As the clock strikes 11 p.m., this is the question I’m asking myself.

Every year, I do a fundraising marathon called the “Heart Kids Blogathon” where I stay up all night long, posting to my blog, to raise funds for my CHD work.

Today’s book launch of “Think, Write & Retire” also is in the nature of a fundraiser – and so it may seem right to stay up all through the first 24 hours.

But the difference is that I was NOT prepared for it!

See, before the blogathon, I sleep well the previous night, or nap during the day, to stay fresh for the 24 hour stint. But today, I was up early and have been busy with the little ‘last minute’ things that always seem to crop up on launch day.

It didn’t help that we’re doing some remodelling around the house, and I had to pop in and out to attend to that as well.

My plan was to watch the early phase of the launch, then go to bed, and wake up tomorrow morning and see what has happened. All that changed when I saw how rapidly my Author Rank on Amazon.com was moving up.

At 5 p.m. my time, it was around 30,000. By 6, it was 14,000. And at 8 o clock, it had risen to 3,000. At the time I’m writing this, I’ve cracked the 1,000 barrier – and my author rank is #913.

Now, the question isn’t “Should I sleep?” – it’s “CAN I sleep?”

Right now, it’s too exciting to even try. Maybe in a couple of hours. Until then, the adrenaline rush from seeing sales coming in, and cash being generated that will help fund a child’s heart surgery, is sure to keep me alert and engaged.

If you’d like to be a more active part of the book launch, please help spread word about it – and invite your friends to pick up a copy from http://ThinkWriteRetire.com (they’ll also get gifts worth over $600)

Thank you for helping!

This morning I read a blog. It was about an event that happened five years ago. That event touched – and changed – many lives.

Read about the event here – and then come back to the rest of this post.

Done?

On that day, something changed. It happened INSIDE my mind. It was validation of a hope or dream that I had nurtured. It showed me that it was possible.

And that change had dramatic impact. At that point, I was earning around $7,500 a year from my online business. Within the next two years, and aided by some powerful coaching by a business genius named Jay Abraham, I was donating more than that amount to my non-profit OUT OF my business profits!

It was the dream I had before launching my infopreneur business. I had planned to sponsor heart surgery for children in India who came from under-privileged families by earning enough money from my information product marketing efforts.

Today, the Dr.Mani Children Heart Foundation has funded 52 operations. There are many smiling faces that were made possible by that dream. And at the heart of the dream was a mindset that took root on a very special day – August 17th, 2004.

That’s why I left this comment on the blog:

For my CHD list, I was drafting out a similar note – to mark this special occasion.

What makes John’s ‘Million Dollar Day’ more uniquely special to me is that it was followed up by a donation of $10,000 to my non-profit foundation – which sponsored heart surgery for 4 children.

I like what John says about MINDSET. That single donation broke barriers in MY mind.

Over the years since, I have not only donated more than that back to my foundation, I have donated the equivalent to another foundation that builds houses for the homeless in another desperately poor country halfway across the world.

And in the process of doing so, inspired many more entrepreneurs, start up business owners and infopreneurs to reach out for their dreams.

That’s a RIPPLE.

One that started out in John Reese’s mind, reaches across a globally networked world to touch and resonate with other people, inspires them to live up to their potential, and in turn encourages even more others to do the same.

In reality, then, it was NOT a ‘Million Dollar Day’ – it was more likely a BILLION DOLLAR DAY.

Thank you for doing what you did – and helping change many lives for the better, John.

In deep and sincere appreciation.

Dr.Mani

It is my fond hope that by sharing this with you, I’ve helped set off another ripple. One that will spark off a fire in your heart. And encourage YOU to dream boldly – and then set out and change the world, in your own unique way.

My new book, “Think, Write & Retire” (learn more about it), was written to help create the same effect. To share the specifics, the tactics, the lessons necessary to turn words into wealth – so that you can achieve things you want to.

I didn’t time the book launch to coincide with this memorable day.

The serendipity is apt, though.

I hope you’ll buy your copy.

And live your dreams.

A few hours before watching the memorial service to my favorite singer and entertainer, Michael Jackson, I was on YouTube seeing “The Making of Live Aid for Africa” – a musical extravaganza spearheaded by Michael and Lionel Ritchie that went on to raise over $60 million dollars in 1985 for fighting hunger in a famine-ravaged Ethiopia.

In addition to reminding me what made MJ special in my heart, the lyrics of the song also set off dormant, deeply buried memories – and set off a bright flash of insight.

“There’s a choice we’re making,
We’re saving our own lives,
It’s true we make a better day,
Just you and me!”

