My idea was : I’ll do a Pay What You Can Day to retire The Spark Kit and kick-off THE FIRE STARTER SESSIONS pre-order party.

My presumption was: I’ll sell enough Spark Kits to pay for a family vacation. Clear the energy for new things to come in.

What happened was: We made an Amazon Bestseller happen. That day, as I was helping a friend move, in between emails and an acupuncture treatment, my agent emailed me and said, “You’re #114 on Amazon.” It took me a minute to compute. It hadn’t occurred to me to even check. You see, the day before the book ranked #390,460 in overall books on Amazon.com. And then…

This is what happened in the US:

And this happened in Canada:

My friend Jonathan Fields did a video post about my apparently brill tactical moves. And, yep, when God was handing out gold stars for promotional savvy, I campaigned for more. But here’s the thing…this early success was a complete surprise. It wasn’t what I planned. When it was clear that we were climbing the charts I thought to myself, “This ‘giving up expectations‘ shit really works.” I got all teary and taken aback.

Because here’s what I think when really fantastic awesome things happen in my own little world: God really does want for me what I want for me. And that, yep, cosmic intelligence is the hostess with the mostest.

In summary:

Give it your all. Give it away. Your desires are being held in the hand of the cosmos with incredibly sturdy care. Life is not testing you. She is rooting for you.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

There’s more in store. Soon. Very soon.

P.S.
I’m changing my site name to DanielleLaPorte.com. WhiteHotTruth has had it’s run. Death. Life. You know. I’ll explain. Tomorrow.

How to accomplish great things quickly: when quick n’ dirty is totally genius: fast can make something that lasts. Don’t censor your passion in the name of practicality. Believe. Trust. Lock into your deadlines, SET THAT BAR HIGHER AND FOCUS…

Playground problem solving: 4 pithy, rock solid truths that can be applied to pretty much anything… by my sage 7 year old. STEP #1: BE BRAVE…

In honour of the fact that life is short: ecstatic sex, quitting, and wearing your best: Don’t tuck your best away in drawers, in the back of the closet, or in your heart. Stop waiting for that special occasion. Let your work flow from divine inclination. Disregard the haters (and the TV). FIERCELY LOVE YOUR TRUTH, FACE FORWARD, FORGE AHEAD…

Falling into your joy: a winter solstice love letter with a soundtrack: A letter from me to you, complete with a tune list. Fiery passion, fresh ink, fresh products and big dreams. I should be exhausted — but I’m broken open with gratitude. TUMBLE INTO IRRESISTABLE BLISS…

A prayer for expectation addicts: show up. Shine. Let it go.: A sermon on presence, and how expectations can shrink your shine. A prayer I came up with in those stressful hours between meetings, hustling my weightiest dreams. When the dreaming, scheming, strategizing, and praying are over: release the need to expect. Expectation liberation is the new black. STYLE UP…

3 conversations on fear wrangling, entrepreneuring your life, and as always, love: A collection of lovely, laughing interviews with a few of my favorite people. We’re discussing fear of failure, dealing with saboteurs and how fear can be useful. TUNE IN…

And last, but most certainly not least… timelessly blessing now (a poem for starting and continuing)

Love now.

And I think to myself: Never, never, ever. I have no concept of what that natural ability feels like.

And then came dessert.

A sixtroopled layered meringue masterpiece. Layers of cakey meringue propped up with gorgeous goopy lemon curd and fluffy whipped white goodness whispering out of the tiers of scrumptiousness. Blessed with raspberries. And mint leaves. Placed on a heavy ceramic white rectangular platter. Sprinkled with edible fairy dust. I thought the co-hostess was joking when she said that she made it herself. I swear to the Gods of confectionery pleasure, this is what went through my head: It would be easier for me to build a bridge then to bake that mother. I was mystified.

And I think to myself: Never, never, ever. I have no concept of what that natural ability feels like.

Then the conversation turned to writing. And the dinner guests say kind things about what I do, how I string words together. And without being smug (one of my least favorite human dispositions), I softly say that, Ya, it comes easily to me. Pure delight. And someone says something like, “I could never write as easily as you. Nope. Never.”

And it occurs to me that we each have our delicious natural joys and our Never, never, evers.

And how beautiful that is.

Russell Simmons took the stage after me. (Russell Simmons, the founder of Def Jam Records, not Richard Simmons of Sweatin’ to the Oldies.) It was Q&A time.

