As a little boy, I had no idea what I wanted to do when I grew up. No dreams of being a doctor, lawyer, policeman—no particular desire to do anything. My uncertainty about a career direction becomes totally obvious if you look at the list of jobs I later racked up between the ages of twenty and forty: welding shop clerk, advertising agency junior account executive, assistant marketing manager of a retail sporting goods chain, pizza delivery driver (not as bad as you’d think), TV studio production assistant (worse than you’d think), frozen yogurt franchisee, real estate agent, cookware store assistant manager, biotech company director of operations, television travel show host, and biotech facilities consultant. And the list doesn’t even include the three hours I spent as a telemarketer—I couldn’t even make it to lunchtime.

With all these job changes, it came as no surprise to anyone that I was once again trying my hand at something new—this time, hosting a cooking show. Was I a great cook? No. In fact, I’d not really done much cooking at all. Did I have years of television experience? No. Was I related to a well-placed television executive who could land me a job? No. Honestly, I didn’t have much. But what I did have would ultimately become much more powerful than anything else I could put on a resume. First, I was really ready to make a career change. I needed to change so badly that I would have done almost anything. Turns out desire is a ridiculously strong motivator. And second, I had Allison Maslan. Allison had coached me a couple years before about making changes in my work life, but I wasn’t ready back then. It’s the old, “you-can-lead-a-horse-to-water” concept with me as the horse. Now, finally, I was ready to drink.

Starting any business is difficult and certainly full of its own challenges, but my brand new TV career brought one additional challenge that I hadn’t anticipated. This challenge was that pretty much everyone I knew thought that I was making a mistake—and a big one at that. I had expected a certain amount of skepticism—I mean I was trying to go from the biotech industry to becoming the host of a TV cooking show! And then there was that pesky little thing about having virtually no experience. For friends and family to question me would have been okay—but everyone thought I was insane. And if they didn’t say this directly to me, they said it to someone I knew. The whole, “You’re-a-fool” thing came to a head the day my two oldest brothers called to ask, “What will happen when it doesn’t work?” Not “if,” but “when!” What? Where was the support? Where were the cautious yet brotherly love, advice and counsel? After this phone conversation with my brothers, I pulled over to the side of the road and called Allison. I’ve never been in AA, but I imagined that this was what calling your sponsor would be like. I really wanted—no, make that really needed—to talk to her.

From the beginning, Allison’s coaching was always about me finding me. And somehow she recognized a more creative Sam inside. Through her questions and our conversations, Allison started nudging me towards something that she knew I needed and would be good at. And an interest- ing thing happened. You know how there are bazillions of car ads every day on TV and you barely notice them? But the day you wake up and say, “Today I need to buy a car,” that’s when you start noticing? Well, finally one day I woke up and knew that it was time to make a change. And this was when everything that Allison had coached me about finally started to take root.

But on that day of my brothers’ phone call, while I sat in my car at the side of the road, Allison’s advice took on a whole new form. Her gentle probing and casual conversation, as in our past coaching sessions, was now gone, and like a coach preparing an athlete for a huge race, Allison took charge. Her advice was simple, straightforward and, well, kind of tough. She said, “They’re feeding you negative energy. Just stop talking about it, Sam. Your career changes are triggering their own fears. They can’t be supportive of you taking a risk; it’s too scary for them. Tune them out. Get back in touch with your inner focus and just do it.”

Right from the start, Allison told me to keep my new passion to myself. She said, “People will tell you that you’re not being realistic. They’ll say you’re a dreamer. There will always be people who will think you’ll fail and they’ll tell you that. And then there are those who act somewhat supportive, but also ask the questions that will make you question every- thing you’re working toward.” In my case, that second kind of feedback went something like this, “That’s so great that you’re going into television. How exciting! But isn’t it really complicated? And doesn’t everyone want to be in TV? And how do you even know where to start?” Five minutes with someone like that and you’ll question everything you’re doing. You’ll start thinking: “They’re right. It is complicated, everyone does want to be in this business, and I don’t know where to start.”

“But it’s not about them,” Allison counseled, “it’s about you.” She paused, then added, “Quit talking about it and quit asking people what they think, because it doesn’t matter. None of that will help you, but more likely it will throw you off track. Just put your head down and keep moving forward toward your dream. Do your work, exactly as you know it needs to be done, and you’ll find success.”

