This is a theme of his upcoming book “The Charge: Activating the 10 Human Drives that Make You Feel Alive.”

There are already enthusiastic testimonials including these:

“The Charge is an inspiring guide to the one thing we all want: more life in our lives. Brendon Burchard proves that we can harness our emotional drives to feel more alive, and that it’s our internal charge that helps us meet life’s challenges with joy and courage. I love this book.”

—Paulo Coelho, New York Times best-selling author of The Alchemist

“There hasn’t been a game-changing book on personal development in a long time. The wait is over. The Charge confronts our very notions of what drives us as humans, and it brilliantly illuminates the path for how you can feel more alive, productive, and fulfilled. After reading this book you’ll find a new internal charge that’s stronger and more energized than you ever imagined possible.”

—Jack Canfield, New York Times best-selling author of The Success Principles and originator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul® series

“The Charge will change your life. Our brains are hard wired to meet specific human drives, and learning to harness and activate those drives is the secret to success and happiness. This is a smart and beautifully written book, and it will electrify your life. Get this book!”

—Daniel G. Amen, MD, New York Times best-selling author of Change Your Brain, Change Your Life and Magnificent Mind at Any Age

“Every once in a while you read a book that completely changes how you think about your life, igniting within you a new internal drive to be more, do more, and give more. This is that kind of book.”

—David Bach, New York Times best-selling author of The Automatic Millionaire

“I look for authenticity and proof when I learn from someone, and I can share that Brendon Burchard is one of the most engaged, energetic, and enthusiastic people I’ve ever met. I’ve always wanted to know how he developed such a remarkably strong internal charge. This book reveals his secrets. If you too want to perform at higher levels of joy, engagement, and productivity — buy this book. It’s a must-read for any serious student of success and high performance.”

—Darren Hardy, Publisher SUCCESS magazine, best-selling author of The Compound Effect and Living Your Best Year Ever

Get more free videos by Brendon Burchard, and a free copy [you pay shipping] of his new hardcover book

The Charge: Activating the 10 Human Drives that Make You Feel Alive

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More personal change books and resources:

Tapping Into Ultimate Success: How to Overcome Any Obstacle and Skyrocket Your Results
by Jack Canfield and Pamela Bruner – about Meridian Tapping, sometimes known as Emotional Freedom Techniques.

- Also see article What is EFT? – or visit the site of The Tapping Solution.

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This is a book I have just started to read and am finding it to be a helpful tool for self-understanding, especially with its questions to explore life experiences that impact our positive self regard and confidence.  [Douglas Eby, author/editor of this site.]

Code to Joy: The Four-Step Solution to Unlocking Your Natural State of Happiness, by George Pratt, PhD and Peter Lambrou, PhD. http://vsb.li/BwD4k4

“We are meant to be happy. Instinctively, we all know this, somewhere deep inside. We all know what it’s like to feel a burst of delight. Every one of us has at some point in our lives experienced a sense of ecstatic joy, of euphoria at the sheer sensation of being alive. Have you ever wondered why that experience has to be so rare and fleeting? The answer is, It doesn’t.” —From the book.

“All the positive thinking, affirmations, talk therapy, and pharmaceuticals in the world will never be enough to make us as happy as we were designed to be, according to acclaimed clinical psychologists George Pratt, Ph.D., and Peter Lambrou, Ph.D. That’s because those approaches fail to address a third aspect of the human organism, one that bridges the gap between mind and body: the biofield.” [Amazon summary]

One of the issues (which we all face) in this book “Code To Joy” is self-limiting beliefs – which Morty Lefkoe addresses in his multiple articles on my sites, such as Why Self-Help Often Doesn’t Work.

Visit his site ReCreate Your Life to eliminate a self-limiting belief free.

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Imagine that you had been doing something a certain way for a long time and you believed that you were doing it the right way.

Now imagine that I come along and tell you not to do that way any more. I give you a lot of reasons and I promise a lot of benefits if you stop doing it your way and start doing it my way.

No matter how persuasive I might be, you and most other people probably wouldn’t change their behavior.

“Okay,” you reply, “that just proves that people resist change.”

Not necessarily. Think about what I just said.

If you think what you are doing is right and I am telling you to do something else, what does it sound like I am asking you to do? It would seem to you that I was telling you to do something wrong. …

If you want to change behavior, change the beliefs that drive any given behavior — such as procrastination, anger, worrying what people think of you, the inability to delegate, etc. — and the behavior will change.

