114 Living Their Passion – The Baker Twins

Donald and Ronald Baker talks about pursuing passionate work and making a living doing what they love.

A recent study conducted by Trade Schools, Colleges and Universities report that close to 80% of adults do not end up following through on the career paths they dreamed of during childhood.  And the remaining 20% of people who do pursue childhood imaginations are overwhelmingly happy and consider themselves to be successful.

Donald and Ronald Baker fall into that 20% category.  Ronald and Donald Baker are twins who were adopted at birth and both are world renowned photojournalists in the Washington, D.C. area.  They have photographed such greats as Muhammad Ali, Nelson Mandela, exclusive photographers of the Jackson 5, President Barack Obama, Stevie Wonder, Alex Haley and too many to name.  They have also captured historical events such as the Million Man March and several Presidential Inaugurations just to name a few.

The Baker twins talk about how they got their start and the creative ideas they utilized to become living legends in the world of photojournalism.

088 Having A Hobby Can Add Life to Your Years

HobbiesRon Pemberton, Demetria “Dina” Elosiebo, Wendy Bridges, and Ebony Andrews talk about the importance of having hobbies, how their hobbies have changed their lives and the lives of others.

As we all look for ways to live a life of happiness and purpose, quitting our jobs to pursue our passion is never an easy option.  However, if you include a hobby or two in your daily life, it can positively impact your self-esteem, reduce stress, make you happy, you become more attractive and people will gravitate towards you because you have something to talk about.

During the first half of the show, Ron Pemberton talks about how his love for antique automobiles, led to the founding of the Unity Thunder Car Club, which has grown significantly in the twelve years of its founding.  The club has celebrity members, they give to the needy, and not to mention some really nice antique cars for everyone to enjoy during their annual car show.

This year, the Unity Thunder Car Club honored Demetria “Dina” Elosiebo, the first African American female pilot for the D.C. National Guard.  Dina is not just any pilot, but she piloted the Black Hawk Helicopter.  Dina shared her amazing journey about wanting to fly since the age of 6 and how her parents nurtured her along the way to keep her dream alive and hold her accountable in the process.

During the 2nd half of the show, Wendy Bridges, talked about  entering her first beauty pageant after retirement and winning the title of Ms. Senior District of Columbia 2015, which is for women 60 years of age and older.    Ebony Andrews is a public health professional with a background in health education and communication.  Ebony won the title of Miss Black US Ambassador 2015 and plans to use her platform to help young girls realize their greatness and act on their power.

All guests shared incredible words of wisdom about the importance of living a life full of passionate pursuits and that it is never too late to live a purposeful life; even after retirement.

043 How I Left Corporate to Pursue My Passion

043 Richard Bernabe_HeadRichard Bernabe, an internationally renowned wildlife, landscape, travel photographer, and author talks about why and how he left a comfortable corporate job, six-figure income, company car, and lucrative benefits to pursue his passion.

Lost passion for work, not using his skills, not feeling challenged, and dread waking up to go to work each morning were critical signs that it was time for Richard to quit his job and pursue his passion.

Loss of security and fear of the unknown were the primary strongholds that kept him at corporate for so long.  A famous quote by Henry D. Thoreau was the secret weapon that set him free. “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.”  Richard did not want to live a life of quiet desperation so he decided to take a chance at being happy over suffering quietly just to keep receiving that precious paycheck.

Statistics from a worldwide Gallup poll:  13% of workers really like their jobs.  63% are merely existing. The remaining 24% actually hate their jobs.  Combining the last two percentages equates to a whopping 87% of workers worldwide who are emotionally disconnected from their workplaces and less likely to be productive.

Richard prefers not to give specific advice about how people should take that leap of faith.  However, he challenges everyone to answer this very important question:  “What are you going to sacrifice to make it happen?”  Aside from risking your health, family, or self-respect; although you may not have to, you must be prepared to sacrifice everything else.  If not, then don’t waste your time pursuing your passion as a primary source of income.

Listen to the podcast to hear what Richard has to say about:

  • The cumulative effect of living a life of quiet desperation.
  • Sacrifices you may have to make before taking that leap of faith.
  • Where to focus your attention to uncover your passion(s) if you are unsure of what you’re passionate about.
  • How, as adults, we have lost our ability to dream big dreams like children do and why we gave up on our dreams without much of a fight.
  • How long it took for his venture to become profitable.

Website:

Take a moment to view Richard’s amazing work.  Can you believe that he is self-taught?!

http://www.richardbernabe.com/#!/index

Quotes:

“The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation”  Henry D. Thoreau

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking, and don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it”  Steve Jobs

“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go”  T.S. Eliot

“It may hit you that you might be leaving yearly bonuses, stock options, and other corporate perks on the table when you leave. Get over it. The one who dies with the most toys doesn’t win. The one who lives life to the fullest wins”  Unknown

“Too many people worry about getting it perfect and never end up executing. You don’t have to get it perfect.  Just get it going” Unknown

“Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress; working hard for something we love is call passion”  Simon Sinek

Closing Remarks:

More than 87% of people continue to wake up in the morning and go to bed at night thinking that their day job is the only key to securing their present and future. Luckily, Richard Bernabe has managed to prove that that way of thinking is based on a lie.

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Have an Inspirational Story?:

If you or someone you know have an inspirational story, send me an email at pat@patriciaterrell.com

Thank you for taking the time to visit!

Thank you Richard Bernabe for a fabulous interview!

God Bless!

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011 Using Their Artistic Gifts To Change Lives

This episode is about two amazingly artistic ladies who are living their dreams and helping others live theirs too.

Learn how Jackie Hicks’ gift as a Portrait Artist was discovered by a One-Hour Photo Technician and how Letitia Thornhill, Makeup Artist to the Stars, overcame religious barriers and the challenges of being a single mom to make her dream come true.

When this dynamic duo unites, they create timeless masterpieces that will literally knock you off your feet!