A gorgeous young black woman steps up to the mic. She introduces herself, “I’m RuDee Sade“, and delivers a cocktail line that is tight and on target. She briefly describes that she has an event planning company that works with non-profits and marketers to further good causes. She was full of that raw, anxious, delightful energy that is a gift to witness. 100% loveable in her eager reach.

And then the arch of her story came: “…And my mother let me sell our couch, and our end tables, to afford the ticket to come here.” The audience starts to whoop and holler. “Go, sister!” someone next to me said. We welled up.

“But I could only sell the furniture on one condition, Russell,” she said. We all leaned forward. “That I had the courage to give you my business card and ask for a meeting with you.” She was slightly out of breath at this point, heart racing in front of one of her heroes. She held her business card up in the air like it was gold for the Pharaoh. Then all eyes were on cool cat Russell Simmons. “Sure,” he said, “Yes, I’ll take a meeting with you. My assistant is in the green room. Go talk to him.”

She did it! She recruited people into her dream. She got in the door. She stepped to the front of the line. It’s a good thing she doesn’t have any living room furniture left, because she’s going home to do back flips and turn her family home into a small empire.

Fledgling or founded, we’ve all got a metaphorical sofa to sell, a risk to take. Something to put on the line.
Sell it. Do what it takes. Whatever it takes.
Go without so you can go for the gold.
Grab the mic.
Make the ask.
Whatever happens, the results will be unforgettable.

And then it gets fuller, and the time has come, or there’s a curve-ball, and things get well n’ truly wild.

And you could say, because it’s your right to, that you’re feeling “overwhelmed”. But don’t. Don’t go there. Stay with me, on the light side of change and bursting creativity; on the front end of pressure, and greatness, and the best and worst kinds of challenges.

Back away from overwhelm. Because when you just utter that word, you cast doubt on your capacity to rise. You let angst flop on your couch. You fret that you might not have the resources to surmount obstacles or to seal the deal on your dream.

Let’s make a pact. If you slip and use the o-word, I’ll refuse to believe you. I’m going to act like you didn’t even say it, and I’m going to remind you that

: you put everything on your plate with intention, and you have a huge say in creating your reality.

: you’ve been watering your dreams for years and you’re going to get what you ask for and allow (ya!)

: tragic circumstances or a circus of success — you’ve got what it takes to meet life with more giving.

Ban “overwhelmed” from your vocabulary. Refuse it entry to your psyche. You’re bigger than that.

Just be, you know, whelmed (this is best said with a Jewish, Brooklyn accent.)

Whelmed. Not at full capacity, rather, full of capacity.

Whelmed. Sounds full of potential, doesn’t it?

All fine reasons.

INSPIRATION
The runner’s high. My body simply has to run. When I run, I feel closer to life.

MOTIVATION
You write the book, the blog, the brochure to raise your profile so you can sell more stuff, serve more people. You compose and package your thoughts. A 1000 words a day until you’ve crossed the finish line.

All fine reasons.

INSPIRATION
I have something to say that needs to be heard. When I write I feel bigger, freer, like God is using me well.

We seem to need motivation to get stuff done. Typically there’s a lot of “measuring” that happens in the realm of motivation. Check lists and goal posts and markers and such. There is often a fear of loss involved. We are on duty. All perfectly natural.

But beyond finish lines and well done, is a different call. Inspiration.
It is magnetic and progressive. Its reasoning cannot always be reasoned — I just gotta do it. It busts you outta shouldsville into the unfenced field of freedom and possibility.

Inspiration is a completely different force of creativity.

What is motivating you?
What is inspiring you?

What is pushing you?
What is pulling you?

Follow the pull.
It’s the first step toward flying.

Just got dumped? Lace up your runners and move your body.
Under the weather? Go in to work any way, wearing your favorite sweater.
Up to your earrings in deadlines? Go cheer on your friend. Show up at the bake sale. Call your mother.
Crying before show time? Put some tea bags on your eyes. Say a prayer. Enter stage left.

Push. Turn up the volume. Go hard. Go harder.
Re-prioritize your aches and pains.
Infuse your sensitivities with courage.
Tell fear to fuck right the fuck off.
Devote to Done.

