[quote style=”boxed”]I get into a zone where I do everything that needs to be done to bring that idea to life. I work day and night to give the idea legs, to spread its wings and to breathe life into it. And every single time, with the right focus and energy, it happens.[/quote]
Farnoosh Brock is the President and Founder of Prolific Living Inc. She left a 12-year career at a Fortune 100 technology company in 2011 to devote herself to her passion for writing, podcasting, blogging and business coaching. She creates products and services that empower you to build your inner confidence, turn your passions into profit, and consciously live as your highest self.
What are you working on right now?
So many projects. Right now I am running a 21-day Green Juicing Clinic with nearly 30 amazing participants. This is the health pillar of my business, where I advocate healthy living through green juicing and other natural approaches.
I am also working on ramping up my 6-week course for its summer offering (this is the career pillar of my business). The course is the Smart Exit Blueprint, and it helps professionals who are struggling in their current roles–especially in corporate jobs–to fully understand their lack of fulfillment and the reason behind their frustration. It also helps these professionals put together a smart exit plan and figure out what to do, outside of the corporate world, with their talents, skills and passions.
I am also writing a new book to help you decide whether or not entrepreneurship is right for you.
Where did the idea for Prolific Living come from?
The idea for Prolific Living came to me when I decided to integrate all of my old blogs under one umbrella. I wanted to define a larger brand that represented my exploration of smart habits for rich living, without limiting myself to a single niche. I also sought to give myself an edge that would define my approach and systems as very unique.
Prolific Living developed as an outlet for my healthy energy and as a way to combat my deep frustration and unhappiness with my corporate job. The blog grew and grew, and one day, I realized that I love writing and creating my own products, programs and services. I knew that to do this on a bigger level to help others live on their own terms, I first needed to radically change my life.
So I quit my lucrative, six-figure-income job (which involved working from home and enjoying a lot of perks). I changed my lifestyle and shifted all of my priorities to start my own company and turn my passions into profit. Upon evolving my blogs into a company, I kept the core name the same (now it’s Prolific Living Inc).
What does your typical day look like?
My typical day, when I am not traveling, begins with me waking up before 6:00 a.m. (generally before 5:00 a.m. and ideally at 4:30 a.m.)! I meditate, stretch and get ready for the day. I do some writing as I drink my first of many cups of Oolong tea. Then I make a green juice or green smoothie and get back to work. I work long hours right now because I am getting a lot of my programs off the ground, in addition to creating new ones.
I usually have one or two meetings per day with my clients or fabulous network of people, from whom I learn a great deal and to whom I also offer my help. I laugh a lot and I enjoy the process of building this company, even if it is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done! When I am in my heavy cardio phase, I go to spinning classes and sweat it out on the bike 5-6 times per week. I go to power yoga twice a week. I take a break to enjoy evenings with my husband before getting back to work for a few more hours at night. Generally, I may have group coaching calls, interviews or seminars at night. Afterward, I do my “go-to-bed” ritual and spend time with the Kindle or a real book before falling asleep.
I feel and see that the work I am doing every day is touching people and making a difference. Additionally it’s building my company, and that pushes me forward. Work does not “feel like work.” I finally get that expression. No two days are alike, and a lot of adventure meets this little entrepreneur, even as she tries to stay out of trouble!
How do you bring ideas to life?
That’s a great question. In fact, I have a three-part idea series that talks about first recognizing, then capturing and lastly organizing your ideas. But how you bring them to life is key. Because I have so many ideas–as do many other entrepreneurs and thinkers who are pushing themselves and staying mentally active–I have to put priority on the ones that can come to life.
I think about them and see whether the idea really lights a fire inside me. If it does, I sit on it for a few days to see if the fire is still strong. If it’s stronger than other fires, I look at my overall business model to see where the idea would fit and what results it would deliver. I weigh whether or not those results are worth focusing my time and attention on the idea–now or ever. Then I always discuss it with my husband, who shares perspectives and angles that I never would have considered. I used to get hurt when he shot down my ideas. Now I realize he is brilliant, and I want to work only on ideas that matter and make a difference to others and to my overall business.
What happens next is similar to what happens to you when you are compelled to do something, when you are driven so much that you can’t not do it. I get into a zone where I do everything that needs to be done to bring that idea to life. I work day and night to give the idea legs, to spread its wings and to breathe life into it. And every single time, with the right focus and energy, it happens.
What’s one trend that really excites you?
The trend of people moving towards natural healing practices, such as green juicing, juice fasts, green smoothies, yoga, meditation and healthy eating. Having the ability to tap into the natural awareness of our bodies is in no small part due to the massive amount of information available to us, thanks to technology. I am in love with technology and what it’s done for our world. I’m a big advocate of the advancements we need to make in this area to bring knowledge to the masses.
