Update: The winners for this giveaway have already been chosen. Subscribe to Tiny Buddha for free daily or weekly emails and to learn about future giveaways!
Also, Steve’s team has informed me that you can download the digital version of Journey to You for free by subscribing for his newsletter! You can access that here.
The winners:
Have you ever felt like there’s one thing you were born to do, and you’re not doing it?
This isn’t actually something I’ve thought, because I don’t believe in fate.
For this reason, I felt a little reluctant when I recently received an email about Steve Olsher’s bestselling book, Journey to You: A Step by Step Guide to Becoming Who You Were Born to Be.
Still, a part of me was intrigued. Even though I don’t personally subscribe to the idea that I was born to do one specific thing, I believe there are certain paths that will provide a far greater sense of purpose and fulfillment than others.
I also believe it can be difficult to identify those paths when we’re out of touch with ourselves, divorced from our instincts, confused about our priorities, and overwhelmed by obstacles.
I read Journey to You with an open mind, eager to glean insights about living a meaningful, passionate life.
There were some parts of the book I connected with more than others, but on the whole, I found it to be a highly instructive guide for anyone who is looking to reinvent themselves. Whether you believe in destiny or not, you will likely find some useful tips and tools to help you create a life that gets you excited.
The Giveaway
To enter to win 1 of 2 free copies of Journey to You: A Step by Step Guide to Becoming Who You Were Born to Be:
1. Leave a comment below.
2. Tweet: RT @tinybuddha GIVEAWAY and Interview: Journey to You http://bit.ly/yy4YlX
If you don’t have a Twitter account, you can still enter by completing the first step. You can enter until midnight PST on Friday, January 27th.
The Interview
1. What inspired you to write Journey to You?
I wrote Journey to You because of an experience I had with my step-father a number of years ago. He was on his death bed, very sick. The illness that had consumed his body for years had finally taken over and he was in the last days of his life. As I held his hand, I had a vision of my funeral.
Though he could no longer verbally communicate, I believe he was able to connect with me through that physical connection and was showing me my inevitable fate. I could hear the words being spoken graveside: “Here lies Steve Olsher. He dedicated his life to chasing the almighty dollar.” That’s all that was said.
It hit me really hard because I’ve always felt like I was meant and made to do something extraordinary, but just couldn’t quite identify what it was. It was certainly clear to my step-father I was heading down the wrong path.
I faced what I call a YaNo (pronounced YAY-NO) moment. I could choose to go in one of two directions: Either farther away from attaining congruence with who I inherently am; or, down the path that would allow me to honor my inherent blueprint and make a difference in the world not just on those who share this lifetime with me, but also on those of lifetimes to come.
I chose the latter and began putting pen to paper to share the tips, tools, strategies and shortcuts that had worked well for me in my life with others.
2. Much of your book is about unlocking the greatness within. Do you believe there is a connection between achievement and greatness or can one be great without pursuing professional success?
I do not believe the two are mutually exclusive. It is absolutely possible to achieve a high-degree of success while making an extraordinary income doing what it is you’re compelled to do. That said, it does not have to be that way. In other words, you don’t have to necessarily realize what many would define as “greatness” whereby notoriety and professional “success” is achieved in order to have an inordinate impact on our world.
Mother Teresa is a phenomenal example of this. She absolutely provided comfort, care, and healing to those in need, but was she financially and professionally successful? Certainly not by the common definition. However, I do believe that, from purely a professional standpoint in terms of representing her profession, she was extraordinarily successful.
Again, you should be paid extraordinarily well for whatever it is you do better and/or uniquely different than anyone else and if money is not your bag, then give it away. But let’s be real—we all have financial obligations. Money is a necessity. And, if you can get by with minimal needs and don’t care for the excess cash, then great—support or start your own charity and help those in need.
3. You outline a process to help people discover their WHAT—the one vocation we are compelled to pursue. Do you believe that everyone has just one vocation? Or, are there many possibilities that will lead to professional fulfillment?