So I did. I just shut up and did my thing. I created a demo tape and sent it out. I became my own cheerleader, because I knew no one would do it as well as me. When I found rejection—I moved around it. I made positive steps towards what I wanted every day. And I ended up on TV. And then on more TV. And then I won a bunch of Emmys. And then ended up with a national TV show. And then the first book deal came through. And so on. All this because I found myself and what I was meant to do. I’m now happy in a way I couldn’t have imagined.

What’s special about Allison is that she saw something in me right from the very beginning. In fact, with her keen awareness, she was able to see what I couldn’t. This reminds me of a study I read about that involved two groups of people. Group A considered themselves lucky, and Group B didn’t. The study organizers had both groups walk a specific route, where $5 bills had been hidden in exactly the same places for each group. The “lucky” group found more of the $5 bills than the unlucky group. But not because they were lucky—they simply were more “aware” of their surroundings.

In her best selling book, Blast Off, Allison details her own journey, and then clearly explains what it takes for you to find your life of passion and success. Reading it will be like sitting and talking with her. Like me, you’ll need to ask yourself if you’re really ready for a change. Because if you’re not, you won’t find the answers here or anywhere else. At the same time, different readers will be looking for different kinds of changes. For me, it was a search for happiness in a career.

Some of us find our way the minute we start looking for a change, and some of us need a little help getting our direction. I needed help, but however you succeed doesn’t really matter—just as long as you get there. Allison’s Blast Off! to Success Program, if you’re truly ready, will help you get there.

SAM ZIEN

The Cooking Guy, Author, Just a Bunch of Recipes

and Awesome Recipes and Kitchen Shortcuts

Host/Producer, Just Cook This!

Discovery Health Channel

www.thecookingguy.com

Sam The Cooking Guy talks about how Allison Maslan helped him find his true path.

For more information on Allison Maslan’s book, Blast Off! The Surefire Success Plan to Launch Your Dreams Into Reality, click here.

Some Tips to Help You Break Free:

When you are going after your dreams, a few hurdles must be  surpassed. This is not a bad thing because anytime you want to achieve  something great in your life, it is truly worth the effort it takes to succeed. One of  the struggles that clients often share with me are the negative responses from family, friends and co-workers when they reveal their new goals and dreams.

Why does this phenomenon occur and what can you do about it?

When you begin to make changes in your life, it will surely bring up fear in those around you. Although these people may have the best intentions in offering their advice, it is often clouded with their own fears of failure, insecurity, the unknown and many more limiting beliefs. These beliefs are illusions, yet when you give into them, they can overpower your life and hold you back from your own greatness. These fears are a figment of one’s imagination made real. When loved ones share their negative opinion with you regarding your dream, they are also projecting their own fears onto you. And if you have any self-doubt whatsoever, this pessimism has the power to throw you off your path and you may give up altogether.

If you look back in history, there are so many examples of people having to ward off great negativity and roadblocks as they forged toward their lofty ideas and inventions. The Wright Brothers were laughed at many times for their invention of the crazy flying machine that changed our lives forever. Henry Ford came from a family of farmers. When he told his father that he wanted to be a mechanic instead of working on the family farm, it created a huge schism between he and his father.  Ford went on to mass produce the automobile. There was also a man named, Akio Morita, that came from a long line of Saki makers in Japan. When he told his father he was going to make a career in electronics rather than join the family business, his father would not speak to him for a long time. Akio went on to establish a company that you may have heard of called Sony.

When Sam Zien told his friends he was going to leave the biotech industry to become a television entertainer and The Cooking Guy, many laughed and said he would never make it. We all know how that story turned out.

And in my own life, when I left a successful advertising agency to become a homeopathic physician, my own mom thought I had joined a religious cult and told me to get a job. Why? Because she was afraid. She meant well, but she could not see the possibilities that I could see. She could not feel the passion that I felt. (Now she is so happy that I did not listen!)

So when you reveal your dreams, be careful to only share them with those that are supportive of you. Otherwise, I suggest you keep them to yourself. Position your head toward your goal. Do not let anyone tell you it cannot be done and walk toward it every single day. Then when your dream is finally realized from your powerful intention and action, go ahead and share your excitement with the world. I assure you that old criticism will shift to applause.

