“These 3 beliefs are taken from my teachings I share inside my Hot Pursuit Master Class coaching course, where I help professionals
escape their 9 to 5, and live into a purpose filled life.”

How many times have you asked yourself…?

“Is it 5 o’clock yet?”
“How many days until Friday?”
“When is my next vacation?”

Followed by the next sentence…

“Really?! How is this my life? Is it going to be like this for the rest of my career?”

You know that there must be more, that you should leave.

You start to imagine escaping your 9 to 5 soul-sucking job as you watch the clock’s second hand on the wall.

Tick tock tick tock.

You begin to wonder what it would feel like if you actually loved what you did for a living; if you woke up in the morning excited for the day ahead.

You fantasize about being your own boss with the flexibility and freedom to create your dream business.

But then you tell yourself you couldn’t possibly do that…

You need the money and benefits. You have a family you love and you couldn’t dare risk their stability for a new, unknown opportunity.

Besides, what would other people think of you if you left your ‘cushy’, ‘well paid’ job? They would probably think you’re crazy, and you definitely don’t want anyone thinking you’ve gone crazy.

You think…“Well, too bad, I chose my path and I’m stuck here”…

… so you stay.

Tick tock tick tock.

Whoa whoa whoa, back that crazy train up!

Do you REALLY believe that is your future?!

I can confidently tell you, it is not. Not if you begin to accept that there is another path for you, that you DO have a choice.

I know because I was been exactly where you are right now…

…with the same thoughts swirling around in my head as I counted down the minutes of the day job I believed I was ‘stuck’ in.

And in all honesty, I actually had a pretty great job. I was a web administrator for a large, well-known company, with a long, bright future ahead. My salary was more than generous and my benefits package was awesome.

To my family and friends, I had won ‘the career lottery’.

From the outside I was set, everything in my life seemed great.

But truthfully…

I was just going through the motions to get the paycheck and benefits. My heart wasn’t there, and I had no passion for what I did ALL.DAY.LONG!

I didn’t feel fulfilled in my job.

I felt like something was missing… that something wasn’t right.

I remember envying others from afar who did not feel imprisoned in a job they didn’t absolutely love. I idolized “them” and thought they had superpowers. They must have! Because the normal, average person doesn’t find ‘a dream job’… right?

I had no superpowers, so I believed that the utopian career was for “them”, NOT for “me”.

After all, I had been conditioned from a very young age to go to college, get good grades and get a good job. That was the definition of success and happiness that was ingrained in me. That’s what my parents did, what all my friends were doing, and so I did that too.

Sound familiar?

I left the fantasy of a utopian ‘dream job’ to “them”.

That is, until Oprah gave me a swift slap in the face.

Ok, not actually, but metaphorically.

One afternoon in January of 2007, I received my ‘ah ha’ moment while watching an episode of Oprah.

Her panel of guests were talking about how “You and I have unlimited potential, and that you and I have the power to re-create ourselves, that we can improve any and every aspect of our lives.”

I thought to myself…

I wanted that! Sign me up!

I knew I had heard that before, but I hadn’t heard it like this. This time I truly heard it and it hit me like a ton of bricks.

In that instant, it took me beyond just ‘knowing’ that I wasn’t in the right profession; for the first time, I actually believed it.

That was a defining moment for me.

To finally be ready to own it and say it out loud.

To finally be ready and willing to recreate and improve my life.

Sure it was scary at first.

But after much research, reading, reflection and reaching out to others, I discovered that I, yes “ME”, had a greater purpose in life, and it was my duty, my obligation, to do everything in my power to live into and from it. That it was no longer reserved for just “them”.

Fast forward 9 months and one day from that moment (to be exact), I left that ‘cushy’ job for a new career where I felt 100% fulfilled in – I left it to become a life coach.

No I didn’t just walk into my boss’s office and quit in a whirlwind of flaming glory…

… I did it over the course of 9 months, with a clear vision and a plan for every step to ensure that when that magical day came, I had something to transition to and replace my income (I’ll share some of those first steps in a bit).

My family’s stability was very important to me, so I wanted to make sure I did it right.

And when that day finally came, it was one of the most amazing, tear jerking moments of my life.

I left with all my friendships at work intact, and with a purpose and a new vision for my future.

I left with an income to replace the one I just walked away from. I left knowing that every day going forward I was going to wake up to my God-given right to feel happy and to live into my greatness.

I was one of “them” and I DESERVED to live a life fueled by purpose and fulfillment.

And guess what?

So do you.

You were created for greatness, NOT settling.

Settling is unprincipled! It’s not right! It robs you and everyone you are meant to serve.

You are better than that!

You have a purpose-filled dream that is meant to be pursued and lived to the fullest.

Do you believe that?

I’ve learned in my 8+ years of professional coaching and mentoring that people get paralyzed from leaving their current situation for pursuing and living their purpose filled work primarily because of a lack of belief.

You HAVE TO believe in order for it to be possible.

