The Awards season is here. Things kick-off with the People’s Choice on-air. Where everyday folks get to vote. For their favorite stars in music, movies and online media. Then there’s BETs celebration of Gospel. No Kanyé West sightings planned. Is 2010 the year? To act like a star near and far.

Be inspired in spirit. And get with it. How you make money? Some are funny. Others make goods or sell fragrant honey. Spotlight on the person within. What’s your main thing? Run, write or bling bling. Build, bake or brew. Takes passion and personality. For more benjamins or a breakthrough.

Turn your smarts. Into something from the heart. Do what you love. Love what you do. Let your brilliant spirit cheer up the crew. People will adore and respect you. Don’t give-up because of your past. But give-back because of your future. Some choose philanthropy. Others raise community.

What’s your sign? Time to resign? Go from being sick and tired. To paid and desired. Gotta get to the mountain top. Keep on keepin’ on. Don’t stop, just get your goals on. When the body gets weak. Remind yourself of what you seek. That the foundation is laid. The bills get paid. Life is made.

Climb the career ladder. Step up as a biz leader. Represent as a community organizer. Have a talk with self. Be reminded you’re top shelf. Sugar might not be made sweeter. But life can go a little deeper. So happy new year once and again. Hope to see you soon. Between now and then.   

Hip Tip: Who you are in spirit affects the money you make in digits.

Blog Talkback: If you could ‘wish upon a star’ in 2010, what would you like to do, own or experience that you’ve never had before?

Survivor of The Fittest is No Child’s Play!

 What’s the dumbest reality TV show ever? Farmer Wants a Wife. Where a country boy hooks-up with a city girl. Or Mr. Personality. Where woman marries man based on personality alone. How about the longest running? Here’s a hint. Survivor of the fittest is no child’s play.

Lessons in “Success 123”. Total strangers placed on team tribes. Often having to fend for themselves. For food, water and shelter. Sometimes working with fire. Given tasks known as challenges. Receiving tribal counsel peer feedback. Earning rewards, privileges and immunity.

Good for being #1 as an innovator. Or winning a million dollars on Survivor. Outwit using street and personality smarts. Outrun on the field of dreams. Outlast even as a blast from the past. Get in the game. Go from being tame. To wealth and acclaim. Wanna bet you can do the same?

It’s a matter of how you work, play and relate. Whether in business, academia, sports or entertainment. The best perform with WOW. Growing anyhow. Striving for excellence. Tasting perfection. Having fun in practice. Getting others to notice. Stepping out the mold. Reaching their gold.

First American reality show. To make it in primetime. What does reality TV say about career dreams and biz success? Maybe starts with an idea. Then to design. Going from development to delivery. Showing leadership. Infusing showmanship. Lifelong friendships. What a journey!

Hip Tip: Anyone can become a shining star. No matter who you are. Shining bright to see. What you were truly meant to be.  

Blog Talkback: If you could have all of what you need and most of what you want, what would you do to make dreams come true?

The Next Singing or Design Star Rocking Good!

 Let’s get this party started right! Quickly, right? Set it off to the left. Get-get it to the right. Hit them notes. Bring that vibe. Do you have what it takes? To be the next singing or design star? Rock the mic. Raise the roof. With funk that leaves them jamming. Not voting you off.

Why is American Idol one of the top Reality Shows? It’s got a following. Of young, old and in-betweens. Packed house auditions. Emerging talent. Rising stars. Pursuing a dream. Fanatical fans. Watching their favorite contestant. Go from unknown to “buzzalicious.” Putting on a show.

Each week they take the stage. Or creative studio. On HGTVs Design Star. Not all fun and games. Many long days. Hours of practice, dress rehearsals and public appearances. All work and all play. Makes for a great payday. Working their way to the top. Experiencing the crowning moment.

That’s where showtime meets lifestyle. To make the best life experience. Giving a taste of the success journey. Find your voice. Grab the vision. Grow as you go. Create a rhythm. Get past the blues. Own the dream. Build-up your cred. At-work Network. Put it all on the line.  

Simon’s bravado. Randy’s Dog pound. Kara’s pretty face and hot body. Ellen’s new groove. Take your pick. From these choices. The combination works wonders. A-list celebrity judges. Exhilarating performances. Aha moments. Speechless frenzy. When you’re announced as the winner.

Hip Tip: Take it to the top by catching the vision and channeling the emotions of what it takes to win.

Blog Talkback: Do you think being popular is required for winning big in life? 

Wanna Be His Apprentice or Her Lover?