Allison Maslan, HHP, CCH

Allison Maslan International/CEO

www.myblastoff.com

www.homeopathicwellness.com

* True Choice Meditation for Decision Making
* Upcoming 3 Day Come Fly With Me Bootcamp-

Making Decisions from True Choice rather than Fear

We often struggle with decisions because our head can get in the way. We analyze them to death and then never take action. Or we make choices out of fear instead.

The True Choice Meditation is a powerful meditation practice that I use frequently for tapping into my intuition, or my inner knowingness, to make difficult decisions.

To help yourself decide if your choices are coming from true choice, guilt or fear, ask yourself, the following questions.

* What is the purpose of this activity?
* Who will benefit from this task?
* Am I doing it out of true choice or habit?
* Is the action I’m taking working toward my bigger goals?

Now sit or lie down in a quiet place and close your eyes. Take deep breaths until your body relaxes and your mind is clear. Now visualize yourself doing this activity.
Now ask yourself the following questions:

* What sensations are you feeling in your body when you see yourself doing this activity?
* Do any emotions arise?
* Do I feel fear, nausea, perspiration or shakiness when I think of myself living this choice?
* Does the activity work with or against my inner knowingness, personal beliefs or big-picture goals?

The sensations in your body are strong clues as to whether you are making a fitting decision or not. Your body is communicating something to you, and if you really take the time to listen, your intuition or inner wisdom will give you the answer you need. Just listen. You will often hear or feel, “I don’t want this anymore,” or “This feels right.” You might feel excited butterflies or a lightness, which may mean that this is a good decision. If you feel pain, a suffocating sensation or a sickening feeling, this decision may be working against your true self.  The trick is that you not only have to listen to your inner wisdom, you also need to follow its lead.

You can find more powerful Blast Off tools and strategies to create a successful and empowering life and business in my new #1 Best Selling book, Blast Off! The Surefire Success Plan To Launch Your Dreams Into Reality.

*************************************************************

at my 3-Day Blast Off Bootcamp on May 21-23 in San Diego.

If you are truly ready to bust through your fears and old patterns and create a life and career you are excited about every single day, you cannot afford to miss this rare event, my 3 –Day Blast Off To Your Dreams Boot Camp in San Diego!!!

I am taking my 6 month Blast Off Coaching Program and condense it into 3 powerful, life changing days. If you are tired of feeling stuck and are finally ready to take your life and career to the next level, this is the opportunity you have been waiting for. And it will be a long time before I lead it again, so don’t miss your chance!

Click here to watch Allison talking about this rare event!

I am going to teach you the secret formula that I have developed to create success in my life and for so many others. I am keeping the group small so that you will get lots of attention from me. Yes! I will be standing right by your side to guide you every step of the way!

And just for one week, until April 26^th only, I am giving you a $200 discount when you use the promo codeblastoffnow on your registration check out at this link.. The fee is normally $1495 and just until Monday, April 26^th, the cost is only $1295. (Contact us for special hotel arrangements and pricing. 888-844-3550)

This is a fraction of the cost to coach with me one-on-one, however, in this unbelievable 3 –Day Bootcamp, you will make shifts that you cannot imagine.

And there is more…

I am also going to give 2 private follow-up teleseminars for my 3-Day Bootcamp attendees only to make sure you are taking all that you have learned and  implementing the changes into your life. The calls will be very tailored to your needs and goals.

I am limiting the size of the group to give you lots of one-on-one attention so spaces are filling up fast. I am so excited about this event I can hardly stand it. I look forward to seeing you there!

Click here to find out more information and to register.Spaces are filling fast so don’t miss out!

