“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.”

Jim Ryun

Photo by atomicpuppy68

“Other people’s opinion of you does not have to become your reality.”

Les Brown

Photo by greencandy8888

Age shouldn’t even be considered an obstacle on the road to success anymore. Whether you’re young or old, you can achieve great things. Elizabeth Torres is a testament to this. Elizabeth is twenty years old, a motivational speaker, poet, and painter. She has accomplished so much in a short time because she started at an even younger age. Elizabeth was born in Bogota, Colombia. She had a talent in the arts at a very young age. By six years old she was already publishing poetry and showing the world her artistic skills. Her poetry and art helped her gain recognition. At age ten she published a book entitled, Questions without Answer. This book became a best seller in Colombia. Questions without Answer brought even more recognition and awards to Elizabeth. She was invited to various universities and communities in the US to share her story and to motivate others towards their dreams.

Today, Elizabeth resides in New Jersey. She now shares her story with high school and college students around the United States. Elizabeth also recently published another book of poetry called Because the Flame is Alive.

Lyved received the opportunity to ask Ms. Torres a few questions about success and life.

You have accomplished a lot at a very young age, do you believe age is just a number?

In my opinion, we should count not by years, days, hours and minutes… But by heartbeats. Whenever you are doing whatever it is that makes you happy, anxious, adventurous or satisfied…like discovering a new place, meeting with an old friend, traveling or starting a new project, your heart beats of excitement. That’s when you are most alive.

If we sat down and did nothing for a whole year, we would still grow older. What matters is what you make of those years.

As a child, I realized that my life was the result of my actions. If I considered myself too young, I was stuck in the waiting room of life for a few years, and I didn’t want that. So I started to open doors for myself, which takes a lot of discipline and effort, but the results are amazing. I would wake up early in the morning to write poetry, attend to classes, and afterwards, give conferences. Now that I am 20, the age when most motivational speakers are just getting started…I already have at least 12 years of experience.

What is your favorite quote?

I don’t truly recall where I first heard this quote, it’s a latin phrase that I’ve kept close to me ever since: Gutta cavat Lapidem. (The drop hollows the stone). It is an excellent reminder of how our daily lives reflect nature’s perfection. It isn’t strength but perserverance that will allow us to arrive to our destination, no matter what awaits for us along the road.

A second quote I’ve grown very attached to is one that appears in one of the poems in my latest book “Because the Flame is Alive”…. it says, the world endures, “because the flame is still alive”. And as you can see I titled my book the same way. It became my motto. Because it’s been proven that men can survive without food, even without water, but not without oxygen and fire. To me, life is combustion, it is hope, it is love, it is energy…and even though we cannot see it, we belong to it and depend on it. When we breath, we are connected to the world and the world takes from us too, and in this process, our flame breaths. It’s a reminder that we are not alone… Knowing that there is a greater presence, that we belong, and that we are loved, ignites our flame, and keeps us going.

What is the greatest obstacle you ever faced? And how did you overcome it?

Whenever you pursue a dream, or decide to simply step out of bed and do something productive, you’re bound to find obstacles. I see them as challenges that make you earn your results. I’ve had hundreds of doors closed on my face since I was a child, because publishing companies didn’t believe in the words of a child… I always struggled to get my work out there, to share my message, to make time for everything that a dream requires. Then, when I traveled to this country, I had to learn a new language, and that to me was pretty difficult, but now that I understand it and have the capability of enjoying its beauty, I know it was all worth it. Obstacles are meant to awaken our creativity, they are opportunities to prove our skills, our strength, and our perseverance.

What has been the most crucial factor to your success?

I would say it’s been to never underestimate the opportunities in front of me. While promoting my books I was often invited to college campuses, corporate companies and theaters, but also to little community centers, local radio stations, and family reunions. I enjoyed them all equally, because I learned that from every reunion, big or small, a new door opens. I listened to the advice those people around me had to say, and more connections arrived, more interviews, more conferences. It was an unstoppable chain of reaction. We could sum it up by saying: Keep moving, keep the world interested.

When you set out on achieving a goal, what are your first steps?

Every object around us, from a building, to a car, to a cup of coffee, was first an idea in the mind of someone who dared to try it and make it a reality. You see, success principles are not what you find in expensive books and pay thousands to learn. They are the experiences that life teaches you when you follow the right path, and the clues that it shares with you to guide you and protect your dream. In this case, the principle would be: imagine, believe, act. Or to develop it even further: Develop an idea into a project, create a business plan, do some research, set short term goals to keep track of your progress, and get to work.

You are very positive and happy but is there one thing that really puts a smile on your face?

Of course! The company of my family, my brother’s perfect memory when discussing movies and comedy shows…. walks in new york city, the shakespeare and co. bookstore in Paris…. La Casa de Poesia Silva in La Candelaria, Colombia (a colonial house dedicated to poetry in my country of origin)… I not only smile but sometimes even cry just by listening to a good poem or by being caught by surprise by a good song.

