If you don’t know who the legendary business philosopher Jim Rohn is, then I’ve embedded the video below for you.

If you do know who Jim Rohn is, then you know he’ll be greatly missed

He passed on December 5th 2009.

This man has been greatly influential in my life.

After reading Napoleon Hill’s “Think and Grow Rich”, I read Jim Rohn’s “7 Strategies for Wealth and Happiness”.

This book changed my life.

For the first time, I was reading a serious man, a philosopher of sorts. I’d read all the new-agey ‘law of attraction’ stuff, and the Chicken Soup stuff. It was all good in it’s own way, but no one says it like Jim Rohn.

He teaches us thatsuccess is possible with hard work, perseverance, and most importantly, goal.

I would call hi “the king of goal setting”….

That’s where I learned it from. And my book, “Lifestyling” was greatly influenced by his success philosophy.

So now, without further adieu, Jim Rohn!

You’ll be greatly missed Jim :0(

Don’t be “broke and stupid”… don’t be “stupid” either…
Have your best year ever! ;0)

Adam Shields

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When things get tough, or if you’re faced with what looks like an impossible situation, remember this guy!

Here’s an inspiring short little story for ya…

Ever find yourself wanting more in life? More FROM life?

This guy figured it out, and he’s actually surpassed the normal idea of what’s possible.

————————————————–
I used to work in the high-end construction business in Manhattan.

I’d often work around 51st street and 1st Avenue.

If you ever see an older man down there, pushing a large canvas post office bin, collecting bottles and cans, then it’s probably Roy.

He’s cool. We shared a rice and bean lunch one day, got to talking, and I asked him how much he makes collecting cans.

His story was pretty impressive.
Pretty much blew me away!

He was wearing new shoes, clean clothes, wore a watch and a silver ring (not your usual can collecting homeless person).

To my surprise, he told me he wasn’t homeless, had previously worked downtown on Wall St., in the financial industry, and had had your usual run-of-the-mill lifestyle.

At some point, he was laid off (before the recession kicked in), lost his apartment, and had to re-think his whole situation in life.

He did what he could. He starting collecting bottles and cans for redemption. I think he quickly realized the incredible opportunity this provides.

Ready for this?

He told me how much he makes.

Ready?

Roy makes about $800 a week!

Yes, $800!

He works hard though. He IS his own boss, and he works about 3 days a week.

Those three days, he works constantly, morning to night, collecting cans from apartment building’s recycle bags, and from garbage pails etc…

Not too bad, right?

Roy didn’t get bogged down by his problems, and he created an income which affords him the time and freedom to pursue his passion in life… his daughter.

He’s quite the family man.

Click here now to grab “Lifestyling”
You need 3 things in life…

1. A sense of purpose and Passion
2. The confidence to follow your dreams
3. A real sense of fulfillment which only comes from giving value to others. “selflessness”

Soon…
Adam Shields

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ok… this video was a total sneak attack by yours truly

I probably shouldn’t have done it, but my friend, who’s a monk

(we were monks together at one point) sent me a total

blackhat score, that I had to share.

I’ll just call him “Pedro the Frog”, because I’ll probably
be struck by lightning or something if I tell you his real
name or whereabouts….

He wrote a killer song. Totally under the radar. I loved it
so much, I threw together this top rate “MTV”video for it.

Sit back, listen in. Enjoy it. +

And if you have any idea what he’s actually talking about
(he’s got a good point I’m sure) then subscribe to my emails
on the right, then reply to me with your ideas. Maybe I’m
like a little too dense to figure it out. Well….. Maybe I just
need some more time to get the message.

Help me out with this one!

Chat with you soon!

Adam Shields

http://hadituptohere.com

PS. If you want to watch my last video post on How to Believe
in Yourself, then go here…. After This song!
http://hadituptohere.com/how-to-believe-in-yourself/

PSS. After listening to the song about 6 times in a row, I’ve got a good idea what

it’s about… I’d still love to hear your interpretation. Here’s a hint: it’s Someone’s

lament….+

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Especially for those who live in busy, fast-paced cities, like myself.

