If you've ever read a job description and automatically disqualified yourself because you didn't have one or two out of a long line of competencies or the necessary experience, passed on an opportunity to speak on or otherwise showcase your knowledge because you "don't know enough," or not started your own business because you are not yet "an expert" then you may have fallen into the Expert Trap.

I totally believe if you want to improve a certain skill then you should model yourself on someone who already has had success in that skill. I am a huge lover of self-development especially management and leadership, and a few months ago I became aware of a book by a guy called Allan Leighton.

A few months ago, I embarked on a new project, The Great Successful People Package to interview numerous top successful individuals... One of the individuals was Robert Ashton, one of the UK’s best selling authors in both the business and entrepreneurial world. One of the great ideas Robert shared with me was a different approach to understanding what you want in life.  This idea is that you describe your future life in the present tense.

The large majority of challenges you have in your life are a direct result of you being out of rapport with your subconscious mind.  So in the battle between subconscious and conscious minds, who wins? Your subconscious mind kicks your conscious mind’s butt every day of the week.

By  Craig Harper - "In the course of my work, I meet many (many) amazing people who are miserable, frustrated and seemingly lost, living in a reality that they hate, not because they don't have the capacity to change or achieve great things in their life, but simply because they won't use or develop their potential as they could and should."

Many talented women in film such as Charlize Theron and Natalie Portman are finding more creative fulfillment as executives and producers, not waiting for better acting roles. But what sorts of challenges do women face when changing or expanding their career choices, especially in such a male-dominated business?

While many people resist the call to work on their own, citing potential dangers and fears, the savvy entrepreneur sets out with great clarity about the potential REWARDS.

Although talent is very important when it comes to performing, it often times has little to do with how success is achieved and who becomes successful. The world is filled with talented people, yet why is it that so few people live and achieve their dreams?

Many creative people actively pursue fame, or at least endure it, as a way to advance their careers. But fame may also be driven by hidden emotional needs, and can lead to harmful expectations and distorted thinking on both sides.

The big questions of vocation, identity, relationships, how we use our talents for ourselves and the world, how we define and nurture authentic happiness - we may never “solve” those questions permanently, but they can be particularly intense in our twenties. Perhaps especially for people who are the most capable and talented.