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I had such a great time on The Today Show - it was wonderful to tell my son Mercer's story and inspire others to make the small changes that make a big difference.  In case you missed it: WATCH MY TODAY SHOW APPEARANCE HERE. 

The experience reminded me of how life is more than just career.  It's why I make sure in my coaching practice to cover a full spectrum of eight elements when I help clients define their ideals.  Making a great living doesn't just cover the skills you have or the experiences on your resume, it's about the lifestyle you need to be happy and healthy.  It's about making the contribution that only your unique set of interests, talents and values can provide to the world.  

It is because I managed my career to fit my life that I was able to be there for Mercer when he really needed me. You too can have a career that enables the lifestyle you want.  You don't need to be rich to do what you want to do.  You just have to start now by making conscious choices to do what you know is right for you, even when others don't understand.  It might be hard or scary to follow your heart but its the difference between those who do what they really want in this world and those who wish they had.  

I learned this important lesson when I interviewed Deepak Chopra.  A conscious, albeit unpopular choice made him the successful and influential author and speaker he is today.  Listen to my podcast with more of Deepak's story & why you don't need to win the lottery to do what you want.

Now that I have Mercer, I see everyday how there's more to life than work.  Many of you may not know that I enjoy singing and even performed in my own Off-Broadyway cabaret show called "Follow Your Dreams." Recently, I got back on stage and gave a performance in the Florida Keys.  It took courage but after the first few notes, I rememebered how much more the fun outweighed the fear.  

Don't worry I'll still be giving career advice.  In fact, my how to interview video is my top rated video on my YouTube channel with over two million hits.  My singing video has just a few less. :) I just wanted to remind you that making a great and sustainable living is more about getting paid to be you than it is about selling your soul for a paycheck.  

"You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intution.  What you'll discover will be wonderful.  What you'll discover is yourself." --Alan Alda

 Always follow your dreams!

It's time to announce the winner of the Follow Your Dreams giveaway!  

But before I do that, I want to thank all of you who took the time to share your career needs and goals with me. I was deeply touched by your personal stories and by your optimism to know that a better career and life are waiting for you.  Because of that, I decided to not only give away a full Soul Search, Research and Job Search coaching package but also give away three additional coaching sessions as consolation prizes.  My congratulations to the winners!  

Winner of 9 sessions of one-on-one coaching on Soul Search, Research and Job Search: Mark from Texas!  Mark wants to clarify what he'd love to do, find a new job, make a decision about options he's considering and explore options that relate to his particular interest(s)/talent(s. I'm exicted to help Mark achieve his goal of being happy with his work!

Consolation winners of one hour of one-on-one coaching: Megan who wants a steady yet creative career, Laura who wants to make a difference in the world while having time to raise her children and Christa who wants to make sure she's on track doing work she loves not just what she's good at. 

For those who didn't win, all is not lost.  You can still subscribe to my free Making a Living Unplugged podcast and/or contact me for coaching.  

Always follow your dreams!

What I respect as far as in myself and in other is the spirit of just doing it. For better or worse, it may work and it may not, but I'm going to go for it. Ultimately I probably prefer to be respected for that than...either winning or losing. -Hugh Jackman

(Photo courtesy of Rory Finneran.)

Happy holidays!!  Here's to closing out 2012 on a high note. To help, I have an inspiring show lined up this Friday (12/28) 5p ET/2p PT SiriusXM 110.  Check out my guest line-up via Making a Living with Maggie Mistal on Facebook! 

I hope to be on Martha Radio and on SiriusXM in 2013.  Just in case my show doesn’t continue there, however, you can always find me here at MaggieMistal.com. I want to take the opportunity now at holiday time to say thank you to those who've been tuning in, sharing their comments about the show via email and on Facebook: 

Susan said: "Your show really opened my eyes to the fact that I get to create my own path. I don't have to be a part of a reality that was created by my family, teachers, or expectations from another time. I often hear the tagline for Martha Stewart Radio, "Learn something new every day." And every show you taught me something valuable...I'm so glad that you've been in my orbit every Friday afternoon for all these years!!"

To say thank you, I'm offering an unprecedented Follow Your Dreams giveaway. For all who enter starting today through 1/31/13, I will be choosing at random one lucky winner to receive a full 9-session Soul Search, Research and Job Search coaching program (a $5000 value).  