I’m out in Tucson, AZ right now, for a friend’s wedding. I’m having a great time, busy, relaxing, seeing beautiful things, and learning a lot. It’s good to unwind sometimes. Sometimes busyness (the cups of tea, and sand) help you re-align focus, determine priorities, rid anxieties, and all in all get back on track.

caduceus tasting room: jerome, AZ

Remember…..

When life seems difficult, your dreams are having trouble manifesting, you feel confused as to how to do something, or even what to do next, the matters of real importance need to take priority. By harmonizing the important things in life, you will gain the clarity necessary to accomplish the little things…

Enjoy the post…

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Imagine designing your life any way you want…

What if you could change any one thing in your life; what would you change?

Would it be the money?

The people in your life?

Would you get married?

Find some environmental cause to devote yourself to?

I’ve written about what it takes to live your life according to your passion in life. I’ve written about how to reach high, create goals, etc…. This time I’ll yap about lifestyle design a little. Lifestyle design is what this site is really all about.

Call it what you will… Dreaming Big. Having aspirations, and goals…

Living an alternate lifestyle, lifestyling, nonconformist lifestyling (my personal favorite :0) All in all this Is, again, lifestyle design.

All throughout history there have been people who have stepped out from the norm, designed their own lives, and experienced the liberation and intensity of designing their own lives. These people were often nonconformists in the sense that they couldn’t just subscribe to some common ideology, social culture, or the attendant social expectations.

I’m a huge advocate of lifestyle design. When you create your own ideal life, you’re in command of the ship. If it’s the beach life/ beach culture you’re after, then you can steer that ship right to some warm, paradisiacal island somewhere, in the middle of some remote ocean corner somewhere near the equator.

If it’s your life you want to live (granted, you’ve discovered what you’re passionate about already) then why waste your time remaining a slave to some lifestyle your culture, peers, politicians, or education system has dictated to you? Why would you do this to yourself?

Design your own life. Use the tools available on this site to keep track of your goals. Have aspirations. Live morally. Live rich. Live however you want. Live well.

Lifestyle Design!

To your unconventional success!

Adam Shields!

http://lifestylingblog.com

PS. If you’re interested in getting your energy back, so you can actually DO something, after work —-I know how it is—-

Click Here! You’ll love it!

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American Legion Harlem Jazz from adam shields on Vimeo.

Here’s a killer Jazz drum solo by my long time friend (about 18 years now) Sean Cameron.

This is what I do when I let myself not work…. Drink wine, go out, check out some jazz, drink some more wine, laugh a lot, get silly…. blah blah…

This is another video from that awesome Sunday night Jazz event at the American Legion in Harlem.

If you love jazz, and want to check it out, hit me up. Send me an email through my contacts page down on the right side of the screen.

Check this! If you’ve ever totally craved perfect pitch, then you better get this! It’s the secret formula to “getting it”!

Click here to check it!

Adam Shields

PS. Sean and I were recently comped in to Birdland, in the city. A dear friend knows Steve Kuhn, and Mr. Steve very graciously gave me two comps… Who better to bring along than Sean Cameron, right? Here’s a link to a New York Times article about the event: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/09/arts/music/09kuhn.html?_r=1&emc=tnt&tntemail0=y

Here’s a link to my last video post from the American Legion:

http://hadituptohere.com/how-to-listen-to-jazz/

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The second thing I ask these people is, “what are you passionate about in life”? Almost everyone here too says they have no idea what they’re passionate about.

Come on people!

Life is short… Too short to be a slave to an old system. You don’t need to work a job you don’t even like, just because it pays well. Well…. you don’t need to be in this situation forever at least. Use your slavery as a holding ground for better things. Take your free time to educate yourself in an unconventional way, and learn to do what you love for money.

Figure out exactly what you’re passionate about in life.

Then do it…

This is the magic formula for creating abundance and satisfaction. This is a major stress release. Work will no longer be work… It becomes a sort-of hobby that makes you money.

Who else wants to work from home, doing what they love for money?

Me too!

The point is…   There’s an alarming number of people out there just going through the motions. They don’t know what they care about, they don’t know what they want, and they wonder why their lives are less than satisfying. Don’t be one of those people.

Really define your wants, and once you’ve defined those wants, try… TRY to create an income from them. Use ALL your free time to change your future situation. Even better, try to create an income using that powerful tool we all call the internet. It can be totally liberating!