I do believe there is just one thing we are each absolutely compelled to do. Now, don’t get me wrong. Your skill can be applied in myriad ways. For instance, you could be a phenomenal communicator, therefore sometimes you’re a writer and other times you’re a speaker. Or, maybe your gift is music and you play as well as compose.
It’s possible that not only do you play and compose, but you might also teach. After all, teaching leads to being a better player and composer, and also helps generate consistent income. It is certainly not necessary to be stuck within one element of the profession.
And, as you grow, you’ll realize there are other options that complement what it is you’re compelled to do. The important thing is that it all stays within the general framework of the one area of your life that really makes your soul sing.
So, sure, there are multiple opportunities to develop professional fulfillment; however, your life and your love for it is going to revolve around one specific area that specifically reflects your WHAT.
4. You are known as America’s Reinvention Expert. In your experience what have you found are the main reasons people want to reinvent themselves?
People typically seek to reinvent their lives, number one, as a result of circumstance. Either they are fired, divorced, dissatisfied with their life, realize it’s not what they bargained for, etc.
Number two, many wake up one morning and say, “There’s got to be something more to this life.” They finally hit the wall and know they want to have a more powerful impact on this world, get paid well for what they’re good at, and may not know exactly what that is or, if they do, are unclear how to bring their gifts to fruition.
It is often about a shift in perspective. Something happens in their life that dramatically alters their state of mind and they choose to move in a different direction.
5. In this time of economic uncertainty, many people are struggling just to make ends meet. Do you believe anyone can reinvent themselves from right where they stand or do we need to create a sense of financial stability before we can change careers?
Fact is, we all have mouths to feed and bills to pay. I’m not one of those people that’s going to sit there and tell you to “Do what you love and the money will follow.” That couldn’t be further from the truth.
Run away as fast and as far as you can from someone preaching that message, because immediately pursuing your passion without having the financial wherewithal to carry you only leads to your situation becoming dramatically worse. This is not what we want.
Bottom line, don’t quit your day job. You must be willing to enter the transition. The transition involves being clear as to where you are now, where you’re headed, and begin to take baby steps to get there.
Think of the transition as a recipe mixture. Right now, 100% of your income is derived from what it is that you don’t want to do and 0% of your income is derived from what you do. Once you take that first step, the recipe mixture starts to shift. So maybe now, its 99.99 parts what you don’t want to do and .01 parts what you do.
As income is derived from what it is that really stirs your soul, you begin to recognize when you can make the full-on shift. For some, it’s when they’re able to generate 50% of their typical income; for others, maybe it’s 60, 70, or 80%; and, still others won’t be able to make the complete transition until they’re at 100% of their typical income being derived from what it is they’re compelled to do.
You can try to deny it, but everyone needs financial stability and patience. If you choose to be a brain surgeon, this may mean you’re in a state of transition for 16 years.
6. Journey To You was honored by USA Book News as the Best Self-Help Book of the Year. Why do you think the book has been so well-received?
I think the book has been so well-received because it provides a no-holds-barred, cut-to-the-chase, non-flowery approach to creating a life you can be proud of and teaches you specifically how to do it. Too many books out there speak in theoretical terms. Life doesn’t happen in theory. It happens right here and right now.
Specific steps are required to reach your destination. Few other books provide a step-by-step guide for identifying specifically what it is you’re compelled to do andhow to bring it to fruition. Journey To You provides the reader with poignant, proprietary exercises that helps them discover their WHAT, create a plan of action for making it happen, and doesn’t insult the reader with flowery, woo-hoo prose. I believe this is why the book resonates so well.
7. What is the main message you hope readers take from the book?
The main message I hope readers take from the book is that life is organic and constantly evolving. The destination is the road and the journey is the destination. In other words, you are exactly where you’re supposed to be.
Life starts over right now, right now and right now. It literally starts over every single second of every single day. You can choose to hang onto what’s behind you and drag it kicking and screaming into the present, or choose to move towards what’s in front of you. The key is to move in the direction of specific goals and objectives. Everything behind you is irrelevant and has no bearing or place in your life right now.
Wayne Dyer said it best: “Everything that happens in life, no matter how painful, eventually leads us to a place of higher value.” My hope is that Journey to You is far from painful and leads the reader to a place of higher value.