To make this clear, let’s look at a situation that comes up frequently in relationships.

Imagine that you have a relationship with someone who yells at people whenever they don’t do what she (or he) thinks they ought to be doing.

Perhaps you have told her that you don’t like her yelling at you and you think it is inappropriate for her to yell at others.

Despite the logic of your argument, her response might well be: “Yelling is the only way to get people to listen and do what you want.”

That’s the belief that engenders the yelling. …

Continued: Change Doesn’t Have to Be Difficult… If You Know How

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At one point or another, everyone has uttered the words: “I am happy.”  And: “I am upset.”

Notice what happens when you say: “I am [something].”

You are describing yourself.

Any words that follow the statement “I am” is your description of yourself.

Moreover, when we say, “I am [something],” it feels as if we really are that “something.”

It feels as if our entire being is happy, or upset, or anxious, or any other emotion we say we are.

But is that really who we are?

Most readers of my weekly blog have eliminated at least one belief using the Lefkoe Belief Process where they discovered that they are not merely a “creation,” who has beliefs and feelings and who takes action, they also are the creator of that creation.

Although the creation you think you are is comprised of your beliefs and feelings and what you do, the consciousness you really are is whole and complete, for whom anything is possible and nothing is missing.

Thus, it actually is more accurate to say: My creation has feelings, but I am not my feelings. My creation has beliefs, but I am not my beliefs.

> Continued: Stop being run by your feelings.

~ ~

All of you who read my blog posts and who signed up on my website to eliminate a limiting belief are “weird,” according to best-selling author and popular blogger Seth Godin.

Why would he apply that term to you?

Seth uses the term “weird” to describe anyone who is not “normal,” in other words, people who express their uniqueness and who don’t try to fit in with what “most people” are doing.

What makes YOU weird? 

Most “normal” people are not interested in personal growth.  You—who are on my mailing list and reading this blog post—are a distinct minority.  Because you want more out of life … because you are willing to spend your time, energy, and money to create a better life for yourself.

Most “normal” people do not have this awareness and commitment. …

Continued: You are weird.

~ ~

Your Creative Brain: Seven Steps to Maximize Imagination, Productivity, and Innovation in Your Life

Harvard Health Publications. “This provocative book reveals why sitting in front of a light box can increase your creativity more than listening to a Bach concerto as example. The author Shelley H. Carson, a Harvard psychologist, explains that creativity isn’t something only scientists, investors, artists, writers, and musicians enjoy; in fact, all of us use our creative brains every day at home and at work. Each of us has the ability to increase our mental functioning and creativity by learning to move flexibly among several brain states related to creativity, productivity, and innovation.”

[NOTE - reviews are by Amazon.com, unless noted otherwise.]

Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being
by Martin E. P. Seligman

“This book will help you flourish.” With this unprecedented promise, internationally esteemed psychologist Martin Seligman begins Flourish, his first book in ten years—and the first to present his dynamic new concept of what well-being really is. Traditionally, the goal of psychology has been to relieve human suffering, but the goal of the Positive Psychology movement, which Dr. Seligman has led for fifteen years, is different—it’s about actually raising the bar for the human condition.

Writing from the Inside Out: Transforming Your Psychological Blocks to Release the Writer Within
by Dennis Palumbo, M.A., MFT

“Dennis Palumbo provides a sense of community in the isolation of writing, of knowing that we are not alone on this uncharted and privileged journey. He shows us that our shared struggles, fears, and triumphs are the very soul of the art and craft of writing.”
—Bruce Joel Rubin, screenwriter, GhostandDeepImpact

How to Think like Leonardo Da Vinci: Seven Steps to Genius Every Day
by Michael J. Gelb.

Acclaimed author Michael J. Gelb, who has helped thousands of people expand their minds to accomplish more than they ever thought possible, shows you how. Drawing on Da Vinci’s notebooks, inventions, and legendary works of art, Gelb introduces Seven Da Vincian Principles—the essential elements of genius—from curiosità, the insatiably curious approach to life to connessione, the appreciation for the interconnectedness of all things.

Renaissance Business
By Emilie Wapnick

“Would I have to settle on a “practical job” and pursue my various passions on the side or choose among my interests and just commit to one thing? Both options made me my heart ache… I knew I could be doing more – that I had more to offer the world. Renaissance Business is the story of how I brought all of my interests together, and how you can do the same.”