The verse has echoed in my mind for years. For decades.

And with a little shock of surprise, I realized that it, at least in part, had been responsible for my choice of career and direction – one that has touched and healed 47 little hearts until now, and hopefully will help many more.

Yes, it’s a choice I made many years ago. And the reason I was bold enough to make it was, probably, from knowing that by making it, I was “saving my own life”!

Sound corny? Not to an idealistic eighteen year old, no. It held promise – of a brighter future, a happier one.

And guess what? That ‘possible future’ is my daily reality today!

While peers and contemporaries are getting increasingly stressed out running on an ever-speeding up treadmill and getting nowhere, comforted by little more than the regular deposits in their bank accounts, I’m finding deep joy and spiritual nourishment from “making a better day” for people in need. Children with congenital heart defects.

Words have power – to inspire dreams.

Music has power – to infuse them with energy.

I’ve always envied kindergarden teachers for their incredible potential to plant seeds in fertile young minds that, over years, will sprout, grow and bear fruit in rich multiples of what first went into them.

But now I also envy singers, musicians, artists, writers and just about anyone else who has skills, talents and desire to use words and music to create impact.

Impact that goes far beyond anything you can consciously imagine. Impact that touches every little corner of the connected humanity that is our collective consciousness. Impact that manifests in so many strange, unexpected and delightful ways.

A song, co-ordinated, planned and performed by 30 artists on a summer day in 1985, can save thousands of lives in starving Africa – and at the same time inspire a young, aspiring doctor in India to set out on a dreamy path.

“Heal the world,
Make it a better place
For you, and for me,
And the entire human race”

That is impact. That is influence. That is what makes Michael Jackson a legend!

That is what the world celebrated in a fitting tribute to the ‘King of Pop’ on Tuesday, 7th July 2009.

It’s a celebration of the impact that words, music and memories made on millions of hopeful minds – over many decades.

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At a wedding reception last week, I met many professional colleagues.
The banter was conventional, predictable, ‘doctor speak’.

Only a few knew about my online persona, and referred to it sparingly,
often with a snide smile or quiet wink twixt themselves.

Because I am different.

Unfamiliar, unusual, unlike what they are used to.

It doesn’t bother me these days. I realize that if only they knew
what I have because I dare to be different, they would give their
right arm to exchange places with me. (No, I don’t tell them – it
would be cruel!)

I get more family time in a week than most of them have in a year.

I enjoy a lifestyle that’s in no way inferior to theirs, often better.

But most important, I move toward a goal, a purpose, a mission that
lends deeper meaning to my life – instead of running ever faster on
a treadmill going nowhere… just because I’m afraid to stop and
hop off!

That is SCARY. Unnerving. Terrifying.

But so is being different.

Giving up the familiar, the secure, the comfortable – takes daring.

14 years ago, when I made my choice, I experienced fear. To abandon
the traditional physician’s career path was risky. I set ’stop loss’
triggers – but have been fortunate to fly above them.

And slowly, steadily, the passion won through – and turned a dream
into ongoing reality.

Looking back, that choice was the best decision of my life. And like
all tough choices, the hardest bit is making them.

In 1995, it was easy to dominate any niche on the Internet. Today,
it is at least one hundred times harder.

But here’s the good news.

In 2019, it will be one hundred times harder than it will in 2009.

Now is when you should decide about taking that chance. Ask yourself,

“Do I dare to be different?”

Read the PASSION manifesto. Think about your passions. See which ones
are worth going after.

Don’t do it all in a rush. Set your own ’stop-loss’ triggers. Keep
that day job – until you can afford to lose it. Work on your passion
during your spare time.

But throw off the shackles of what is ‘regular’ or ‘conventional’ or
‘accepted’ – and dare to be different.

In a new program, I’m teaching two hundred students how to open the
doors to their dream business as information entrepreneurs. It’s
about doing it “The SMILENAIRE Way” – to grow happy, contented and
rich.

No, not tomorrow or the day after, but in the fullness of time.

The first step in your journey however begins from within.

With the decision based on a simple question:

“Do I dare to be different?”

What will your answer be, I wonder. Will you share it here, please?

Often our brains are fired up by demands to “dream big”.

In principle, that’s fine. But setting limits has a place, too.

Let’s take the example of ‘making more money’. How much is good to aim for? Some will say a few hundred dollars, some a few thousand, some a few million – and all will be critiqued by a few for not “dreaming big”.

Yet, when you dig deeper into the WHY, all these answers may be perfectly correct!