 Jon and Kate plus hate! Where did the love go? Went south or sour. Jon wants to stop filming the kids. Kate wants to keep the show going and money flowing. TLC dropped his name from the show. Some say Jon got fired. Get Donald Trump on the line. Wanna be his apprentice or her lover?

The name of a new reality show. With bachelorette Kate making love connections. And Trump getting people fired. Happens everyday. On the job romance. Letterman admits. Attempts to get finance. For Ebony and Jet magazines. Drama at the big dance. Ala Housewives of ATL.

Good for TV. But not for the workplace? Yes, achieving career dreams and business success takes romance. The love for showcasing your genius. It takes finance. Plugging leaks in your budget. Taking leaps in your salary. Building relationships for keeps. Learning from the streets.

Was Jon too passive with TLC? From beginning to blow-up. The show took-off. With a build-up in appeal. A fan base and fast pace. Then came the breakdown. When all hell broke loose. Only thing left is a breakthrough. After their mid-life crisis. Like Trump announcing The Apprentice winner.

Kisses don’t lie. And are non-refundable. Only even exchanges. Living your dreams is about deeper living, deeper loving. Going to the big dance. Enjoying the good times and lucky chance. Don’t blame the fun on the sunshine, the moonlight or the ah-ah-ah-alcohol. Blame it on the boogie!

Hip Tip: Strong relationships are key to building a better mousetrap and being a valuable team player.

Blog Talkback: How do you handle the highs and lows that come with some working relationships? 

It’s a Win, Wipeout and Amazing Race!

 Pow! The 14th annual wife-carrying race is off. This time held in Finland. Countries like Australia, Japan and U.S.A. were there. It’s a 400-meter run. With your boo on your back. Hurdle to jump. Pool to wade through. Laugh your face off. ‘Cause it’s a win, a wipeout and an amazing race.

Sounds familiar, right? Well there’s the Amazing Race. A 21-day, eight-country trek. Started out in California. With 13 couples/pairs vying for a million-dollar prize. Find the clues. Survive the challenges. Fly to the next country. It takes teamwork. Street smarts. And some guts. Last team standing, wins.

Then there’s Wipeout. The Reality Show built around an obstacle course. Beat the clock. Or be beaten-down for trying. Gotta use your head. Lest you wind up dead. Timing is everything. Go too fast. Could still end up last. Go too slow. Miss the chance of competing in the next go.

These shows remind us about having a gameplan. For achieving career dreams. Strategy instead of brute force. It’s the way you execute. Before the time expires. Works better with a playful focus. No need to burn rubber. If actions are out of step with reality.

Do your best. Complain less. Test your idea. Grow your game. Arrive at a breakout moment. Go from unknown. To big around town. Kick-in the “after burners.” Like Usain Bolt. Shift the tide. Like President Obama. During the political campaign. Positive action. Moves you closer to a big win.

Hip Tip: Every public win has a private victory that brings discovery, leaves people stunned and needing recovery.

Blog Talkback: Without the help of Youtube, how do you make a name for yourself on the job or in business?

Watchout For Real Housewives Who Carry Knives!

 The Guiding Light. Shines no more. Lasted for 72 years. Started on radio. Before moving to TV. The business is changing. Soap Operas of old. Are like today’s Reality shows. Watchout for Real Housewives. Who carry knives. What do Soaps and Reality TV have in common? The star of the show.

Striking personalities. That wow and seduce. Lots of passion. The romantic variety. Guiding Light is now history. Maybe having lived out its useful purpose. What does this mean for career dreams? Start somewhere. First there was Housewives of Orange County. Then NY, NJ, and ATL.

Society has evolved. Housewives not stuck in the kitchen. They have six-figure salaries. And hourglass-figure bodies. The marketplace changed too. Professionals included. Some holding 5-10 different jobs. In 3-5 different career tracks. Over a lifetime. Making a living. Living their best life. 

Find a career fit. For your personality style. Like the Real Housewives of ATL. Checkout the personality quiz. That matches you with a housewife. Make passion come alive. Lisa and Shereé into fashion. Kandi’s a singing star. Kim trying to find her voice. Nene’s hot sweet and sour sauce.

Live-out your life’s purpose. It’s how you’ll be remembered and rewarded. Watchout for the haters. Not always out to get you. But just like housewives. Some still carry knives. Will cut you up. Stab you in the back. Without drawing blood. Might come close though. To killing your dreams.

Hip Tip: Successful people use the fire of passion, plus the strength of personality to serve with purpose and live-out their dreams.