There are soul-justified reasons to cancel. There are times to just stop. This isn’t one of them. Keep going. Show up. Full on. Full tilt. Full out. Decide to be one of those people who pull it off.

Do what you say you’re going to do.
Don’t let us down.
Decide to rise.

Why decide to rise? Not for the reasons you might think. In fact, these are the reasons that will make you sick and tired:

Do not rise out of obligation. Do not rise because of feared consequences. Do not rise because you think being tough makes you smarter (it doesn’t.)

Decide to rise because you want to expand — your being, your life, your possibilities.

Decide to rise because super powers are meant to be activated and applied in everyday life.

Decide to rise to explore your place in the universe.

On the other side of deciding to rise is illumination, ecstasy, insight. And the angel of your strength is there waiting, smiling, applauding, with a goblet of endorphins for you. Drink up.

When you transcend circumstances you get special privileges. You get evidence that you are indeed amazing, and irrefutable proof that what your heart and mind choose is what matters. And you get the deep knowing that life wants you to win.

Decide to rise.

Lean in. Listen up. Closely.
It’s your soul speaking and she says,
Get UP! I need you. I want you. I am you. Choose me.
Lean in. Listen up. Closely.

Decide to rise.

Jonathan’s thesis on innovation can be boiled down to this:

a) Uncertainty is not just useful in creation and innovation, it’s mandatory.

b) Certainty is a dream-killer because it stops us from exploring the possibility that we don’t know everything, and that we might be able to create something better.

So of course I, and dozens of journalists are asking him this: If ambiguity and uncertainty get us to our creative crux, then how can we lean into those states? His answer:

Optimize your workflow. Most of us work in ways that are actually fairly destructive to our ability to not only do great work, but feel great doing it. Simple changes to workflow, like pulsing and refueling, single-tasking and selective ritualizing can change not only how well you create, but how you feel along the way.
.

I knew a guy who worked from home and wore a tie. With his t-shirt and flip flops. Same necktie everyday. “My best ideas have come from this tie,” he told me. I asked if he also had magic underpants.

Twyla Tharp says her ritual of exercise and choreography begins when she gets in the taxi at 5am and tells the driver to take her to the gym.

I sit down to write. I close my day-timer. I light a candle. Every time. Sacred space. Ready to commence.

Your intention to innovate becomes more powerful when you declare it. And you can be certain of that.

What you can never, ever be fully certain of is how you’re going to get there. Or how you’re going to breakthrough. Or when your muse might decide to bless you with an awesome idea. Or what you’re actually going to produce in the end. This is unnerving and sometimes terrifying when you’ve got expectations, a budget, a deadline, and a big dream. And, this is the place where great things come from.

Back to Jonathan Fields…

Build daily “uncertainty-harnessing” personal practices. Beyond changes in workflow, there are daily personal practices you can add your uncertainty “scaffolding” that work on a deeper mindset-tuning level time, can have a profound effect not only on how you experience the creative process, but on how you experience life in a world where there is no new normal. Some of these include mindfulness, reframing, and high-intensity movement.

“Uncertainty harnessing” typically requires that we step away from what we’re so focused on. Can you relate to this?: you’re so engrossed in your project that it’s 2pm before you realize you haven’t eaten lunch. But you’re in the thick of it, on a roll. Get lunch or plow forward? Tomorrow is your deadline and your friend’s band is making their debut performance tonight. Front row seat or bail out? You’ve been working on your project for months and you’re aching to launch it. Work when you’re burnt, or take the weekend off, like, really take it off.

My vote: when you choose life, your work reaps the rewards. Lose focus. Intentionally. Just for a minute.

In my experience, when I’m thinking that I ‘have no choice but to crank on’, then it’s time to stop cranking. (And we ALWAYS have a choice.) And lo’ what happens, predictably even, is that in those break periods — chopping carrots for lunch, driving home from the concert, unplugging… my mind cools down and a new really, really good idea will come forward. It was just waiting for me to take a break so I could see it.

Uncertainty might push you to work harder. Lighten up.
Uncertainty might have you looking for answers. Ask more questions.

Uncertainty might have you demanding assurances.
Instead, welcome Mystery….and her sidekick will tag along.
He goes by the name of Innovation.

. . . . . .

A year after splitting up, my husband and I were four days from filing divorce papers. Then he asked me out on a date. I said yes. What followed that week can only be described as one sizzlin’ miracle in the history of truth-lovin’ humans. Bliss 2.0. T’was blind but now I see. 100% IN.