Allison Maslan, HHP, CCH has built 9 of her own successful companies. She is president of Blast Off! Life and Business Coaching, and Homeopathic Wellness Center. She is also an international speaker, trapeze artist, and author of the #1 bestselling book, Blast Off! The Surefire Success Plan to Launch Your Dreams Into Reality. Allison was recently nominated for the San Diego Business Journal’s Women Who Mean Business Award. 888-844-3550

Phoenix and Charlotte were a huge success. And I am getting more relaxed with each television interview I do!  I am receiving beautiful letters from all over globe saying how Blast Off! is changing their lives. That is the most exciting part of all. Last week I presented a powerful workshop in Los Angeles at the Bohdi Tree. Then on April 28th I am off to Cleveland and Akron, Ohio at their  Barnes & Noble locations with an interview on their Fox Station. I cannot wait! (I plan to visit the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame while I am there.) . Summer stops will be San Francisco, Salt Lake City and Vegas Baby and more to come…

Please check out the events page on my website regularly for all the latest dates and locations. If you have friends or family in any of these locations, I would love to meet them. If you want me to come to your area, please contact me at www.myblastoff.com.

At the bottom of this post, I am sharing my most exciting event of all coming up next month. Don’t miss it! Now for my post...

5 POWERFUL STEPS TO FREE YOU FROM YOUR FEARS!

Regardless of how successful you are, you have fear. Why? Because you are human. Yet, the difference between someone that reaches their dreams and someone that doesn’t is that one has the willingness to face and walk through their fears to get to the sweet side of accomplishment. Fear can be gripping and often hold you back from living a limitless existence. In my practice as a homeopathic physician and strategic coach, I find that fear is the one emotion that paralyzes people the most. And when you make major life decisions from a place of fear rather than true choice, you will often find yourself regretting your decision later or yearning for something much more satisfying.

Have you stayed in a career out of fear, even though you were miserable? Have you settled in relationships because you were afraid to reach out for what you truly deserve? If so, it’s time to stop being hard on yourself and take this opportunity to change these behaviors once and for all.

I am sharing 5 powerful practices to unleash you from those shackles of fear so that you can live the full and abundant life you are meant to live. You can also find these practices and much more in my new best selling book, Blast Off!

1) Make a list of all your fears on a blank sheet of paper. Then, on another sheet, write the total opposite statement.

For instance, “ I am afraid of failure.” Your opposite statement might be, “ I know that whatever happens, I will find a solution that will bring me success.”

Now discard the list of your fears and read your opposite positive list out loud every single day. Keep it with you to read whenever your fear starts creeping up to give yourself a strong dose of courage. I call this Flip-Switching.

2) Team up with a supportive friend. The power of two is bullet proof. Share your goal with a good friend and make a commitment to one another that you will reach it no matter what. (Make sure you choose a friend that is positive and 100% on your side. Choosing someone that is negative, pessimistic or critical will be detrimental in your efforts to succeed.) Meet regularly to work on your goals and call one another when you need a cheerleader.

3) Write your Big Picture Vision. This is your pot of gold at the end of your rainbow. It encompasses your desired big picture goals in any and all areas of your life. It is the ultimate, most beautiful and satisfying end-result you could ever imagine. Write a story about your Big Picture Vision in the present tense, as if it is already a reality. This helps to activate your goal and invite it into your life right this very moment. Then read your BPV out loud every single day. Visualize and feel this vision happening right this very moment. This is one of the success secrets of Olympic athletes. As you visualize and literally feel your dream happening in your body, the same brain waves are firing as if you were literally in action. The more you practice this, the more natural and real it will become.

4)Break your big goals into small bite size baby steps. I call them Mini Feats. These are successive small accomplishments that add up to larger and greater achievements. Your big goals may feel daunting or overwhelming, but if you break them down to small action steps, they are much easier to swallow. You will be surprised because they add up fast and you’re your Big Picture Vision will become a reality before you know it! The more Mini Feats you take, the more confident you will become.

5)Take action. You have talked about it, dreamed about it, analyzed your decision to death, but are you taking action? I am sorry to tell you, but it is all fantasy until you take the thoughts out of your brain and put them into action. The good news is that we make the action WAY more challenging and scary in our thoughts than it will be in reality. And, the more forward movement you take, the more confident you will become. With each small step your fear will begin to melt away just like the Wicked Witch of the West!

I will leave you with this thought. What would you be doing in your life right now if you had no fear? Close your eyes for a moment and imagine what that would look and feel like. If you just experienced a glimpse of freedom and wide-open spaces, hold onto it. Your blast off is just through this door…

COME FLY WITH ME!!!  (click here to view the video)

at my 3-Day Blast Off Bootcamp on May 21-23!