Blog Talkback: How do you stay positive or relaxed when things around you say otherwise?

Think You Can Dance Your A$$ets Off?

 Dancing with the stars. So you think you can dance your a$$ets off? Get your groove on. Like it’s 2009. What’s the #1 dance reality show? Says a lot about shake, rattle and roll. But more about career dreams. Even “boom boom” rhythm and soul. Since most ambitions. Start out as an audition.

An interview for some. Demo or pitch. Sell your sizzle. Flash your shine. On the dance floor. Or door to door. Develop an idea. Create a new dance. Package a promo. You get 60 seconds of fame. Or one go. To state your name. And Strut your game. Get down. Boogie Oogie Oogie.

Then it’s reviewed. By the judges and decision makers. Going into production. Picked for the top spots. Hired for the job. Performing each week. Fast on the feet. Growing in confidence. Applying new competence. People want more. So they vote their favorite back.

After a while there is big news. Money from endorsements. Deals for personal appearances. Pay raises from profit-sharing. Corner office move. Market value has grown. From seed to mass appeal. The covers of magazines. Talk show circuit. Photo shoots and celebrity scenes.

How’d they do it? Create something from nothing. Produce the goods. With your passion for fashion. Gift for gab. Knowledge of Business. Groove-ability! Spread your wings. Moonwalk the entire dance floor. Just showcase your skills. Circulate the thrills. And cause others to experience the chills.

Hip Tip: You can dance your way to the top. If you’re willing to bring your A-game and bust your A$$ets.

Blog Talkback: How does your favorite dance, dancer or entertainer inspire career dreams? 

The Biggest Loser is The Biggest Winner!

 Reality TV gone global. Can’t you see the promo. “First Grease Lightening. Now Bolt Lightening!” That’s what could happen. For the world’s fastest man Usain Bolt. The new Superman of Track & Field. Hold that thought. Now, back to reality. Where the biggest loser is the biggest winner.

One of the contestants is a firefighter. Another a former athlete and aspiring musician. Both have concerns about seeing their kids grow-up. But the firefighter is worried about keeping his job. If he can’t pass the upcoming physical. Too heavy for peers to lift. If injured fighting a fire.

All hoping to lose the most pounds. Improve their health. Even win the ultimate prize. What’s so fascinating about this show? Well, you get put on a diet. Of exercise. Counting calories. Managing food intake. Important ingredients for regaining self-control. And losing the fat rolls.

Then there’s the “D-factor.” Discipline is an ugly word. If you’re not an athlete. But Biggest Loser isn’t ashamed. Knowing when to turn down the sweets. And turn up the heat. No pain, no gain. Every push-up on the mat. Or drop of sweat. Moves you closer to reaching the next goal.

It’s a matter of personal discovery. Tapping your limits. Finding hidden talents and inner strengths. Like Whitney Houston. Whose comeback reminds us. What career dreams are about. Changing your diet. Of friends or focus. Discipline and discovery don’t kill. Just make you stronger.

Hip Tip: A winner makes small losses become bigger gains and adds new habits to reach higher acclaim. 

Blog Talkback: What does The Biggest Loser say about becoming the biggest winner?

 Jay-Z is da man! He’s retired from the game. But keeps them guessing. After 10 or so albums. He now sits in the big chair. As a Record Exec. Not since LA Reid, has there been so much expected. From an artist turned businessman. Jay knows about hits. And turning lemons into lemonade.

Started out in the ‘hood. With a mother he credits for his success. She would tell him to work hard. At whatever he wanted. Jay spent a lot of time writing. His thoughts then turned into beats. He would write so much. His lyrics became memorized. Before being televised. Jay worked his gift.

All them songs? Came from his experiences. Selling what he didn’t use. Living lower than his standard. This created some conflicts. He would turn his hunger. Into something that became his hustle.  Jumpstart some songs. Drop hooks into his records. These were really channeled emotions.

Beyonce knows Jay is the real deal. He shows cool. In sunglasses. Or with a drink in the shade. Even if angry at the copycats and wanna be’s. He knows how to shake the beefs. Between rival rappers. Cool and refreshing to the last drop. Just like lemonade. That goes from squeeze to freeze.

Not every success means millions. Or every million shows success. Jay’s success is in a body of work. Arthur Ashe said “You make a living with what you get. You make a life with what you give.” Successful people work their gifts. Channel their emotions. Are cool about it. Giving all they’ve got.

Hip Tip: Successful people turn their inside out and their outside in to squeeze the most juice out of life.

Blog Talkback: If you could buy success, do you think you would want it?