Mastering Creative Anxiety: 24 Lessons for Writers, Painters, Musicians, and Actors from America’s Foremost Creativity Coach
by Eric Maisel, PhD

In his decades as a psychotherapist and creativity coach, Eric Maisel has found a common thread behind what often gets labeled “writer’s block,” “procrastination,” or “stage fright.” It’s the particular anxiety that, paradoxically, keeps creators from doing, completing, or sharing the work they are driven toward. This “creative anxiety” can take the form of avoiding the work, declaring it not good enough, or failing to market it — and it can cripple creators for decades, even lifetimes. But Maisel has learned what sets successful creators apart. He shares these strategies here, including artist-specific stress management; how to work despite bruised egos, day jobs, and other inevitable frustrations; and what not to do to deal with anxiety. Implementing these 24 lessons replaces the pain of not creating with the profound rewards of free artistic self-expression.

Brainstorm: Harnessing the Power of Productive Obsessions
by Eric Maisel, PhD and Ann Maisel

It’s true: a mind is a terrible thing to waste. Yet that’s what we do when we spend our weekend — and neurons — reliving a workplace squabble, spend a family visit chewing over childhood issues, or spend hours beating ourselves up when someone brings one of our own long-held (but never worked on) ideas to fruition. This kind of obsessing gets us, like a hamster on a wheel, nowhere. But as noted creativity expert Eric Maisel asserts, obsessing productively leads to fulfillment rather than frustration. A productive obsession, whether an idea for a novel, a business, or a vaccine, is chosen deliberately and pursued with determination. In this provocative, practical guide, Maisel coaches you to use the tendency to obsess to your creative advantage, fulfilling both your promise and your promises to yourself.

Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson.