Thank you so much for your time and your attention.
Learn more about Steve Olsher, “America’s Reinvention Expert” at SteveOlsher.com.
FTC Disclosure: I receive complimentary books for reviews and interviews on tinybuddha.com, but I am not compensated for writing or obligated to write anything specific. I am an Amazon affiliate, meaning I earn a percentage of all books purchased through the links I provide on this site.
About Lori Deschene
Lori Deschene is the founder of Tiny Buddha. She started the site after struggling with depression, bulimia, c-PTSD, and toxic shame so she could recycle her former pain into something useful and inspire others to do the same. You can find her books, including Tiny Buddha’s Gratitude Journal and Tiny Buddha’s Worry Journal, here and learn more about her eCourse, Recreate Your Life Story, if you’re ready to transform your life and become the person you want to be.
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Though I run this site, it is not mine. It's ours. It's not about me. It's about us. Your stories and your wisdom are just as meaningful as mine. 
As a 44 year old still struggling with what I should be doing with my life, this book sounds like the answer for me. I would love to win. Thanks for having the giveaway!
This book sounds interesting! I love to paint but for many years did not take it seriously at all, telling myself “You’re not an artist,” because it’s not how I make my loving. Now, at almost 48, I paint several times a week & have given myself permission to fully pursue this passion. Wish I had listened to my intuition about this years ago!
I’m pretty sure this book is for me. I’m tired of being under everyone’s thumb, and I want to be who I am.
WOW! This sounds like a book full of practical advice, which is refreshing. I’ve read too many books that essentially promote “magical thinking” to achieve your goals. I’m in the midst of the biggest transition of my life, and I’m not sure how to best handle it.
I need to read this book. Working on living a life I can be proud of and it’s not easy.
This book sounds awesome! Would love to add it to my reading list 🙂
very inspiring article – thank you for sharing!!
Would love to receive a copy of this book. Lots of changes imposed on my life this past month; perhaps this is the perfect time to reflect on my path.
After surviving cancer, I vowed that I would only do what I was meant to do & would serve a higher purpose — I would love to read this.
Sounds like just what I’ve been looking for:). Having to go back to work after a recent divorce, I have absolutely no idea ‘what I want to be when I grow up’.
I am one of those people who woke up one morning and said “There’s got to be something more to this life.” I am in the process of changing pathways but sometimes is easy to fall in the rut and hard to get out of it. I need to motivate myself and I believe that this book “Journey to you” might be the gasoline I need to get my engine going.
My mantra this year is taken from a book on my shelf. “Take the Step – The Bridge will Be There”. So much harder than you’d think, and learning to let go of fear means learning to not let the ruts in your mind that are already entrenched be your guide anymore.
Sounds exactly like something I could use after my personal crisis. 🙂 I will put it on my ”must read” list, thank you!
I have recently found a church I love and now I want to work on finding a job I love. Perhaps Mr.Olsher can show me the way.
Lori, I love getting your email. Keep up the good writing!
Sounds amazing. Please enter me.
Fear can take over our lives…and create a life long depression…I have seen this…Thank you for this on fear…was an excellent read.
This sounds like a fascinating book. Thank you for doing the giveaway.
While wading through the waters of career transition and trying to determine what role I could “fit” myself into, I surprisingly discovered that what I actually needed was to reconnect with my authentic self first, remember who that was and give myself permission to move forward in a way that honoured that. For me it’s been a journey BACK to me. I’d appreciate the opportunity to read how Steve Olsher’s perspective compares.
Nice!!
I am feeling a HUGE need for reinvention– PLEASE send me a free copy of this book!
Seems like everyone ideally would love to find their true calling and passion…
It sounds promising! Hope his book does as well as it can and helps as many people as it can.
I’m in the middle of a big transformation! This book would be very helpful. 🙂
I *think* I know what I want. I currently work in medical diagnostics. I believe in that if we continue to look for disease, we will surely find it. Instead of helping people find cancer through diagnositic, I want to help people find health- mind, body and spirit. I need a guide for this journey!
