How’s it going?

Oh man, so good.

What are your summer plans?

I’m really trying to take it easy this summer. Rest up. I’ve been pushing myself so hard for the last decade and now I am trying to restore my energy. I’ll be going to Toronto to visit family and then on a 10 day silent meditation retreat called a Vipassna in August. Somewhere in there I really want to go to a Okanagan lake and eat an Okanaga peach.

Can you tell me a little bit about the new project you’re working on?

Yes! The Soul Purpose Project is launching this August.
It’s about inspiring, attracting and engaging people in a conversation about living a life that really matters.
The intention of these conversations is to capture a crowdsourced blue print for living a meaningful life, with a focus on purpose driven work.
The end result is an aggregate of common obstacles, solutions, tactics and perspectives on what it takes to do the work that really matters; to live a life of meaning in one’s purpose.
It’s really different from anything I’ve ever done in that it’s based on the premise that I don’t know the answer to the questions I am asking. It’s also different in that I don’t have a financial model, there’s nothing I am selling, which for me as a marketer is actually really uncomfortable.
What I do know though, is that I’ll be posting a one on one video interview each week as well as an article. I am currently looking for contributors and collaborators to help create a rich media experience.

How do you find balance between owning your own business, starting new projects and having time for a personal life?

HA! Balance is a myth. They say moderation is a mark of maturity and I guess that means I am not that mature. I learn the hard way. Now, I get sick if I don’t take proper care of myself, so I am sort of forced into taking a personal life. I am just learning how to relax and take it easy but I am more willing to allow things to happen instead of making them happen. For the first 5 or 6 years in business though, there wasn’t balance. My business was my life.

When was the last time you felt discouraged, how do you keep going?

Every day I feel discouraged. I’m learning though that self-doubt, fear and inadequacy issues are always going to be in the backseat no matter where I am going. I’ve learned that I don’t have to stop just because I am afraid of failing. For me, I am purpose driven, so once I set my mind to something I have a really hard time stopping until it’s done. I reflect on my reasons why and that makes the how manageable.

You’ve been spending some time in Mexico, what have you been doing down there?

I originally went down for a yoga retreat to take my first real vacation in 6 years and now I am hooked! I went back for the retreat again last November and did some experimenting as to whether I could live and work down there part-time. I learned that I can, for sure, but decided not to. In there I’ve visited friends, house sat, scuba dived, gone on road trips and done the touristy thing. I find the people and food of the Yucatan are so lovely so I like experiencing that as much as possible.

What makes you happy?

Happiness for me is an inside job now. External stuff has less of an impact on me than it ever has but some things that add to my enjoyment of life are spending time with people I love- my fiancée, my dog, my friends & family. I love adventuring, being outside in the sun, swimming, reading books. I am a pretty happy person these days.

Best medicine for a bad day?

You know, there’s not a lot that a peanut butter sandwich and a nap can’t fix. But sometimes I just need to cry, you know, I’ve accepted that I am a sensitive person and I cry all the time, and that’s ok. Tears are healing.

You’ve volunteered for TEDxVictoria. What TED Talk do you find most inspiring?

My favorite is the Brene Brown talk on Shame, and Elizabeth Gilbert did one on the topic of Genius that I just loved. There are so many wonderful TED talks- it’s a great organization- I am so glad they’re doing what they’re doing.

What has been the most important thing you’ve learned over the past few years?

To trust my intuition. My heart and my gut know what’s best for me if I choose to listen.

Advice for someone who is feeling discouraged about pursuing their passion?

Persistence and passion are all you need. Seriously. If you want a thing bad enough and won’t give up til you get it; it’s yours. But take the time to make a plan, a lot of time, money and suffering can be avoided if you make a plan in advance. Work out how you’re going to deal with obstacles before they appear, because they will appear, and the better prepared you are the easier it will be to overcome them.

Can you tell me a secret?

Life is what you make it, not what happens