So naturally, I started obsessing about my man biting the dust. He’s a Firefighter, deadly considerations are easy to conjure. (Yes, he’s a Firefighter, I’m a Fire Starter. We like it hot.)

Our perfect baby was four days old when I had a nightmare that a bear was coming to munch him. I shot up and panted out, “I will kill for this kid!” Every time I come off the high of a great speaking gig, I think “How’m I going to top that?” I’ve had some peak experiences in yoga, and the following day I wondered if that rumbling in my tummy was too much gluten or an inoperable tumour.

CONTEXT, PEOPLE, CONTEXT: I have a deep and implicit trust in the unfolding of life. I’m the kind of person who leaves my doors unlocked (don’t all Canadians?) and asks strangers at airports to watch my bag while I run to the ladies room. I “know” that the money always comes, that I’ll rise to rock the mic, and that I’ll be okay no matter what. I’m a Truster. While I am cognizant that tragedies happen and that green algae supplements do not guarantee me a tumour-free existence, I have tremendous faith in all of it — even natural disasters (and aren’t all disasters natural?) and even, death.

I am hard wired to thrive. (We all are, you just need to plug into your own light socket.)

And yet…I resist.
I resist expansion. This is good. It’s called creative tension.
I resist love. This is good. It makes me more loving.
I resist success. This is good, very good. Because…

Resistance heightens your senses. Success throws normalcy off kilter — which gives you a primo opportunity to create a ‘new normal’ for yourself.

Discombobulation when you win is natural. There you were, trudging along, working your ass off for years et voila! Pay off. New reality. Where am I? Then a Big Sun Love sweeps you off your feet, a new world view dawns on you, a once-in-a lifetime surprise strikes, a lucky break breaks…a gift from God arrives. Well this is new. I’d dreamed of it. Sweat blood for it. Now what?

You’ll likely resist. You’ll fear losing it. You’ll numb out in disbelief. You’ll feel unworthy and you’ll delay claiming your prize.

But if you can embrace the resistance and use it to stay sharp, then you can bypass the swamp of self sabotage. Resistance = good. Self sabotage = bad, very bad. Notice how you resist, catch it, laugh at it, burn through it, transmute it into acceptance of success, intelligence, new ideas, a higher state of consciousness. Use resistance as fuel for incorporating success more fully into your being, thereby strengthening you to go get more of it.

And head’s to up all ye lovers of life:

The more important a call or action is to our soul’s evolution, the more Resistance we will feel toward pursuing it.
- Steve Pressfield, Do The Work

Stakes are high. Rewards are mind-blowing.

If you ignore Success Resistance, you’re hooped. You will unconsciously get sucked into the morass of sabotage. You’ll pick really stupid fights with the love of your life. You’ll develop a fierce case of creativity block so that you can’t meet your deadlines. You’ll wreck your car, or lose your voice on the day of your acceptance speech. Grab hold of the vines of your resistance and pull yourself out of the bog of self-sabotage. It will seem counter intuitive, but walking towards your demons often does.

Resistance is perfectly beautiful when you see it for what it is: a magic expansion lever.

Watch closely, now.
Lean in.
Break through.

xo

. . . . . . .

Speaking of irresistible…The May 12 SELLING YOUR SOUL business immersion in NYC is nearly sold out. The guest list is stacked, the magic is building. Make it happen over here.

We don’t talk about money like we talk about diet tips or how to get the best bikini wax. We should. The more we talk about money amongst ourselves as friends, the more power we have. We demystify expertise, we expose fallacies and schemes, we neutralize emotional charge, we redefine success, and we help each other prosper.

Talk to your friends about money this week.

20 personal money perspectives & practices that took me most of my adult life to clarify and got me to a place of grooving prosperity

PART 1. (PART 2 will cover BUSINESS-specific money learnings.)

My money philosophy summed up:
Be very attentive. Don’t cling. Practice generosity. Go for pleasure – now (which leans toward instant gratification, not delaying.)

1. Talk about money. I have a kind of fiendish curiosity about how people create their financial freedom…or misery. “How much did you pay for that?” “What do you mean by ‘a lot’ of money?” “How much is enough?” “Where do you shop?” “Whatchya gonna do with all that money?” “What did you spend all that on anyway?” From food stamps to gold bullion under the mattress, I’m fascinated by how currency runs through our lives. So I just ask.