If all you NEED is a few extra bucks to tide over a problem or enhance your quality of life, without sacrificing all else, then that’s your right target. You don’t need ‘bigger’.

Maybe your existing commitments mandate little time available for other things.

Personally, my online work generates money to further a purpose… to fund complex and expensive operations for poor children with congenital heart disease.

If I devote most of my time to making money, I could achieve ‘big’ targets – but unless I have time and energy to perform surgery, that does NOT further my goal.

‘Big’ is big ENOUGH. To fuel your ambition. To fire your dream. To live your purpose.

Set limits. Reach them. Push them out a bit further.

Rinse and repeat. Grow. Succeed.

And be happy as you do.

It begins by setting limits.

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This blog post has been ‘composting’ in my brain for 2 days.

During that time, there has been a mindless media frenzy about an actor named Ashton Kutcher getting one million followers on Twitter ahead of media giant CNN, which was (from what I hear) quite a contest to win.

I wondered why.

Frankly, I didn’t see any reason to cheer about anyone having more or less ‘followers’ on Twitter, given the nebulous tightness of bonds on this social network.

Mindless Media.

That’s the phrase I use to describe the @aplusk vs @cnnbrk phenomenon.

Simultaneously, though, another story was unfolding – and that stirred me to the depths of my soul. Maybe it did yours.

At the time I watched the video of Susan Boyle’s performance at “Britain’s Got Talent”, it had been viewed 6 million times on YouTube. Today, when I checked, it’s at – hold on to your hat! – over TWENTY FIVE MILLION views!

Wow.

And that’s just ONE video. There are many versions of it posted (like this one which has received another 5 million views!)

When I first watched it, my mind was in turmoil. There were just so MANY levels on which the performance moved me that it was hard to say which one mattered most – or was the most important. I hit ‘REPLAY’ three more times, and each time, a wave of strong emotion ran through me.

Predominant was that surge of sheer adrenaline that makes you want to stand up and scream at the top of your lungs:

“YES!”

It’s the primal cry, an atavistic rooting for the underdog, the irrational desire to see passion triumph over logic, the excitement that we live vicariously through seeing someone else go for that impossible dream… and win!

When the audience rose to give Susan a standing ovation, I didn’t just see a middle-aged 47-year old house-wife receiving accolades for a superlative on-stage performance.

I saw validation of the relentless persistence of a determined dreamer who dared to follow her heart.

I saw the collective cheering of humanity for someone who stared down a cynical universe, and spat in its eye.

And I saw MY FUTURE. Yours too. If you want that.

Because Susan showed me – and you – that it is NEVER ‘too late’ to shoot for the stars. When Simon asked, before she sang, about her ambition to be famous:

“Why hasn’t it worked out so far, darling?”

Susan answered:

“I’VE NEVER BEEN GIVEN THE CHANCE!”

Didn’t we ALL tell ourselves that at one time or another? And didn’t we then CHOOSE to shelve those dreams – forever?

And isn’t THIS our wake-up call?

Maybe you, like me, told yourself “But there are dreams that cannot be… And there are storms we cannot weather”

And then, perhaps, you buried that hope and desire and ambition that once burned in your soul deep inside you, brushed aside the restless spirit that rose up in stubborn rebellion from time to time, soothed the nagging voice that echoed in the silence of the night with the platitude, “Later. Yes, later.”

Sure, watching that video made me UNCOMFORTABLE. Because until now, I had an excuse. Now, I don’t. And that’s disturbing, in a sense.

“I Dreamed a Dream”, the song Susan Boyle performed at BGT, ends with the words:

“Now life has killed the dream I dreamed”

My question to you is:

ARE YOU GOING TO LET IT?

Or are you going to fight FOR it to come true?

I know my answer.

Share yours in a comment, please.

Here are the lyrics of “I Dreamed a Dream”

There was a time, when men were kind
And their voices were soft
And their words were inviting
There was a time, when love was blind
And the world was a song
And the song was exciting
There was a time it all went wrong

I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high and life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving

Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted

But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they turn your hope apart
As they turn your dreams to shame

He slept a summer by my side
He filled my dreams with endless wonder
He took my childhood in his stride
But he was gone when autumn came

And still I dream he’d come to me
That we would live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather

I had a dream my life would be
So different from the hell I’m living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed

Acqua Liana is Frank McKinney’s new mansion. At over 15,000 square feet, the $29 million masterpiece is the largest and most opulent certified green home in the world.

And on May 2nd, YOU can tour it!

All you have to do is buy THREE copies of Frank McKinney’s THREE books.