If you are truly ready to bust through your fears and old patterns and create a life and career you are excited about every single day, you cannot afford to miss this rare event, my 3 –Day Blast Off To Your Dreams Boot Camp in San Diego!!!

I am taking my 6 month Blast Off Coaching Program and condense it into 3 powerful, life changing days. If you are tired of feeling stuck and are finally ready to take your life and career to the next level, this is the opportunity you have been waiting for. And it will be a long time before I lead it again, so don’t miss your chance!

I am going to teach you the secret formula that I have developed to create success in my life and for so many others. I am keeping the group small so that you will get lots of attention from me. Yes! I will be standing right by your side to guide you every step of the way!

And just for one week, until April 26^th only, I am giving you a $200 discount when you use the promo code blastoffnow on your registration check out at this link.. The fee is normally $1495 and just until Monday, April 26^th, the cost is only $1295.

This is a fraction of the cost to coach with me one-on-one, however, in this unbelievable 3 –Day Bootcamp, you will make shifts that you cannot imagine.

And there is more…

I am also going to give 2 private follow-up teleseminars for my 3-Day Bootcamp attendees only to make sure you are taking all that you have learned and  implementing the changes into your life. The calls will be very tailored to your needs and goals.

I am limiting the size of the group to give you lots of one-on-one attention so spaces are filling up fast. I am so excited about this event I can hardly stand it. I look forward to seeing you there!

Click here to find out more information and to register.Spaces are filling fast so don’t miss out!

I have so many tips that I am excited share with you in My Secrets to Success Series. The toughest decision is what to share next! I just returned from a three-day long weekend getaway with my husband and my creative juices are over flowing. Which leads me this very important newsflash:

Tip # 2:  If  You Want To Be Successful In Business (and relationships and parenthood for that matter) TAKE LOTS OF VACATIONS!

Yes, taking time away from work and daily responsibilities is one of the best things you can do for your business, your health, your sanity and your creativity. Coming from a self-proclaimed life-a-holic that loves her work, her marriage, her family and her fun (not necessarily in that order), I have found that the more time I take away from the office, the more inventive, inspired and jazzed about my work I become.

I know the feeling. Work is piling up on my desk, there are phone calls to return, e-mails to respond to, Facebook posts to make. I love it all and feel very blessed to live my calling and work with the most fabulous clients on the planet. However, there comes a time every few months (or even weeks) where my brain hits overload status. And I mean overload. Thoughts, queries and requests are flying in the direction of my brain looking for an intelligible and high-alert, problem-solving response. Then, all the sudden, I realize I have absolutely no brain cells left to fire back to the inquirer. I used to wait until I hit this proverbial wall to realize I was beyond my deadline for a vacation. Not anymore.

Now I plan ahead and I use my time away as a life and business booster.  Why? Because I have found that my most brilliant business ideas have been born while I was on vacation. Here are some examples:

• My light bulb moment for my life planning and goal setting software, Blastation, came to me while vacationing in Laguna Beach, CA.

• Solutions to my most complicated homeopathic cases often come to me thousands of feet up in the air as I am flying to some far away (usually tropical) destination.

• My inspiration to the conclusion to my book, Blast Off!, came to me while walking on the beach with my husband.

• I just had another brilliant business idea (can’t tell you yet!) come to me while getting a massage at a spa in Charlotte, NC.

What is the reasoning for these vacation ‘aha moments ? When you are at work, you are busy doing, responding, tasking, detailing, analyzing and communicating. If you are very focused in your activities, all of your senses are at play and being utilized to the max. When you are away from your daily business at hand, your body and mind will begin to relax and unwind. And once you have had a chance to de-compress, your thoughts are now free to let go, explore and create.

Have any of you had a brilliant idea or solved one of your most pressing conflicts while taking a shower? This is because you are feeling relaxed from the hot water, and in many cases, you are experiencing a rare several minutes of undisturbed quiet time.

They say necessity is the mother of invention and I say, “creativity is the goddess of re- invention.” Doing things the same way every day, year after year, is not going to yield you much positive change. If you are spinning your wheels, and in dire need of a recharge or inspiration burst in your life or business, you have my blessing to take a vacation, even if it is just for a few days.