2. Make money a CENTRAL priority. This has nothing to do with greed and consumption, and everything to do with life force and power. In their right place, priorities do not consume, they enhance. This isn’t about fixating on money or hinging your self-worth on your hedge fund. IT’S ABOUT FOCUSING ON CREATING FREEDOM.

3. When you get it, don’t spend it right away. Wait to cash your cheque. Hold on to the savings as long as you can. It sends a message to your psyche that you always have enough, that there is no need to be desperate, and that you have something to look forward to. Restraint makes for good foreplay which makes for good…release.

4. Online banking gives me control and ease. I do everything on line. Everything.

5. I pay my bills as soon as they arrive and I say thank you to every bill, even the whopping dental expenses just had, “I’m so glad I have the means to take care of this.”

6. I rarely think of money as lost or wasted – a less than stellar meal, a broken gadget that didn’t last long, bad business debt…it’s all feeding someone somewhere, the money will come back again, and complaining keeps you stuck.

7. Ask for exceptions. Can you waive the fee? How about that rain check deal? Call your credit card company today and ask them for a better interest rate so that they can keep your business. You’d be surprised how easy it is.

8. I never, ever say I can’t afford it. Rather, “Buying a yacht is just not what I want to do with my money, darling.” Focus on priorities, not limitations. And I never say to my kid that we can’t afford things. I tell him we’re rich in love and life, and we can afford to be generous. When he wants to buy crappy overpriced plastic toys, I say, “That’s not the best use of our good money, we’ll find something that’s better for you and the planet.” He gets it, (that said, he has enough Legos to build a large condo.)

9. Pay someone to do it. This flies in the face of some theories: “Why work an extra week at your job to afford to hire someone to paint your living room? Work less and paint the living room yourself.” Um, no thanks. My theory is this: earn your money doing something you’re passionate about, and pay people to do what you’re not passionate about but needs to be done for you to fulfill your mission. D-I-Y is like, not part of my driving strategy.

10. Save receipts. I take shit back and I complain about poor service (very politely, of course…most of the time.) Hollah with your dollahs.

11. I give my money accounts sappy, positive-affirmation titles. My bank statement reads like so: BOOMING LIFE + BUSINESS; BUSINESS TAX PAID (I see it as done!); HOME PAID FOR; ADVENTURE + CARE (from trips to acupuncture.)

12. I hold out. I waited seven weeks for my Aeron chair because I wanted grey instead of black. I sat on the floor in my living room for three months because I wanted a couch that was three inches lower than the in-store model. I went four months without any creative-type support because I hadn’t found a winner yet.

13. I’m setting my kid up for the future. Investing for him gives me very deep peace. Everyone deserves a leg up.

14. I’m upfront about shopping for a deal with sales people. I’ll tell Dealer A that I’m going to Dealer B to compare. This ain’t a date, this is a numbers game.

15. I avoid big box stores and dollar stores. I buy organic and shop more often for food. I’m more meal focused than “cupboard” focused. More nourishment less spending.

16. I pay for my music. It’s clean. It supports art.

17. I buy my friend’s stuff. If we’re good pals and you write a book or knit a sweater, sign me up for two. Love is really basic sometimes.

18. I get stuff repaired, even when it might be just as much to buy new (especially with electronics) my goal is to keep stuff out of landfills.

19. “Never a borrower or a lender be.” I always thought Shakespeare was incredibly prudish because of this. I lend, but, I prefer to just give. “It’s a gift.” Done.

20. I pay for convenience and speed. I consider my time so precious that I think, “If I do valet parking for the event tonight, I get an extra fifteen minutes to be with my kid or write.” That’s worth fifteen bucks, and so is staying out of the rain when I’m in suede boots. And besides, DVDs mailed to the door and express services make me feel all luxy and taken care of. And when you can create instant gratification, you’ve got the energy to create more to be grateful for.

Coming up this week: PART 2 : 17 money practices for business that cost me a lot to learn

. . . . . .

if you’re new here and not a subscriber yet, you should know that when you subscribe (upper right corner where it says GET TRUTHFUL,) you’ll get THE AUTHENTIC DREAMING WORKSHEET …and a bitta White Hot Truth once or twice a week. xo