Shake Off the Grind with Joe Wilner

I call him the inspirational expert because life coach, speaker, and writer Joe Wilner blogs to inspire others. You know, kind of like what I strive to do here. I became enamored with his writing first from Psych Central where he writes Adventures in Positive Psychology. And then fell in love with his personal development blog Shake Off the Grind.

Because his writing hits so close to home for me, I wanted to bring him over to The Inspiring Bee. I knew that his ability to empower others to find meaning in their lives was a gift. And I wanted to share that gift with you.

In this Q&A, Wilner chats about his blog and about following your dreams. Read it and be inspired!

What do you think is the number 1 thing that holds people back from following their dreams?

I think a general fear of failure is the main factor. This may stem from believing that our dreams can’t become a reality, or that real talent is something we’re born with instead of something we practice and develop through hard work. I also believe that somewhere along the way people are told they aren’t good enough and this can really have an impact on their confidence and willingness to even try.

What can they do to remedy that?
In order to push past our self-imposed limits we can learn to take calculated risks and start to do things that initially caused us fear. Little by little we can start taking bigger steps, and we can actually start to enjoy taking risks. It becomes a way to engage in life.

We can begin to examine our belief system and what core beliefs we hold about ourselves and the world, and how these are impacting us is crucial. At some point or another we will all need to challenge our assumptions and reposition certain beliefs in order to free ourselves from limits that have been imposed upon us from our environment and past mistakes.

What may surprise people about being successful and achieving their dreams?

In my opinion, uncovering what success really means to someone can offer surprising insights. You might find out that what you truly value and desire isn’t what you expected. It can be sort of staggering at first to really grab a hold of our life’s mission and purpose, and people need to recognize the amount of effort and self-discovering this can take. Becoming in touch with our purpose and meaning is a process, but a very worthwhile one.

Who/what do you find inspiring?

I find it inspiring when people are doing what they love and living life to the fullest. I really admire people who can fearlessly approach life and follow their passions. I also find great inspiration from people who are truly happy. I think we can all find greater happiness and learn to live with passion. I strive to do this in my life and love when I see this happening for others. It offers me encouragement that I can do the same.

What helped you in your life find your purpose? What obstacles did you have to overcome to get where you are today?

There was a time when I was very insecure and uncomfortable with who I was and where my life was headed. I was settling for less even though I had big dreams. I didn’t think my dreams could be a reality. Little by little though, through much soul searching and the help of extraordinary people, I learned that there is always more possible then we first realize. It just takes continual growth and a willingness to push past our limits.

I really had to explore my personal beliefs and start developing a mission, vision, and values statement. I needed to discover where I wanted to go and how I was going to get there. I feel I’m on this track, at least for now. ?

How did you come up with Shake Off the Grind? Can you tell us a little bit about you and your website?

Shake Off the Grind was started initially to focus on professional development and to help people uncover their calling or dream vocation. It still incorporates this theme, but has adapted to focus more on pushing past self-imposed limits and developing the courage and faith to live a life of purpose and meaning. I write about what I find inspiring in my life and try to share this with others to offer inspiration and empowerment. I really want to help people realize they can do more than they believe, and really work to uncover their potential. SOTG is a place to find continued support, encouragement, and inspiration to stay resilient and focused on living the life you desire.

Didn’t I tell you he was inspiring? Thanks to Joe Wilner for offering up his wisdom and insight to help inspire others to live a meaningful and purpose-filled life. The life they were meant to live.