I have all of them, personally autographed by my friend, Frank. They are fascinating and inspiring reads. You WILL love them!

Frank is MY inspiration and hero.

My own model of running an infopreneur business, and using profits to fund heart surgery for poor children with congenital heart defects in India is derived from his time-tested one. And Frank is my advisor, guide and mentor in many respects.

Get his books – especially “The Tap” – and you’ll understand this better.

• The Tap
• Burst This! Frank McKinney’s Bubble-Proof Real Estate Strategies
• Dead Fred, Flying Lunchboxes, and the Good Luck Circle

Once on the specific Amazon book page, scroll down a bit to “Frequently Bought Together,” where you can buy all three with one click. Just be sure when you check out to pay that you change the number of books purchased to 3 of each, for a total of 9.

To Summarize:

1) Buy 3 of each book (9 total) at the Amazon links above between April 16 and May 2. (Do it now. Don’t wait as space in the theater is limited.)

2) Call Kimberley at 561.756.0335 with your Amazon receipt #, or forward your Amazon receipt to kimberley (at) frank-mckinney.com, or fax it to 561.588.9929.

3) Questions? Call Kimberley at 561.756.0335

Frank promises you a magnificent afternoon, one full of beauty, grandeur, entertainment, suspense and most importantly life lessons that you can implement to succeed in the business we are all in, the business of life.

And even if you don’t want to tour ‘Acqua Liana’ and meet this special person, I still urge you to buy 3 copies of each book – and give the rest as gifts to special people in your life.

If you do, I’ll even throw in a special bonus – a ‘first look’ autographed copy of my soon-to-be-published book, “Think, Write & RETIRE!“!

Of the non-profits I support, endorse and widely talk about to people, one of my favorites is the Caring House Project.

Real estate maverick entrepreneur Frank McKinney builds multi-million dollar mansions for the rich and famous – and uses some of the profits (plus donations) to build sub-$1,000 homes for the desperately poor and homeless in Haiti.

It has been my privilege to help fund a few homes through this project.

And to start off a ripple that has funded many more.

When Frank invited me to join one of his famous Haiti tours, I couldn’t fit it into my schedule, and asked a friend, Jeanette Fisher, to go instead. She went, and was so deeply moved by the experience that she became a donor herself, and also got a few more of her friends to donate to help build a house in Haiti.

Last month, in February 2009, Frank McKinney combined a triple book launch (he wrote a real estate guide, a self improvement book and a story book for children) with the inauguration of his $29 million green home, Aqua Liana, in a grand party in New York.

Once again, I couldn’t use my invitation but asked two friends, Carrie Wilkerson and Paul Evans if they would like to attend. They did – and became donors too.

But due to scheduling conflicts, they couldn’t make it to the launch party either, and so sent two other friends in their place.

By now, you’ve no doubt guessed what happens in such cases. Yes, these 2 friends became big donors for the Caring House Project.

Call it the ‘Ripple That Builds Homes’.

Why am I telling you about this?

Because you – yes, YOU – have the power to set off a ripple just like this. About anything YOU are passionate about, care deeply about, feel strongly about.

This weekend, take a few minutes or hours to think about the change you would like to see in the world, that would make it a nicer, better, happier place.

Think over the people or organizations or groups that are helping make that change happen.

Consider ways you can help that effort, and the people whom you think could make your ‘ripple’ grow and spread wider, faster, bigger.

Then – and here’s the hardest bit – FOLLOW your heart.

Know it will make a difference.

Take ACTION in casting that pebble that will set off a ripple.

Go on and do it. You could end up changing the world – TODAY!

Yeah, right!

Hold hands for world peace. Form a human chain to ban nuclear arms. Light candles to eliminate poverty.

Huh!

I used to be as cynical as the next guy about tackling massive problems with apparently meaningless gestures.

As a ‘direct action’ person, I believe in tackling issues head-on. Like building awareness about congenital heart disease, and raising funds to treat children with heart birth defects.

But then, I met an amazing lady named Gail Goodwin – and she turned my belief system upon its head!

The story of what she has achieved, and how she did it is a fascinating read – you can see it on her blog, at “Inspire Me Today“.

Yesterday, I was directed to this video by Nick Vujicic. One line from this incredibly inspiring man was:

One person I immediately thought of when I heard it was Gail Goodwin. Her thinking is big – seemingly limitless.

In 2006, together with her daughter, Gail created the ‘World’s Longest Letter’ of love and support to U.S.troops, the “Baby Come Back Home Soldier Scrolls”. The scrolls were more than 18 miles in length when they were signed by Congress at the US Capitol building in Washington, DC.