How To Enter the Follow Your Dreams Giveaway:

• Go to MaggieMistal.com, sign up for my newsletter (see bottom left of homepage) and then use the Contact button to share why you’d love some help with your career.  
• I’ll randomly choose one winner from all the entries.  
• You have until Jan 31, 2013 to sign up for my newsletter and contact me with your career needs and goals.  
• I’ll let the lucky winner know via email on Monday Feb 4th, 2013.
• All are eligible to enter including people who don't subscribe to SiriusXM.  

Even if you don’t want to participate in the giveaway, you can still sign up for my newsletter & get on my mailing list. This way we can stay connected and I can share with you my latest tips on how to Soul Search, Research, Job Search and keep the right mindset, while also highlighting trends in the marketplace, and career success stories.  I’ll be sharing some new audio tips in 2013 too!

Happy New Year!  Here's to you being inspired to not settle and instead, create your dream career in 2013. 

Always follow your dreams, 

-Maggie

"The foolish man [or woman] seeks happiness in the distance, the wise grows it under his [or her] feet." - James Openheim.

If money were no object, most people would be in different careers.  At least that has been my experience coaching clients one-on-one and taking listener calls on my SiriusXM show.  Ironically, following the money doesn't offer the comfort people seek.  Can they pay you enough to do a job you don't like?   

Good thing there is an alternative.  You really can make a great living without selling your soul.  In fact, you will find a more sustainable income when you listen to yourself and follow-through on the thoughts and ideas that come to you.  Look at Facebook, Google, Apple - all of these companies started with an idea, a thought, a vision.  The founders of these companies took these ideas seriously - they valued their genius and used that as the cornerstone for making a great living.  

I read the back stories on successful people all the time - very few if any succeeded because they were trying to get rich quick.  Instead, they had a mission, a purpose to their work - they were trying to make life better for others and money (lots of it!) was the natural offshoot to products or services that did just that. If you don't believe me, read Patricia Aburdene's new book Conscious Money.  Patricia is a best known for spotting mega trends.  Her first best-seller Megatrends 2000 sold over 14 million copies worldwide.  Since then Patricia has noticed a new trend: Conscious Capitalism.  It's an approach that continues to grow even during the recent Great Recession.  Companies that have a higher purpose beyond profit, who treat their employees, customers, the environment, etc. well are outperforming companies focused on only profit alone.  It's a revolution I for one am excited about!

To make it in this new age, Patricia points out the Creativity is our most valueable skill.  Innovating new ways to doing things is something everyone now has the power to do, not just experts or a certain powerful few at the tops of companies or governements.  CEO's are recognizing this too and 1500 of them cited creativity as their most sought after talent in employees in a landmark IBM study. So what does this mean to you?  It's time you start cultivating your ow creative R&D as Patricia calls it.

Here's my take on the steps Patricia shares.  I recommend you buy her book (find the link on my FB fan page) and make it work for you too:

1. Make space/time in your life for just being, not doing.  Filling your schedule up with to do's is distracting.  Allow for quiet time during your work day.  Patricia recommends starting a mindfulness practice like meditation or yoga. 
2. Notice where you get your most creative thoughts.  For some it's the shower, for others, it's a long run.
3. Harvest the ideas you get from this practice.  Keep a notebook or smart phone handy.  Inspiration can come in a brainstorm and you'll want to be ready to capture it.

I have never felt more strongly that we all have the answers we need inside of us.  It's the basis of my Soul Search work.  Put yourself in the driver's seat of your career.  Follow the inspiration that comes to you and you'll soon see that your own creativity is the best and most sustainable source of income you could imagine.

(Photo courtesy of flikr user Tax Credits.)

You can meet some of the best people through work.  Recently, I reconnected with a wonderful Canadian couple on their family trip to NYC.  My husband and the other gentleman had worked together years ago during our Arthur Andersen days.  Great people – very smart, fun, and loving with two beautiful children who just loved Mercer.  

Of course, the conversation led to career (with and without some prompting from me).  Here's what I found interesting…

• Our friend had shaved his head as part of his three-week vacation. Talk about letting your hair down.  His workplace up north was too conservative and such self-expression wouldn't fly.  So for three weeks he got to look the way he wanted and was ecstatic about it. 
• Our friend's wife felt great about the steady nature of her job but not the content.  With a sigh at one point, she said she wished her husband would get promoted so she could quit her job.  

Are these feelings you share?  Do you feel you can’t be yourself at work?  Would you rather not work at all?

I can't help but take to heart these insights.  Yes, they were shared quickly and in passing (not sure my friends would even remember saying them as part of the long and very fun conversation.)  But to me these are critical clues that something is amiss and further exploration (dare I say it, Soul Search) is warranted.