Be sureee to sign up for my free newsletter. I’ll soon be offering a free 7 part course on how to determine what you’re passionate about, and how to apply that to income generation.

Don’t forget: This IS the age of the entrepreneur!

Here’s to your defined wants, doing what you love for money, and to your unconventional success!

Adam Shields

http://hadituptohere.com

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You’ve asked me for my top 7 reading list for would be entrepreneurs, so here it is.

Reading is an invaluable asset when it comes to nonconformist lifestyling. I’m an avid fan of non-fiction materials. I feel a day wasted when I haven’t learned something, either through experience, reading, or online education.

There’s a multitude of relevant info out there, that you can grab for free or very little cost that will grant an exponential return on your investment in the form of dollars earned through your own business.

Start your education with the things your passionate about. Discover related topics, or areas of interest, then move on from there.

So now, without further ado, the top 7 reading list for would be entrepreneurs! (I admit, this list is the tell all secret to the information product business I’ve built in my free time.)

#1 How To Make Millions With Your Ideas by Dan Kennedy

An excellent guide to the many channels available for income generation, for would be entrepreneurs. A must read.

#2 Hypnotic Writing by Dr. Joe Vitale

This is a favorite Marketing resource of mine. It’s written using the principles Vitale teaches in the book. An easy, education and fun read.

You may remember Joe Vitale from, “The Secret”. Yup! Same dude.

#3 The Four Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss

Now here’s a very inspirational resource. It’s loaded with tips, contacts, websites, and other resources for lifestyle design. Tim Ferriss has done a masterful, well written job at compiling some of the best info out there on the subject of living the entrepreneurial lifestyle. Another must read for would be entrepreneurs.

#4 The Ultimate Guide To Google Adwords by Perry Marshall

If you’re going to begin a business of any sort, then PPC (Pay Per Click) Advertising is a route you have to take. If you want to learn it from the ground up, then Perry Marshall is your expert. Perry is the master of PPC or Google advertising methods and strategies.

I’d suggest also, that you opt-in to his newsletter. It’s jam packed with content. You’ll learn a lot from him. This guy’s an old pro.

#5 Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

Napoleon Hill is the pioneer of success material. He was commissioned by Andrew Carnegie to compile the success secrets of the country’s wealthiest men. What he discovered was astounding! All of those secrets are here in his writing. Yet another must read! I especially enjoyed his chapter on the benefits of leveraging your sexual energy. It might suggest the underlying cause of some of the motivational problems of our age.

#6 The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason

Here’s a classic on wealth building and re-investment of resources. It’s in story form, taking place in the wealthiest city of Babylon. 2 poor men take off on a journey to discover how it is that their childhood friend has amassed so much friggin money! It’s a story about what their friend, the richest man in Babylon, teaches them. A very fun, educational, and inspirational read.

#7 7 Strategies for Wealth and Happiness by Jim Rohn

Jim Rohn is another master. He’s an expert on teaching focus, direct, goal setting, and principles of wealth building. This book is last is my list which follows no particular order, but he may as well be at the top. Jim Rohn is THE business philosopher of our time.

If you’re serious about creating a mobile lifestyle, living an unconventional life, creating businesses, or online businesses, building wealth to protect your future, create freedom of time, or enjoy the material things in life, then these books are cornerstones to your education.

Through them, you’ll discover a pretty kick-ass world of avant-garde millionaires, intellectuals, artists, entrepreneurs, psychologists, and philosophers. Right up the alley of the would be entrepreneur.

These authors are your tools for nonconformist education and success. Enjoy!

To your unconventional success!

Adam Shields

http://hadituptohere.com

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I’ve heard this so many times, from so many people. It seems common these days that people spend their lives working some dead end job that they don’t even like. I’ve been there too, and I can’t stand it.

It’s only a matter of time before you’ve had it up to here. You’ll feel the pressing need to change. Something. Anything.

Essentially, this blog was created off this phrase: I hate what I do.

Do What I Love Lifestyling for the Nonconformist is also a product of this problem.

When you hate what you do, what should you do?

Stop doing it of course!

Life is too short to be wasted on something you’re not passionate about. What they don’t teach kids in school, is to pursue your dreams. When you’re a kid, everyone will tell you you can be what you want, but when you get old the realists (the pessimists) tell you to be “realistic”. To be realistic, in their eyes, is to do what they do: to slave away in misery, because it brings in a check. You can bring in checks doing what you love too…..