I also love the trend towards positive thinking and the self-empowerment that comes from understanding your thoughts and the manifestation of intentions when followed through by decisions and actions.
What was the worst job you ever had and what did you learn from it?
I was sure, for the longest time, that my worst job was working at the Bilo grocery store and having to clean the bathrooms once in a while (for a whopping $4.25 an hour). Then I went to the corporate world, where work was meaningless. That was the absolute worst job in my life. I was beyond restless to do something that counted and that wasn’t dreadfully boring or soul-sucking.
I learned that we choose our realities, including our careers, and that no one is ever “stuck” anywhere. We have choices at every juncture in our lives. I turned the frustration and anger stemming from my corporate job into energy that ultimately produced my program, The Smart Exit Blueprint, which helps professionals escape their cubicles (or other miserable jobs) and turn their passions into profit.
If you were to start again, what would you do differently?
My husband can’t stand this question because he tells me that I can’t just do one thing differently without suffering wide-spread consequences. Nonetheless, I am not one of those people who thinks, “Oh, I would not change a thing!” I would not go to electrical engineering school. I would not date losers. I would not go to graduate school. I would allow my creativity to come to life at a younger age. I would start a business sooner, travel more, worry less and never set foot in corporate America.
But my life has turned out remarkably well, and nothing takes away from the true happiness that I experience every day now. So perhaps, I should not wish to change anything after all! Who knows?
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do as well?
This is such a hard question. I think the most important thing is to be persistent and consistent. Show up every day, do the work, and really put your best effort out there. There is no faking it in this world. Sincerity is key. You become sincere when you are living your own words and wisdom, and that’s where persistency and consistency come in. Put content out there consistently. Move your projects and work forward with persistence. Don’t give up when things go wrong, and don’t expect immediate results.
What is one problem you encountered as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
Only one? Well, the biggest shift for me happened when I stopped worrying about the success of others and started working on my own success. I think at some point I crossed a line, thinking I was educating myself when really I was getting caught up in how successful others were. It overwhelmed me unnecessarily. When I made a shift, my own success started to surface. So be very careful how you let others inspire you (or overwhelm you) with their successes. When you start to feel daunted by the fact that you aren’t there yet, focusing on the success of others becomes a huge hindrance.
What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?
I have so many that I will never get to pursuing. I would love to see an effort or a movement that helps take the focus of the younger generation off of celebrities and onto self-empowerment. The media and entertainment industry brainwashes kids and distracts them from their own true power, which often leads to high instances of low self-esteem and depression. A movement, an education system or a program that helps youth build confidence and understand the truly important stuff in life would be very worthwhile!
If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be and how would you go about it?
I would want shift the belief that money is evil. By talking about money as a tool that can be used for good, I would help people understand that money is beautiful. It has done and continues to do amazing things for us. The “evil” associated with money really has to do with misguided people. Think about knives and guns; they’re not evil, but they get abused by people who don’t have good intentions. If we have good intentions and choose to use money as a tool, then the desire to become rich is going to be an extremely well-regarded goal, as it should be.
Tell us a secret.
I am older than I look because I fool everyone by having more energy than a 25-year-old and better skin than a 30-year-old. I do it all through natural, smart living: green juicing and green smoothies, and lots of invigorating yoga and meditation. I take care of myself and teach you to do the same through my books and programs. It’s much cheaper than going under the knife or buying expensive beauty products. It yields better results too.
What are your three favorite online tools or resources, and what do you love about them?
Evernote: I love having organized notes and being able to access them from all my mobile devices thanks to the cloud computing aspect.
Dropbox: This is dream file management and peace of mind when I go to bed at night. Need I say more?
Twitter: It connects me to people I want to know and to resources I need, in a way that was beyond our imagination only five years ago.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
I loved Seth Godin’s “Linchpin” and Tom Rath’s “StrengthsFinder 2.0.” They make great reads for aspiring or current self-employed superstars with a passion for making a difference in this world.
Name three people we should follow on Twitter.
I really like @LoriMoreno for amazing quotations and @TinyBuddha for wisdom on life. You should follow me, @ProlificLiving, because I am going to challenge you and make you set a higher vision for yourself.
When was the last time you laughed out loud? What caused it?
The answer to this is probably always going to be, “An hour ago, at the most.” Today I laughed at something very funny that my husband said. I laugh big belly laughs every day. It’s an expression of my true happiness and freedom that comes from doing work I love and living a life that I couldn’t even have dreamed up. I highly recommend the laughter thing!
Who is your hero?
My husband. My father. Celine Dion. And every soul who has defied the convention and ignorance of its current age to pursue the yearning of his or her heart.
Connect:
Farnoosh Brock on LinkedIn:
Farnoosh Brock on Twitter: !/prolificliving
Mario Schulzke is the Founder of ideamensch, which he started a decade ago to learn from entrepreneurs and give them a platform for their ideas.