Another reason why I smile every day is because I know that more and more young people are discovering their talents and using them to their advantage, taking control of their lives and making a difference in the world. This makes me smile because it’s always been my dream. To quit hearing about wars and terrorism and dissappointments, and hear once again the song of balance in the universe, and on earth, among men and women.

Have you found your purpose in life?

Ever since I was a little girl I always had this idea in my mind that I would become a renowned writer, a famous artist, and a famous motivational speaker. I would visualize myself traveling all over, presenting my books, giving interviews and speaking to huge audiences. To me, this was the only way I could share a little bit of my flame with the world around me, and give back for all the blessings I have received. I look at myself now and I smile because I know I’ve followed the right path. I’ve listened to thousands of anecdotes of people who have changed because they were motivated by my message. This life I’ve chosen is a great responsibility because it isn’t something I do for myself, I do it for all those who don’t have a voice, so that their voice can be heard too. And if the satisfaction and complete happiness I get after every conference and interview means that I’ve found my purpose in life, then I have. Since there are so many goals yet to be accomplished, I cannot sit to wait and find an answer… When my hands are wrinkled and my feet cannot keep going, I’ll know for sure.

What is the one thing that frustrates you about the young people of the world? Or even people of all ages?

Interesting question… sometimes I get frustrated because of the attitudes of people towards themselves. You know? When they wake up in the morning already accepting failure, because they are petrified of it and so they do not dare to even try and change it. It’s like if they had been programmed to think that failure means the end of the world, when it’s simply a new lesson. Another thing that truly frustrates me and saddens me is that ambitious hunger for power and for material properties, that sometimes even leads to people taking away from their own brothers. It’s something we teach our children, because it’s adults that do it. Children like to share because they are still innocent, they like to enjoy everything around them, amazed as if it were an adventure. I wish I could tell these people: Don’t waste your time damaging and hurting those around you just for material treasures… when you close your eyes, they’re not there anymore.

Do you believe that where you are today does not determine where you can go tomorrow?

Where we are today is without doubt the result of what we worked for yesterday. But it does not determine where we’ll be tomorrow. Tomorrow is different. Tomorrow is hope, it is our new chance to prove ourselves, and change our destiny.

What is next for you?

For this year, I plan to continue promoting my book “Because the Flame is Alive” in the U.S and abroad… I am already working on another book, and several other projects to expand my audience and share my message. I believe that I can set a positive example for future generations, and that I can help young people become leaders, so that’s my greatest goal. I’ll soon be traveling to Ireland and London, and in the following 6 months, to Mexico, Colombia and Canada… Wherever there is someone doing something positive, I want to be there to help them… Keep the flame alive in me, and ignite it in others, until we’ve all become keepers of the flame of love, liberty and hope.

For more on Elizabeth Torres please visit her website here.

“In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins; not through strength, but through persistence.”

Unknown

Photo by makelessnoise

This is a guest post by Allan Cox

Recently, I published my eighth book, Your Inner CEO, far and away my best. The book’s core lesson is finding and expressing your singularity—how you can be like no other person who has walked the planet. You can learn this life-enriching lesson by applying the psychology of Alfred Adler, the brilliant Vienna physician, who, along with Freud and Jung, make up the holy trinity of modern psychology.

Style-Of-Life: Dimly Aware

The centerpiece of Adler’s thought was Style-of-Life. We all have one, and by it he meant, “an organized set of convictions about life of which the individual, at best, is only dimly aware. This means, for example, that without knowing it you could be living daily with deeply held views of yourself or life, such as “I’m an analytical whiz,” or “Life only works when I’m tenacious.” Are such outlooks good? Without more information, you can’t know, but for now, just imagine you live by these convictions without knowing their hold on you.

So let’s assume you want to know more about yourself. That’s a good thing; after all, it was Socrates who pointed out that the unexamined life is not worth living. So start with this bottom line: If your S-O-L is healthy, think of it as your guardian presence. If it’s not, know that it’s a looming threat and that you’re, well, S-O-L! That is, until you change it in keeping with your true authenticity, in other words, your singularity. You are like a snowflake, you know.

Here’s how you discover your Style-of-Life. You complete three short sentences, using non-business language. The hard part is to boil these thoughts down by adding no more that 10 words between the three. Brevity is key. Less is more. Keep it simple.

Start Today

Get started today, but realize the kind of soul-searching and reflection you’ll need to get this right is going to take you several re-visits, hard-nosed rejection of early and convenient wording, and several weeks or even months to arrive at truthful completions. All the while you’re defining yourself, you’re actually peeling away layers of stuff and identifying your core self—your singularity.

Here are the three starters . . .

I am: (this is how you see yourself)
Life is: (this is how you see life)
My central goal: (this is the goal you’re not aware of that’s pulling you into the future, for better or worse)

Not until you excavate inside and craft the completions to these simple sentences will you have a grasp of your life’s actual trajectory; whether you’re heading true north or off on side paths to nowhere; whether your Style-of-Life is a looming threat or guardian presence.