The object is this: Discover what you love to do, and work tirelessly in all your free time, to create your ideal future. I know nothing is really ideal, but you can claim your stake in life, and eat it too. The last thing you want to hear yourself say is “I really hate what I do”

The world would have a much less collective stress level if everyone pursued their passion in life.

If you’re flipping burgers, doing construction, holding signs on street corners, because you need the check, then I suggest you make it a priority to take one of your interests (if you have any! If you don’t, then find some) and study hard to create an occupation from it.

You’re second object is to create multiple streams of income, to afford yourself the freedom to pursue the things you’re passionate about.

I know this may sound like obvious information, but the reality is, we often need reminders. Nonconformists hate to hear, in their own mental chamber, the words, “I really hate what I do”.

Do something about it!

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Let’s face it. You’re likely ridiculously unhappy with how productive you are. You want to be MORE productive, but you just meet with a gnawing confusion when you try to conjure solutions…

You need real action steps, and concrete solutions to rid yourself of any confusion. You have to write out your problem solving ideas (instead of letting them continue to swirl around your mental chamber), then you need to turn those ideas into actionable goals. You need to be more productive…

You gotta change something. If history has taught us anything, then you’ll look back on life, when you’ve already got a nail in the coffin, and you’ll kick yourself in the ass for “blowing it”. You could have done what you wanted, you could have been successful, you could have traveled, been free, been wealthy, you could have…..

But you didn’t.

If I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again: Snap out of it!

Life’s too short for you to resign to the dictates of fear and laziness. Get a new lease on life.

When you’ve finally had it up to here, you’ll realize that you need to be a goal setter, a doer, a mover and a shaker. If you come home, plop down on the couch, watch TV till bedtime, then get up and join the rat race all over again, then you’re wasting time. The way to change this is to be more productive.

Productive people are ahead of the game. They have an unfair advantage that most people don’t have. They know how to leverage their strengths. They’re not spinning their wheels. They know what they’re good at, they have a healthy mental attitude, and they do what they love. Here’s how to be more productive….

Leverage your strengths

Everyone is good at something. It’s up to you to figure out what you’re good at. Maybe it’s organizing, closing sales, finding new leads, writing,managing projects, being a visionary, inventing, solving problems, being the friendly liaison, crunching numbers….. The list goes on and on.

EVERYONE has SOME skill. And when you learn to use your skills to increase the return on your or your company’s investment then you’ll find you’re far more productive, motivated, and inspired to excel than you ever were.

If you work for yourself, or are working hard putting your personal goals into action, then your strengths may be your mental alertness, or focus. To be most productive, work at times when you know you have the mental clarity to accomplish the most, with as little effort as possible. Save your energy for brainstorming, and you’ll be able to strike while the iron’s hot with fresh ideas that will excite your way to achievement.

Have a healthy mental attitude

With the right attitude, you’ll be miles ahead of your competition. Some people are prone to negative, self-defeating thought patterns. Luckily, all this can be changed. If you’re one of these people, then it’ll do you well to create a new, healthy attitude about your ability to successfully accomplish things. You CAN compete. Everyone is just as insecure as you are. They’re just as worried about their ability, and effectiveness, and they usually think that others can do it better. Chances are, someone CAN do something better than you, but so what!

Your internal mental conversation has everything to do with how well you’ll focus, how much energy you have, and how motivated you are to succeed. Stop beating yourself up! Figure out what you love to do. Forget about trying to put a square peg into a round hole, just focus on what you’re good at. The process of working on your weaknesses is a long, slow battle. Know your weaknesses but focus on and amplify your strengths. If you’ll just start to look at the bright side and stop making mountains out of mole-hills, then you’ll do more, feel better, and you’ll have exponentially increased your productivity, focus, and excitement in life.

To be a nonconformist, you need to have a real, healthy outlook on life. A conformist will see just one side or the other. The unconventional lifestyler will leverage his strengths, know what he’s not great at, but take heart in the fact that every person has a different skill, and is a different part of the body that is humanity. A nonconformist is a positive realist. A conformist is just following what the rest are doing.

To your unconventional success….

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