You cannot approach your dream as is it was an option.

It’s NOT!

It’s an obligation!

It’s the whole reason why you’re on this planet. You are here to leave your mark. Therefore, you actively pursuing your dream makes the world a better place – it truly does!

Now, let me say this, living your dream isn’t always pretty and easy. It can be extremely hard at first.

I know firsthand, that it is easier to believe that because you have children, bills, and a consistent paycheck, that it would be too risky or selfish for you to pursue your dreams and put your family, and all you’ve built thus far at risk.

But I must ask you… what message does that send to your children?

Should they too settle in life?

Should they chase a paycheck versus their dreams?

I have to believe deep down inside you want to see them fulfill their greatest potential and purpose. I know, as a parent myself, that my greatest dream for my children is to see them fulfilled and happy.

They deserve that life.

YOU deserve that life.

And it’s up to you to show them how to create and live that life.

Personally, I’d rather break a sweat and get a little dirty than settle and drag through a meaningless life.

How about you?

Ask yourself if any of these things excite you:

• Having your work days filled with passion and purpose from the minute you wake up to the minute you go to bed.
• Having your work be meaningful and exciting to you.
• Being free from living according to someone else’s rules.
• Making a living on your own terms.

If ANY of those above statements excites you, then I want to help you bring that excitement, that passion, that new possibility for yourself to life.

But I can’t help you, no one can, until you believe 3 things…

You can’t just know them. You can’t just agree to them.

You HAVE TO believe them.

Here are the 3 things you need to believe in order to have the courage and resilience to make a meaningful change in your life.

#1: YOU BELIEVE you were created with and for a purpose.

There’s a reason you are here. There are people you are meant to impact. Things you are meant to create. Things you are meant to experience and share.

The world is incomplete without you.

As Mary Kay Ashe says, “God doesn’t have time to make junk.”

When you were born, the seed of your purpose was buried in your heart. It is your obligation to actively pursue it with passion.

You are the only person on Earth who can fulfill your purpose. Don’t waste the time you have been given on something that takes you away from expressing your highest and greatest good, otherwise we ALL miss out… we all pay the price.

#2: YOU BELIEVE you are already resourced

You may be thinking…

“I don’t even know where to start. I don’t have the time, money, energy, knowledge, or skill set.”

That may be true on the surface, however you’re resourced with everything within you needed to pursue and live out your purpose and dreams.

You are more amazing than you are probably giving yourself credit for.

There are so many things you didn’t know where to start, had never done before, and didn’t have the time, money, energy, knowledge, or skillset.

You figured out how to walk, talk, run, write, drive (although some of us are better than others – ha!).

And those are just the basics!

Take a look at all that you’ve created in your career, relationships, your community, and right in your home.

Admit it…

… you are pretty friggen awesome!

Pursuing your purpose and living it to fullest is just about redirecting your focus and efforts.

#3: YOU BELIEVE in YOUR vision for a new purpose-filled life.

A life where within your work…

• Time seems to fly by,
• Your calendar is filled with exciting projects and amazing clients, and
• Your bank increases exponentially with your efforts.

Sounds nice right?

Most of us struggle with this third belief.

And that’s because a lot of people don’t know what their alternate reality is.

Even those that do have an idea of what a purpose-filled life would look like to them, don’t know the steps they need to take to live into their divine purpose.

Do you know what a purpose-filled life looks like to you…?

…and do you know what you need to do to live into it?

I’m guessing that you’re short on at least one of those two answers.

I want to tell you that is OK. In fact it’s normal.

We’re so busy in our routine life that most of us don’t stop to think of an alternate reality for ourselves.

And here’s the danger…

If you don’t take the time to create a vision of your dream, then you have nothing specific to work toward.

Without vision, people perish.

I don’t want you to perish.

I don’t want your dreams to perish.

I don’t want that special gift that you have to share with the world to perish.

So I’m going to help you channel the third belief…

…I’m going to help you uncover your purpose.

I have created a FREE 35 min audio download where I help you uncover your unique, God-given purpose on this planet, and guide you to your next step for living into that purpose.

By the end of the audio file, you’ll not only feel like a spark has been ignited inside you, you’ll see a new path forward for your life.

A life where every single waking minute of the day, you are truly living in alignment with your highest and greatest good, and you are your most fulfilled and happiest.

You’ll be able to start to paint the picture of your unique vision, and believe in your heart and your soul that you are meant to live into this vision.

I want that for you, because you were not created to settle…

…you are created for greatness!

So don’t wait!

Take the first step now…

…uncover your purpose…

…and start living into your greatness.

– Melissa V. West

About Melissa V. West
Melissa V. West is the founder and CEO of Xtreme Results, LLC – a powerful catalyst for life transformation. She encourages business professionals to rediscover their passion and empowers them to create the amazing life of their dreams. She shares this message worldwide through coaching, training, mentoring, and keynote speaking. Melissa lives with her two daughters and husband Chris in North Carolina. Connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.