Your Value Proposition to The World

Aeschylus, a 5th-Century BCE Greek playwright, composed this stunningly simple trilogy: I am like all other men, I am like some other men, I am like no other man. This is what really counts. Why? Because until you unearth your uniqueness, your authenticity, your essence—what I call your singularity—you’re not able to offer your value proposition to the world!

I’ve been terribly brief here, but if this idea resonates for you, get hold of my book, Your Inner CEO: Unleash the Executive Within. It will take you through the drill to discover your singularity and fire it up. If your Style-of-Life is a looming threat, you’ll learn how to change it out for your singularity the world is waiting for. Don’t wait. You gotta know this and do this.
For more support, come visit our new Your Inner CEO Wiki-Ning Community.

All the best,

Allan Cox

Photo by BinaryApe

“Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.”

Dale Carnegie

Photo by Willup

“For true success ask yourself these four questions: Why? Why not? Why not me? Why not now?”

James Allen

Photo by modean987

Those who admire successful individuals and desire to achieve their own success want to know the steps they must take. There is no set path to success, it varies depending upon the person and the situations they face. However, these are 8 steps that you can walk to achieve a change in your life. There’s no need to follow them exactly as they are listed. Maybe you would like to remove a step, insert one, or switch them around.

Step 1 - Dream

Everyone does this already, or at least I would hope so. You must dream because achieving your dreams means you’ve achieved success and changed your life. Dream about everything you need, desire, and want. Whether that be a luxury car, yacht, mansion, food, vacations, clothing, money, love, family, or anything else. Dream about the most ridiculous goals you can think of. Goals that don’t seem possible. Bring back dreams from your childhood. Write all of them down in journal or type them on your computer.

Step 2 - Refine

Pick your favorite dreams and goals or the ones you desire to achieve most. But don’t limit yourself, if you want to achieve all of them then don’t push any aside. Next, go through each dream and think of or write down the details of each of them. If you want to buy a luxury car then write down the exact make, model, year, and color. Know every detail possible about your dreams. Polish them and make them even more vibrant in your mind.

Step 3 - Plan

Plan for what you will need to achieve your dreams. Will you need money or not a cent? Will you need help from someone or can you do it yourself? Will you need to quit your job to pursue your dreams? And if so, when must you do that? Plan the steps just like this list, but make hundreds of baby steps with larger steps along the way. Also be sure to plan for the unexpected. There will be times when something comes along and interrupts all your plans.

Step 4 - Visualize

This is a great way to dream even more. Visualize yourself living your dreams. Close your eyes and see yourself driving that expensive car, closing that business deal, or finishing that marathon. Another excellent way to help you visualize your dreams is by looking at pictures and videos. If you desire to go on a trip to the Caribbean, then surf the web for videos and photos of tropical islands. This will increase your desire to succeed and motivate you to move on to the next step.

Step 5 - Take Action

This may be the most important step out of the eight. Once you have done the first four, it’s time to act. And you must do it as soon as possible. Start right now, later today, or within the next few days. Don’t wait till next week, next month, or for something else to happen. You have to do it ASAP! You don’t know what you could be missing by procrastinating. Make sure you take an action every single day that will benefit your goals. If you want to run a marathon, start walking today. If you want to start a company, come up with a name and draw the logo tonight.

Step 6 - Work Hard

If you want to achieve your dreams you’ll have to work hard. Anything that is extremely rewarding takes an extreme amount of effort. There will be times when you just have to roll up your sleeves, jump in and get it done. When the times are tough go back through steps 1-3 and remember what you’re working hard for.

Step 7 - Have Fun

After you’ve worked hard and even while you’re working hard, make sure to have some fun. You don’t want your journey to change and success to be serious and tough all the time. Give yourself breaks and mini vacations, it will only benefit you and your success. You’ll be more energized to achieve your goals.

Step 8 - Reflect, Rejoice, and Redo

Don’t dwell on the past, but it’s good to reflect on where you came from, how you got where you are, and where you’re headed next.

Rejoice about your failures and successes. When you’ve made it to step 8 there’s plenty to be happy about and proud of.

After you’ve achieved a goal or dream, create and begin to chase new ones. Redo all these steps to achieve what you want all over again. There’s never a true destination, success and life change never stops happening and evolving.

Photo by extranoise

“Victory is sweetest when you’ve known defeat.”

Malcolm S. Forbes

Photo by audreyjm529

I recently received an opportunity to do an interview for The Next 30 Blogging Heroes series on the blog, The Next 45 Years. The series interviews bloggers who are getting their message and ideas across to people around the blogosphere. Past interviewed bloggers include Tina Su of ThinkSimpleNow.com, John Wesley of PickTheBrain, and Leo Babauta of Zenhabits.net.

If you are interested in reading the interview and learning a little more about me please visit the interview here: There’s No Age Limit for Wisdom

Thanks,

-Andrew