Pushing yourself to birth new ideas is about is fruitful as trying hard to have a baby. It is through letting go and allowing that the fertility and ingenuity have room to be born.

So go to that cooking seminar you have been dreaming of, dance in the moonlight or head to where the flowers are blooming. Follow your passion and go have some fun! You deserve it. It may just be the most prosperous thing you do for yourself all year long.

________________________

I would love to hear your thoughts on my posts. Please feel free to comment. ~ Allison

Allison Maslan, HHP, CCH has built 9 of her own successful companies. She is president of Blast Off! Life and Business Coaching, and Homeopathic Wellness Center. She is also an international speaker, trapeze artist, and author of the #1 bestselling book, Blast Off! The Surefire Success Plan to Launch Your Dreams Into Reality. Allison was recently nominated for the San Diego Business Journal’s Women Who Mean Business Award.

I am often asked, “how do you do it, Allison? How do you create success in your life?”

To offer further support, I have decided (5 minutes ago) to write a series of articles and posts on The Secrets of My Success, Ali’s Tips on Entrepreneurship, Relationships, Motherhood and Living Adventurously! Oh, yes. It has been an adventure, and I would not have it any other way.

Ali’s Success Tip #1: Say Yes. Then, always, always ask for support.

We often learn through example. I was blessed in that my father was (and still is at 80 years of age) a great businessman. He owned the largest privately run women’s clothing chain in the Midwest. And as a young woman who loved fashion, this was a very cool thing. He opened businesses like you and I open jars of peanut butter. (The smooth kind, not nutty at all).

One of the best pieces of advice he ever gave me in business was this. Say “yes” first, then figure out how to make it happen. So I did. In my early 20’s, I opened my 2^nd business, a full service advertising and public relations firm. One thing I should mention, I had no experience in advertising or public relations. I’m talking, “zero.”

My first real client was MCI. I met a young woman at a party in Atlanta. She mentioned she was assigned to order some thank you cards for her department at MCI and I impulsively said, “ I can do that for you.” (I honestly had no clue.) I took the $5000 order, walked into some small printing shop and said, “ I just got this job to produce thank you cards for MCI. I have no idea how to make them. Would you help me?” The southern gentleman behind the counter’s jaw dropped as he said, “How did you get this job, Ma’am? I spent the next 3 weeks hanging out at the printer. They walked me through all the steps of typography, paper, inks, proofs, (this is pre-internet) and I even learned some printing lingo. The skills I learned there have served me and my clients a thousand times over. All because I asked for support.

When my client, the president of Charlotte Russe clothing chain asked me if I knew how to buy radio and eventually television, what do you think I said? After saying ABSOLUTELY, I walked out of his office feeling out of my mind excited. And then when reality hit, and I realized I had no idea what to do next, I spent the next several weeks spending time at the radio and television stations, receiving media buying 101. All because I asked for guidance. Was I nervous? Sure I was. Yet once I learned, my fear dissolved.

Asking for support has been a huge secret of my success. I continued this practice over my 25 years in business. (Yes, I started at age 12.) When I began practicing homeopathy, even after I completed my education, I hired mentors. These were people that paved the trail before me. I did not want to practice good homeopathy. I wanted to practice great homeopathy. You see, mentors and coaches save you headaches, heartaches, lots of money and time. When I decided to sell the homeopathic college I had built to have more time for my clients,  I hired a mentor to support me through the process. When I began to write my book, I hired a writing coach. When I began doing motivational speeches, I hired a speaking coach. When I wanted to invent my Blastation software, I hired a software expert. When I wanted to launch my book, I asked a best selling author to teach me her successful strategy.

Do you see a pattern here? I am not afraid to admit that I don’t know something, and I see the million dollar value in asking for support from someone who does. The knowledge I have gained from these amazing people launched me on a much more direct and fruitful path toward the attainment of my goals. And I always made my investment back hundreds of times over. Had I tried to figure it out on my own, I may have eventually reached my goals, but there would have been much more struggle and frustration. And I would not be living the wonderful life I am today.  In my coaching practice, people often confide in me that they feel it is a weakness to ask for help. They have it all wrong. The truth is, it takes courage.

I would love to hear from you. Your comments, questions and experiences are encouraged.