Abandon Your New Year’s Resolutions – NOW!
I don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions or goals. Enough with them already! I’m actually an advocate for abandoning them altogether. How’s that for an
Blog: Bigger Game
Just Remember to Sparkle
Bob Pranga aka Dr. Christmas
Happy Holidays friends!
Just remember to sparkle; the glitter gets you everywhere! These are the words from my dear friend Bob Pranga, who was my very first coaching client 20 years ago!
Bob hired me because he was feeling lost. He’d been struggling to make it as an actor while working three jobs as a waiter, tour guide, and department-store clerk. Even with three jobs, he was $60,000 in debt.
We talked once a week for a year, focusing on his passions, his priorities, and the mark he hoped to make on the world. In our discussions, Bob kept coming back to one particular interest, and every time he talked about it, his eyes lit up…
While working for Macy’s, the famed department store in Manhattan, Bob had decorated the huge Christmas tree, which is an annual tradition and big attraction for the store. He decorated the tree so beautifully that many people complimented him, including the actress Mia Farrow.
Bob mentioned this several times during our first few discussions. Then one day, he added, “I love decorating for Christmas so much that I’ve even wondered if I could make a living at it.”
My Bigger Game alert immediately went off. “Why don’t you do that?” I asked. I explained to Bob that starting his own Christmas decorating business matched up well with his desire for the freedom to set his own hours and workload. “You love Christmas, and you love being independent; why not organize your life around those two loves?”
Within a year, Bob had established a brand as Dr. Christmas, Tree Stylist to the Stars. He found a great ally by attracting a good friend, Debi Staron. Their skillful decorating and engaging personalities have attracted a clientele that includes Ryan Seacrest, Paris Hilton, the Jonas Brothers, Kate Hudson, Whoopi Goldberg, Heidi Klum, and Leeza Gibbons to name a few.
His business has grown to also providing holiday decorations for movies and television shows such as Nip/Tuck, American Horror Story, Chuck, Veronica’s Closet, as well as the Home Shopping Network. Dr. Christmas also decorates for a corporate clientele that includes Wal- greens, Walmart, Tiffany & Co., The Beverly Hilton, Macy’s Herald Square, I. Magnin, The Walt Disney Studios, MGM, Warner Bros., and Paramount Pictures.
The moral of this blog post?! Anything is possible! Way back during my first coaching session with Bob neither of us envisioned his future success.
This story is a favorite of mine, and certainly fun to share this time of year. My hope and desire for you is that you realize your own passions and create a wildly fun and exciting life from that!
Sending you holiday blessings and love and joy for 2014…
Namaste-
Rick
3 Tips for 2014!
For me, the holidays are about slowing down, reflecting, and looking at the bigger picture of my life… taking stock of my life as a
Creative Genesis
When I first told my partner, Chuck, that I was compelled to explore “creative genesis” in my next blog post, he looked at me and
Hungry for More in Your Life?
Have you ever found yourself standing in front of your refrigerator with the door open while thinking, I’m hungry. I just don’t know what I
It’s a party!
I’ll be in LA on Thursday night to officially launch my new book Play Your Bigger Game! It’s a party for sure, but more than that, I’ve created an evening that will be both fun and inspirational… one that will help point YOU in the direction of your bigger game.
If you are in LA, please join me at the NoHo Arts Center. We’ll also be doing a live webcast, so regardless of where you are in the world, please join in on the fun! The party starts at 7:00 pm PST/10:00 pm EST… to watch online, simply visit www.ricktamlyn.com.
I hope to see you there! Click here to learn more!
Namaste-
Rick
Alice Coles is a natural
I’ve talked about Alice Coles for over a decade in The Bigger Game workshop. She is an excellent example of what I call a “natural” bigger game player. Her story brings the Bigger Game Board to life! As many of you know, I had the pleasure to meet Alice in person at the Bigger Game Expo this past May.