Based on more than forty interviews with Jobs conducted over two years—as well as interviews with more than a hundred family members, friends, adversaries, competitors, and colleagues—Walter Isaacson has written a riveting story of the roller-coaster life and searingly intense personality of a creative entrepreneur whose passion for perfection and ferocious drive revolutionized six industries: personal computers, animated movies, music, phones, tablet computing, and digital publishing. At a time when America is seeking ways to sustain its innovative edge, and when societies around the world are trying to build digital-age economies, Jobs stands as the ultimate icon of inventiveness and applied imagination. He knew that the best way to create value in the twenty-first century was to connect creativity with technology.

~~~~~~

My own books:

Developing Multiple Talents – The personal side of creative expression
[paperback, PDF, Kindle, Nook]

“Part book about creativity, part compendium of useful tidbits, quotations and research, and part annotated bibliography, this is a wildly useful and highly entertaining resource.” – Stephanie S. Tolan, fiction writer and consultant on the needs of the gifted.

“Packed full of insights and resources for the creative life, this book offers new ways to thrive as a creative person. I highly recommend it as a resource for anyone who wants to understand the psychology behind our creative drive.” – Cynthia Morris, Writing and creativity coach

Being Highly Sensitive and Creative
A mini report for Kindle

Many creative people recognize they are unusually sensitive to temperature, sound, touch, color and other sensations, as well as to emotional experiences, both within themselves and in others. Psychologists and neuroscience researchers are finding more confirmation for this trait of sensory processing sensitivity, present in at least fifteen percent of us, and are defining how it relates to creative ability. People can learn to thrive with the personality trait, take better care of themselves, and make use of its positive aspects for creative expression.

And, to read ebooks, get the new Kindle Fire tablet.

Part of the Amazon description:
Movies, apps, games, music, reading and more, plus Amazon’s revolutionary, cloud-accelerated web browser
18 million movies, TV shows, songs, magazines, and books
Thousands of popular apps and games, including Netflix, Hulu Plus, Pandora, and more
Free cloud storage for all your Amazon content
Vibrant color touchscreen with extra-wide viewing angle – same as an iPad
Fast, powerful dual-core processor
Favorite children’s books, graphic novels, and magazines in rich color

~ ~

How many times have you attended a personal growth workshop, or listened to a self-help audio course, or viewed a set of DVDs designed to change your life?  Given the type of people who usually read my blog, probably most of you.

And how many times did you get a high when you completed the program … that dissipated shortly, leaving you almost where you were before you started?

Based on what many of you have told me, an awful lot of you.

Why don’t these courses that usually offer such valuable information produce lasting change?

Based on everything we know about change, they should.

But what if our assumption about what produces change is wrong?

> Continued: Why Self-Help Often Doesn’t Work … And What Does

In his new book, Flourish, positive-psychology guru Martin Seligman looks beyond happiness and asks: How can we create a rich, fulfilling, meaningful life? We spoke with him about what it means to flourish.

What’s the difference between flourishing and simply being happy?

To have a good life—to flourish—it’s not enough to just be happy.

My research has found that there are four other factors that foster well-being: having good relationships with others, being engaged in what you’re doing, having a sense of meaning or larger purpose in your life, and feeling that you are achieving your goals.

And these aren’t just traits or skills we’re born with?

Absolutely not. For example, a very easy way to improve your relationships is to use the Losada ratio with people you care about: That’s making five positive statements for every negative statement.

I used to be terrible at this, especially with my grad students. I’d cover their term papers in red ink, but I rarely said things like, “That’s a beautiful sentence.”

Once I started making an effort to change my ratio, my students not only liked me better, they were more responsive to my critiques and their writing improved.

You have seven children. How can parents raise their kids to flourish?

One of the best ways to ensure well-being is to develop and use your “signature strengths”—things that you’re good at and that you enjoy doing.

Every kid is better than 10,000 other kids at at least one thing. Instead of focusing on our kids’ misbehaviors, we as teachers and parents need to find that one thing, and then encourage them to lead their lives around that strength.

> Source: The Good Life, Parade.com

Book: Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being, by Martin Seligman.

She also develops her awareness through reading, such as the book The Four Agreements.

Hudgens sometimes visits Venice Beach: “I love going to the drum circle down there. Every now and then someone will let me join in and bang on their drums, and I just love people who are completely free. Even if they’re drug addicts, who sometimes freak me out.

“I’m figuring out how to be a better person while observing other people.”

She is striving to be more aware and “present-oriented” – and strong – and has been studying the book The Four Agreements, by don Miguel Ruiz.

“It has honestly changed me, almost. You really have to stay strong, because times get tough. Especially in this business. It’s a dog-eat-dog world. There’s so many amazing actresses who got taken advantage of.”

Continued: Vanessa Hudgens on striving to be strong and aware.

“What gets us into trouble is not what we don’t know. It’s what we know for sure that just ain’t so.”

Morty Lefkoe addresses the nature of self-limiting beliefs and how to overcome them in programs of The Lefkoe Insitute.

In his article What You Don’t Know You Don’t Know, he explains, “There are things you don’t know that you don’t know.  And that fact, perhaps more than any other single thing, is keeping you from having the best life you could possibly have.

“When people know they don’t know something and they want to know about that something, they learn about it. You can search on Google to find out where to get help. You can ask friends what they did. You can read books and take courses.  Etc.

“But far too many people don’t even realize that there is anything wrong. If you don’t know that there is something better in life and that you can achieve it, then you will not even search for it.”

Director  Jane Campion earlier in her life commented, “I never have had the confidence to approach filmmaking straight on. I just thought it was something done by geniuses, and I was very clear that I wasn’t one of those.”

Another example: Natalie Portman once admitted, “Sometimes I get scared that I’m not a creative person, because it seems creative people are really flaky.”

[From my post Building self esteem and identity – what we tell ourselves about ourselves.]

Guillaume Wolf (Founder of Wolf Creative Research) writes about the movie ‘The King’s Speech’ with its story of George (a.k.a. Bertie, played by Colin Firth), who becomes King George VI, but suffers from a stammer and seeks the help of “an unorthodox speech therapist (played by Geoffrey Rush) with whom he slowly develops a friendship.”

Wolf adds, “In this movie there are many scenes when Bertie resists the speech therapist’s efforts – arguing that he can’t be cured of his stammer because that’s what he has always known.

“This raises the powerful question of where our identity lies. Is our identity the result of past events? Or is it something that’s being recreated everyday through our actions? In other words: are you the result of the past – or are you creating yourself in the present? …

“In the last two decades, research as shown that the brain never stops changing and evolving.”

Continued in his article Creative Identity and the Ugly Duckling.

Beliefs are a key element in our identity and capacity for change and growth.

Morty Lefkoe has developed a program for eliminating self-limiting beliefs, and the Institute of Noetic Sciences notes that he “made a series of discoveries that allowed him to help people make permanent changes in their emotions and behavior.”

See these articles of his, among many others on this site:

How to build confidence

Eliminate negative beliefs: Morty Lefkoe on self-esteem beliefs

You can eliminate at least one of your limiting self-esteem beliefs using The Lefkoe Method at ReCreate Your Life.