Using the Ultimate Blog Challenge to Write “Pick From The Passion Tree”

It’s very exciting to be joining all of you in the October 2012 Ultimate Blog Challenge.  For those of you who don’t know, I address the crisis of youth unemployment by proposing that we guide our teenagers and young adults to develop an entrepreneur mindset.  My first book, 31 Powerful Lessons: Empowering Teens and Young Adults to Develop an Entrepreneur Mindset is currently on sale as a digital book and as a perfect bound paperback book at my website and will soon be on Amazon.com and Kindle.  I wrote that book during the last Ultimate Blog Challenge using the daily posts as the foundation for the book.

Using this new blog challenge in the same manner, I plan to write the second book, Pick From the Passion Tree in what I call the Empowering Young Entrepreneurs series.  It is my sincere hope that you will read the posts and share your constructive criticism, positive feedback and any ideas you have that will enhance the topic I’ve written about.

I am also accepting guest posts about how to decide upon and start a business and other entrepreneurial ideas appropriate for teenagers and young adults.  Steve Eason has already provided a guest blog post about selling solutions to the customers’ pain.

I’m looking for exercises designed to help youth focus on identifying their passions and how to make decisions on how to build a business around those passions.  Checklists would be useful as well as free resources that young people can access to help them build their foundation and start down their path.  Some of these guest posts may be included in the new book (with your permission of course).

Additionally, if you have any advice you would like to share directly with young people, I would be happy to consider those posts as well as real stories of other successful, young entrepreneurs, both for the blog and possibly for the book.

There is no particular order to the posts as I have not yet organized what content will be in the book.  I do know that we’ll have some reality check exercises (two that I’ve already posted on this blog during September), some exercises for our youth to identify what they are passionate about.  The book will include information on social media, blogging and other business building blocks.

I am looking forward to reading and commenting on as many of your posts as possible during the course of the challenge.  It’s nice to meet you and it will be nice to get to know you.

About the Author

Ashley Howland - October 1, 2012

Wow, what a great idea. I also work with at risk youth at Labs ‘n Life. Would love to share our passion with you – training labradors as companions for children on the autism spectrum. I am looking forward to reading your posts during this challenge.
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    Julia - October 1, 2012

    Sounds great Ashley, we’ll have to correspond during the blog and see what comes from sharing our passion. It will be great to have someone with a similar passion to support.

Jan - October 1, 2012

Great to see you taking part in the UBC this month Julia 🙂 I really enjoy your posts, they’re food for thought for everyone, young and young at heart!
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    Julia - October 1, 2012

    Thank you for your kind words Jan. I am very much looking forward to this new blog challenge. I have learned so much about blogging and created some great relationships, not to mention wrote my first actual book, which I had no plans to write. Funny how things happen.

Marilyn Schendel - October 1, 2012

Julia great topic! I went to see my coach about the very thing of passion and my business as I was wandering around in circles about where I am going now. It is so important for all us entrepreneurs to know what our passions are and to keep our businesses in line with them and not lose focus. Looking forward to your posts! Marilyn
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    Julia - October 1, 2012

    Thank you for your comment Marilyn. You are so right, it is important to know what our passions are and to be in alignment with that. However, there are times (and this is a lesson I try to teach my young clients) that we have to do what we have to do to bring in money and pay the bills. I call this the “in-between time.” Sometimes in our lives being in between what we are passionate and our current reality is necessary to survive. Just knowing what our passion is and that we strive to get back to that is enough to make the in-between space bearable.

    It’s nice to meet you, I’m looking forward to blogging with you.

Susan - October 1, 2012

Love your title, Julia! Really grabs the attention. Can’t wait to read what you (and your guests) have for us as the challenge unfolds.
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    Julia - October 1, 2012

    Thank you Susan. I’m glad you’re doing this challenge too.

Debbie - October 1, 2012

I cannot wait to see what you have to share this time.

    Julia - October 1, 2012

    Thank you Debbie. I’m also interested to see what comes through this time – for me and from you and others.

Vikki - October 1, 2012

I love that you used your UBC posts as the basis for a book, and I’m totally inspired that you’re encouraging and uplifting youth entrepreneurs!

I wish I had advice to offer, I live by the “follow your passion” credo – I just do what brings me joy, and that is what I try to instill in the young people I meet.

Keep up the great work, I’ll be back to visit!
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    Julia - October 1, 2012

    Thank you for your comments Vikki. I’m looking forward to your visits. I’ll make it a point to stop by your blog as well.

shawn - October 1, 2012

What a great idea! There is so much content during the UBC challenge using it for book content only makes sense.
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    Julia - October 1, 2012

    Thank you for your comments Shawn. I didn’t plan to write the first book. It was halfway through my first blog challenge that I realized that a book was writing itself. That led to building an affiliate program and Estore into my website and suddenly, I have a real, professional business with honest to goodness systems in place. It was a pretty amazing experience. Now, I just have to write and promote. It’s giving me time and money to get my certification program done and to market.