I would love to read this!
To live without passion is to live without happiness. How do I find what I’m most passionate about?
Extremely insightful interview and information. I love the term “reinvention” as it has such a positive connotation in my life and my passions. One of them is Shodo (Japanese calligraphy). There are precise steps to this art. Place your awareness on the very first bristle of the brush, move the brush with your qi and keep it moving until completed. Once you are done, you have to live with what you created.
Until the next sheet of rice paper. . . .where you get to reinvent your work and yourself.
I have needed this for a long time. Can’t wait to peel back the cover!
It looks like a great book!
This book sounds like just what I need right now. I am in a period of transition. I am set to get my Master’s in Counseling in May and I am trying to start my own business as a health and wellness life coach. I know I’d rather coach than counsel but am not totally confident in my skills as a coach and or what the difference is. I have always been attracted to writing and want to write a book as well but never know if that is because people have said I should be a writer or if it’s because I really want to do it. I am having trouble narrowing down the focus of my business, will it be spiritual wellness, physical well being with recipes and recommendations on how to eat right, or a focus on fun and enjoying your way into well being? I don’t necessarily believe that everyone has only one thing they are called to do but I’d sure like to narrow down my decision and know if I am headed in the right direction.
Lovely book! I will put it on my to-read-list! It’s just nice to read books that let you get in touch with yourself, ’cause all the things in life try to guide us to it, but we sometimes choose different paths.
The greatest thing I’v ever read was: we do not change, we only become the perfection of who we are supposed to be! I agree!
Thx for the tip!
Looking forward to reading
Journey to You: A Step by Step Guide to Becoming Who You Were Born to Be: by Steve Oshler … I’ve been on the path and recently lost my passion! Where is it???
Sounds like a good read for new paths!
Recently suspended from school for a semester because of mistakes the school made, not my own, I sit at home now wondering whether school was really the best choice for me in the first place. Maybe there is something better out there for me? I already do have some post secondary education that would help, I just don’t know what to do with it… what I want to be. This book sounds like it would be that perfect foundation to help me along!
Thanks so much for all your gracious giveaways.
As a 34 year old wife & mother of 3 I have always felt that no matter how much I do its never enough for myself. I’ve always felt this inner energy inside that I have needed to be put towards something more than just my daily duties as a wife & mother. Still searching for what it is.
I’d like to start over. Yes. Even at 59. It’s not that I hate my life, just interested to see what else could happen.
Take your time deciding!! I jumped in too soon after my divorce and got stuck for 10 years!
Sounds interesting!
I would love to read this book. There are lots of changes going on in my life and it would be nice to have some more tools to guide myself through them toward something better.
Like most people who have posted here, I too, am searching for how to be my best self (and who that might be). Thank you for the generous opportunity to win this book!
Thanks Lori and Steve for the lovely interview! I needed to hear this right now!
I gotta read this book!!!
(No sweat, Mr. Olsher – if I don’t get the giveaway, I’m gonna buy it anyway!)
@beachyaya – how crazy awesome are you!? 🙂
I like that you mention theory is not always so easy to apply on a daily basis, and that you present the idea of following a particular puropse in life as being all-encompassing of the many different elements that contribute to the balance of life.
Want ( translate NEED) to change my life. Am getting healthy now and the next step is to figure out what I can do with the rest of my life that will provide happiness and fulfillment.
Another great post – thank you!
This would be a perfect book for many a person I know, especially my son who is facing several major life transitions. Good stuff!!!
I am the daughter of a truck driver and my mother a seamstress. i was the second person in my family to go to university, of brothers,sisters, uncles…as far as i can remember. my daughter was the first. i entered university at 49. i am now 55 and doing my 3rd degree….afraid of holding down a job. not knowing which direction to take. where to from here. can this book guide my i am wondering.
Wow! Yet again, Tiny Buddha brings along a message just when I need it. As a stay at home mom, I daydream of heading into a career I love when the kids all head to school. But the vision is blurry. I’m not sure what I want to do. And if it is going to take the effort needed to balance working and family, I want to enjoy it.