The Best Years of Your Life… Now!

Spring brings rebirth and joy!

Gwen here…  just wanted to share my gratitude for an amazing Spring day and some photos from the lake and our deck.

April 11th — Lake shore with only a little ice left.

Moon Set — Early this morning from our deck.

Geese on the lake.  Morning April 11th.

I am thankful for the thawing of the winter ice.  I am grateful I live where there are four seasons.  I am grateful I am able to share this with you.  I am thankful for Bob, our shared vision and marriage.  I am grateful that I’ve found a way to live a happier, healthier, more prosperous life.

Have a Happy Easter!

Gwen

My Grieving Process is over…

I just completed a grieving process that began in September last year.

I didn’t realize that I was experiencing it - but reviewing my blog postings and the direction I was moving in with my attitudes and opinions in my day-to-day life -  tells a very different story.

I was dealing with the death of a “system”.  A way of doing business -  I had  taken for granted  would always be around.

I’m talking about the so-called “free enterprise system”.

The shock - denial - confusion - anger -  and finally acceptance of change.

Things will never again be as they were six months ago - And I believe it’s a good thing!

I think a lot of people have been going through a similar process - grieving on a deep subconscious level.  Because intuitively  you know something has changed - forever.

You see, the fact that some people could create enormous wealth was - for many of us -  the outer boundary of what was possible. Maybe you didn’t strive to be a billionaire or a millionaire - but you could see yourself buying a new car or owning a home…

But the rapid collapse of the “high end” of our economic system has created  a profound chilling effect on the rest of us.

On a subconscious level,  hearing about society’s financially successful people having their dreams and fortunes collapse is affecting our own belief that our dreams are possible.  If it’s collapsing for them it can collapse for us - goes the “logic”.

In the beginning of February I had a life transforming epiphany…

Regardless of the changes taking place in the outer economy - the foundational principle of the Intentional Prosperity™ System remains intact and even more relevant than before.

Prosperity comes to you as the direct result of the quality of your relationships.

What better time to begin practicing the powerful technique of creating new pathways for prosperity to come to me - by creating new relationships.  More important - opening myself up to allowing prosperity to come  in ways I hadn’t even considered.

Too often - and I’m guilty of this myself - we assume that our financial prosperity is only going to manifest itself through a very narrow mechanism.

A job, investments, a business or career - so we continue - in spite of the changing reality around us - to expect those mechanisms to continue to provide us with the prosperity we want out of life.

What happens when the economy shifts and the “marketplace” goes through a paradigm shift - as has been taking place over the last few months?

We all know  on a deep level something has changed - yet our “status quo protection mechanism” fights the reality that is taking place around us.

We deny the change and limit our options.

My personal epiphany:

I had unknowingly limited the pathways of prosperity in my own day-to-day reality.  I had focused soley upon those mechanisms I had been devoting most of my time to - and had literally shut off - with a sub-conscious barrier - even considering other alternatives.

I consciously changed this limitation in the beginning of February.

I decided to “open myself” to anything - no preconceived notions.  Of course I was going to use discernment - but I was going to consciously not predetermine what or how prosperity was going to come to me.  I did however place a simple criteria on my “change of attitude” within myself:

It had to be fun - unleash my natural passion - and be something that was going to be helpful to someone achieving their dreams…  In other words I was going to be “serving” the needs of others.

Within the first week, as a result of doing nothing more than making a list of people - and a few phone calls -  I had been out of contact with for many months and in some cases I’m sorry to say - years - amazing things began to happen.

I was commissioned to produce an album project for a dear friend of mine.  It turns out he thought I was so pre-occupied with my “business endeavors” he avoided asking me if I would be interested.  Interested?  In participating in a music project - the very passion that has sustained me throughout my life?  WOW!  I was flabbergasted at the realization that I had unknowingly created a barrier to doing those things that were a pure joy for me…

And other amazing things began to happen - someone who’s name was on my list - who I hadn’t talked to since 2002 - called me the next day! Before I had a chance to call her - asking if I would consider doing some consulting for her organization!

I saw her name and she calls me the next day.

It didn’t stop there:

I’ll reveal the most amazing thing in tomorrow’s posting.

-Bob Baran

Back at the very beginning of this blog, Bob wrote this post about Warren Miller:

I happened to hear a radio interview yesterday with a man named Warren Miller. I guess anybody who ski’s or snowboards is going to recognize that name. He became famous creating movies which captured the excitement and the thrill of the experience…

When he started doing this there were only 6 ski lifts in the United States! He used to get the ski school instructors to do the actual skiing by telling them how famous they were going to become…

Often times he had to live in his car sleeping in parking lots…When he was able to finally show his movies…He narrated them live and played back his own music soundtracks…And this was the early 1950’s!