    I’m looking forward to blogging with you.

Kina Diaz DeLeon - October 1, 2012

I am looking forward to sharing this with my adult children and hopefully their friends. Shared this on facebook and twitter. Can’t wait to discover what you have in store.
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    Julia - October 1, 2012

    Thank you Kina. It’s nice to meet you and I look forward to making it through this challenge with you. I appreciate the shares. And yes, this material can benefit people of all ages. I just happen to work with young people.

Peggy Lee Hanson - October 1, 2012

Good luck on your second book, Julia! As well as your first! What a fantastic idea to use the 31 days! Much love, dear friend.

    Julia - October 1, 2012

    Thank you my dear friend for your inspiration and support. I’m excited to be sharing this challenge with you as we’ve shared other exciting and interesting experiences along the way. Much love back to you.

Chef William - October 2, 2012

Hi Julia, I really enjoyed your first book. The title of your present work sounds Great, Including the picture of a tree. A person can have many passions in life much like the branches of a tree. When you are young and just starting out in the world, picking the correct one, one that has roots,and then focusing your attention while you build your dream can be a real challenge. I am looking forward to reading your blog posts as I watch the book unfold.
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    Julia - October 2, 2012

    Thank you Chef William, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your continued support.

    I’m also looking forward to seeing how the new book plays out. It’s being written mostly spontaneously as I have no real plan for it, just like with the first book. The only difference is that I know from day one that I’m writing a book.

Nanette Levin - October 2, 2012

Julia – congratulations on your book publication. What fun for you. I could probably contribute chapter (or comment) to the next one, if you wish. Frankly, I’m a bit troubled by the youth coming out of this ‘positive reinforcement’ mindset we’re seeing in homes throughout the US today (where to go with no direction or correction?) but can probably come up with something positive to help.
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    Julia - October 2, 2012

    I hear what you’re saying Nanette. The “positive reinforcement” mindset as you call it, often leads to those feelings of entitlement. It’s a challenge to overcome, but I’m up for the challenge. I love for you to be a guest blogger – anything that speaks to youth about being an entrepreneur would be great.

Patricia Lynn - October 2, 2012

Hi, Julia –

I love the idea of using the challenge to write your book! I actually quit a lucrative job to follow my passion and it took me years to actually figure them out – now I help others to do the same (in a somewhat unconventional way) – but I can be “mainstream” as well – if you need a guest blogger at any time!
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    Julia - October 2, 2012

    I’d love to talk to you about being a guest blogger Patricia. Let’s talk.

Ivy Stirling - October 2, 2012

Go Julia! I am all in favor of anything that increases passion in the world. Ignite those young-uns!
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    Julia - October 2, 2012

    Thank you Ivy. I am going for it!

Dazediva - October 2, 2012

Wow ! That’s amazing ! Congratulations on your E-book and for starting your 2nd one as well.

Dropping by from the UBC and looking forward to all your posts.
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    Julia - October 2, 2012

    Thank you Dazediva. I appreciate your comment and support.

Mary Hudak-Collins - October 2, 2012

Julia, what a wonderful idea! So many of our youth are discouraged, mine being one of them. Jobs don’t seem to be out there like they were when I was growing up 🙁
My parents made sure I had a college degree; I chose nursing. But after some time, working in the hospital, I felt trapped and unsatisfied. I resigned and started my own medical billing business which flourished for 17 years. I am just now weaning out of that business and starting an on line business. I am very excited and hope that my children are watching and learning what I am doing.
My only advise to anyone, young or old, that is trying to start their own business is to realize that nothing happens overnight. Building a business takes time…don’t get discouraged. There will be high points as well as low points and you have to learn to take everything in stride. Be disciplined and work hard and you will reap rewards. As the Bible says: you will reap what you sow. It’s so very true for every aspect of life, just not business 🙂
Thanks for visiting my site and so happy I popped in over here! Excellent post! Hope you have a great week 🙂
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    Mary Hudak-Collins - October 2, 2012

    oops, me bad…’not just business’. I guess I got typing ahead of myself LOL
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    Julia - October 2, 2012

    Thank you for coming by and leaving your comments. You’re right, it doesn’t happen overnight. It takes hard work, consistency and perseverance as well as a lot of other stuff. Perhaps your children would benefit from the 31 Powerful Lessons: Empowering Teens and Young Adults to Develop an Entrepreneur Mindset. It’s available at my site at http://www.julianeiman.com. Or they can just read all the blog posts starting with those posted from July 1 of this year.

    I know a lot of nurses that feel the way you did and are starting internet businesses, some as coaches. Best of luck with your internet business.

Alexandria - October 2, 2012

Hi Julia, you’ve inspired my next blog post with this! I hadn’t thought to do a blog introducing myself – what a great idea! I look forward to reading future blog posts!
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    Julia - October 2, 2012

    I’m happy to be of service Alexandria.

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