's really important, and help you be your own guru for a change. When you can trust your own gut to make decisions, things get done much faster!

Define Your Own Success, Be Your Own Guru, And Make It Happen.