Alice is pure inspiration! Expo attendees listened to her every word, and I was a bit star struck, to be honest! We’re working on an extended video clip of Alice and her work that we’ll debut next month, but in the short term, I just had to share a tiny clip of her talking about what it means to play a bigger game. What a great way to start a Monday morning!
More to come-
Rick
A Red Letter Day!
Today – Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2013 – is a red-letter day for me. Hay House Publishing is releasing my new book Play Your Bigger Game!
And to think it almost didn’t happen.
I had convinced myself that I would never have a book published with a major publishing house. I didn’t understand the process. The whole idea of it was overwhelming. Especially when I would visit Amazon and see literally thousands and thousands of self-help related books. I thought, “Who in the world would want to read my book?”
I’d developed this “story” that I didn’t have a book in me: “I’m a much better speaker that a writer. What major publisher would want my book?” I stayed with that self-limiting story for a long time, even though my friends and allies were encouraging me to create an inspirational guide for playing The Bigger Game.
I love to inspire others with The Bigger Game and in particular the Allies square, and yet a couple of years ago I was afraid to ask for help and actually practice what I preach!
One day I finally reached out to Adora English, a friend and a former television producer who now serves as a media-savvy consultant.
“I’m ready to take the Bigger Game to the world,” I told her.
“I’ve been waiting years for this call,” Adora said.
That one fateful phone call set everything in motion. Adora has proven to be the best ally possible. You see, it turns out that there are many people out there whose mission it is to assist would-be authors in moving past the “would-be” state.
Once I was clear and set the intention, things began to fall into place. First, someone to actually help me get my thoughts onto paper. Then a literary agent. Then Hay House. In a strange sort of way, it all came together quite nicely and easily. It flowed. Now, this was over a 2-year period mind you, but nonetheless, magic seemed to be happening all around me!
This whole process has really taught me (finally!) that the fear of asking for help is really silly and self-defeating. We get so wrapped up in not wanting to look silly that we actually do something stupid – we give up. In a blunt and honest assessment of myself, I’d have to ask how a guy who travels the world offering help to others could be afraid to ask for help.
The lesson here is to tell the truth to your allies even if you won’t accept it for yourself. In my heart of hearts, I knew this book needed to be expressed; I was just afraid to admit that I didn’t know how to do it.
But a huge part of playing The Bigger Game is accepting that you don’t need the how; the game will take care of that.
Here’s to you creating your red letter day!
Namaste-
Rick
1,001 Dreams
Meet Jocelyne Desroches. She recently took the Bigger Game workshop in Montreal, and at first, wasn’t willing to take action and leave a comfort zone that wasn’t serving her.
No worries – not everyone is able to realize their compelling purpose and/or actually name their bigger game right out of the gate. There is no pressure – trust the process and your game will find you.
And that is exactly what happened to Jocelyne. In her words…
“When I did the workshop, I knew what motivated me, but I thought it was not time in my life to take action. During the weekend, I stayed in my comfort zone by naming something else, not wanting to feel the bomb sleeping in me. The months passed and I found, with your help and energy, my fantastic adventure of Bigger Game. I adapted it to my reality, my strengths and my limitations. And I want to share it with you.”
Jocelyne’s Bigger Game is to help her African friend Simeon Koalaga’s dream come true. She is selling bracelets to raise funds for a water pump and a fence to realize Simeon’s dream to grow vegetables and improve his family’s quality of life.
In the excitement of this game, Jocelyne has enrolled the help of her husband, Daniel, and their game has quickly morphed to something even bigger… together they will create 1,000 projects and raise $1,000 per project to raise one million dollars for African families, women’s groups and children. They call their Bigger Game 1,001 Dreams and their slogan is “Little by Little.”
Click here to learn more about 1,001 Dreams and learn how you can become an ally: Bracelets to make Simeon Koalaga’s Dream Come True.
I’m excited to congratulate Jocelyne and Daniel in what they are creating. When we are compelled, we can truly create miracles!
Namaste-
Rick