Many credit Warren with creating a grass-roots ferver about the joy of skiing in the snow back in those early days…

By the way his son took over the business about twenty years ago and it was recently sold as part of a package for a cool 300 million.

To paraphrase a couple of things Warren said in the interview that resonated with me:

1. Most people are tied down psychologically to their current financial situation…Instead of doing what they love they tell themselves that they can’t…When the radio interviewer expressed his own interest in snowboarding Warren said he should quit his job and go work for a small radio station so he could follow his joy…(the interviewer’s reaction was to change the subject)

2. Nobody plans the first half of their lives…and few plan the second half! Although Warren left behind film making about 18 years ago he has taught himself to become a writer…Essentially launching a new career…He started by writing a articles for the local paper at $10 a pop…Soon he was writing for 22 newspapers!

Probably the most impressive thing about Warren Miller was his mannerism on the radio…He had that no-nonsense energetic confidence and vitality of a successful man in his late forties or early fifties. He went on to say that he figured he still had another 25 productive years ahead of him and was excited about the future.

Then the radio announcer mentioned that Warren Miller was 83…

One of the basic assumptions of The Intentional Prosperity™ System is that you can find your passion and follow your dreams…Doing it is a lifestyle that unlocks your prosperity and abundance. Warren Miller is an example of someone who found his joy and fulfillment by following his passion…And continues to follow his passion!

Thank you Warren, you made my day!

-Bob Baran

Since this week I shared my skiing story with you, I thought you might enjoy reading the above post about how Warren Miller follows his passion.

Don’t let the news you hear keep you from finding and following your passion.

Gwen Baran

I just got off the phone with a young man who wanted to know if there was any work available in one of my companies - Baran Productions -  which does audio and video production.

I get these calls all the time.

Usually from wide-eyed 20 somethings who’s parents have encouraged them to “follow their dreams”.  

The trouble is they go off to film school or recording school or whatever place fulfills their fantasy and end up with no marketable skills. I call these places “fantasy schools”. That’s right, indulged by their parents - and probably financed too - the children go off to “boarding school” and return home - still children.

The call today was from a 25 year old - who sounded and acted like he was 16.

It started with my returning his initial call to a phone number he gave me that was answered by someone who was obviously screening his calls - never heard of him at first - must of thought I was a bill collector.

When he got on the phone he told me had gone to “film school” for two years.  Believe it or not when I asked him what his skills were his answer was “I’m really good with people”. He then went on to tell me he never studied lighting, directing, editing, camera work or even writing a screenplay - the more I asked him the greater my impression was that he had just been “hanging out” - so he could say “I went to film school”.

When I told him that the best place for him to be was in Hollywood - not Montana - learning the “film business culture” and building a network of relationships within that culture - he couldn’t wait to get off the phone.

Sorry, I won’t indulge a fantasy.

But I’m absolutely going to give someone the best advice about getting from where they are to where they want to be.  If they are serious and take themselves seriously -  they will eventually be living their dreams.

On the other hand, I blame the narcissistic parents who raise narcissistic children who are “set up” to have their dreams crushed by reality.

You see, I think it should be the other way around.

Understanding reality - how the world really works - is the foundation upon which you pursue and build your dreams… So when you “get there” it’s for real.

The “kid” I talked to today is a victim of his parents. As he described his recent history it became obvious to me that he never learned to “say what you mean and do what you say”. They never taught him personal responsibility.

He hit me with a line of B.S. - which when  you hear it from a 16 year-old  you tend to roll your eyes and consider it youthful exuberance - something the kid will grow out of.

It’s just that when you hear it from a 25 year-old it’s sad and depressing.

-Bob Baran

P.S. I’m still waiting for the 18 year-old who wants to be a “voice-over talent” to call me. His mother contacted me 2 weeks ago and asked if he could call me.  ”it’s his passion” she told me on the phone.  ”It’s all he can think and talk about”… Maybe she just thinks it’s his passion - tick - tick - tick.

Today we witness a new beginning…

As I watched President Obama give his inauguration speech - I was reminded of the inspiration and hope that a great communicator - in a place of power - is capable of…

We need to be reminded of that the light at the end of the tunnel hasn’t dimmed.

We’ve only temporarily turned away from the light  becoming distracted with fear, uncertainty and doubt.

Because of his great communication skills and his ability to use his passion in a manner that captures our attention and redirect it toward hope and away from dread - President Obama, may be the right man at the right time.

A leader should inspire us to step into the light of what is possible…

Ever since 9/11 there has been a sense of dread which has been amplified for far too long.

I welcome the change in flavor.

Now it’s up to us -  individually - to do what we can to turn the tide of shared attitude to one of hope and positive expectation…

Let’s do what we can - take back control over those things we have control - and set our sights on rebuilding our trust in ourselves and faith in each other.

Our dreams are waiting for us.

-Bob Baran