Her latest dream is to embrace the world – literally!

Why do it? Gail was touched by the story of a Marine named Jesse who requested a hug, and shared with her that inspiration is what gets him through the time in Iraq.

Gail returned to the U.S. and created InspireMeToday.com. All 2.5 million army personnel have unlimited free access to ALL powerful, energizing and inspiring interviews with her ‘luminaries’.

In her own words: “In a time where fear, doom and gloom seem to be the topic of the day, we choose to change the focus to something positive. Through opening our hearts and celebrating our global connectivity, bridges can be built between us.”

That’s what the Global Hug Tour is all about.

Together, starting in May 2009, they will fly 30,000 miles around the world, stopping at 50 cities in 45 different countries – and share 100,000 hugs!

As they do it, they will also raise awareness about many critically important global problems like poverty, education, health care, children’s and women’s needs, wildlife preservation and entrepreneurship – and try to offer meaningful solutions.

No, they don’t think the Global Hug Tour will solve the Earth’s woes.

Yes, they believe we can make a difference together.

For a $10 contribution, anyone can become a Hug Ambassador by sponsoring the delivery of a hug.

You get to choose the city and cause where your donation will make a difference.

Gail is visiting Chennai, India, to support the efforts of our Dr. Mani Children Heart Foundation. Think about it – just 100 hugs (or $1000) will save the life of a child with heart birth defects!

As a Hug Ambassador and supporter of the Global Hug Tour, YOU will make a difference.

Here’s where you can go to join the effort and sponsor a hug… click here.

In an eye-opening interview she did recently with Beth Kanter, Gail said:

“Imagine a world where we all played big, where we all contribute to the world in a bigger and more tangible way. If everyone focused on what’s right instead of what’s wrong… We want to inspire people to step forward in faith instead of fear and follow their own dream, knowing that with belief, anything is possible!”

I’m inviting you to be a part of that world.

Where YOU can play big. Where YOU can touch a life, make it better. Where YOU can live your deeper purpose.

Every day. One small step at a time.

If two regular people can follow their dream, then what’s stopping you from following yours?

You can become a Hug Ambassador.

Or you can simply hug someone today – and join the “Hug Me” game on Twitter (read the rules – it’s easy)

Whatever you want to do, do it. Because like Nick says in that video, “No Arms, No Legs, No Worries”:

“You’ve just got to keep moving in little baby steps… FORWARDS!“

Click here to sponsor a hug. Then leave a comment on this blog saying you did it.

As a child, I read Richie Rich comics. Richie was fabulously wealthy, with his personal butler, Cadbury, his robotic maid, Irona, and an endless collection of gadgets, toys and exotic presents.

The tag line of Richie Rich always fascinated me, though, because it sounded so contradictory…

It is an easy concept to identify with – because we’ve all failed at something, know how frustrating it can be, and know things would have been different if only we had succeeded.

But how can success be frustrating?!

Strange as it may sound, it is far more common than it seems.

Lately, I’ve come across many people who are widely considered “successful”, yet they manifest behavior and an attitude suggesting discontent, lack of fulfillment, frustration.

And no, it’s NOT that they want bigger success, higher profit, larger achievements.

On the contrary, they have suddenly realized that what they’ve been striving for so uni-dimensionally… just doesn’t seem quite enough!

That’s a harsh reality to wake up to suddenly, one morning.

Steven Covey explains it vividly with the example of a man who climbs a tall tree in a jungle, reaches the top, looks around – and only then realizes it’s the WRONG tree!

How to guard against this?

By having a deeper purpose to what you’re doing. A noble, worthy, sublime reason why for all that you get involved in. An over-arching mission that glues all components of your work and life together.

No, don’t make it an obsession – or it’ll be just as deadly a trap. Instead, make it your motivation, your inspiration, your energy source that you can tap into for an emotional refill from time to time.

It helps if that mission is directed outwards, at other people or the world around us, making it a better place in some way. Such selfless purpose can be selfishly rewarding – by making you feel good about yourself, by giving you higher self-esteem, by enjoying a deep soul-filling satisfaction.

But even when your purpose is more personal, limited to your close inner circle, or even just to yourself, it can still be just as effective and powerful in giving your work meaning.

You will succeed FOR a reason. And when you succeed, it will NOT feel frustrating.

Also, look at my new lens, “How To Win In 2009″ – it discusses FIVE things that will guarantee your success in the coming year!

If you’d like to discuss this, please leave a comment here, or on the guestbook at Squidoo. Oh, and if you like the lens, please rate it by clicking on the stars near the top of the page!