TOP 1%er INTERVIEW SERIES
The goal of the “Top 1%er” interview series is to break down the qualities of people who excel and to show that you can be successful and achieve personal greatness from any starting point in your life. The interview series looks at people from all different careers and industries. Some names will be familiar and others may not. The purpose is to understand and borrow from the “best practices” of winners to develop a roadmap to your TOP 1%. We will share a new story each month.
This week’s guest is Gabrielle Bernstein. Gabrielle is a best-selling author and motivational speaker. She just released her second book, Spirit Junkie: A Radical Road to Self-Love and Miracles. The New York Times Sunday Styles section called Gabby “a new role-model.” She has great energy and is on a mission to bring more happiness into the world.
Alissa Finerman: What’s the most important strength you possess that allows you to be successful in your role?
Gabrielle Bernstein: My greatest strength is self-love. I’ve spent the past six years growing a really awesome relationship with myself. I have learned to forgive myself, honor myself, and love myself unconditionally. This self-love bleeds through everything I do. When you love and respect yourself the world loves and respects you back.
AF: What inspired you to start on your current path?
GB: My own personal transformation is what inspired me to teach. I have worked hard to shift my perceptions from fear to love and therefore know how to access true happiness. Undergoing this miraculous shift became the catalyst for me to teach what I had learned.
In addition, I believe that to teach is to learn. The more I teach others how to embrace happiness the more happy I become.
AF: How do you define success?
GB: I believe success is an inside job. When we take the necessary steps to clear the blocks within, we reconnect to our true source of strength and power. Accessing this power is success!
AF: What motivates you on a daily basis to keep going?
GB: What motivates me most are the people in my community. Whether it’s women on my site herfuture.com (a social network for women to find mentors and be mentors) or people commenting on my vlog www.gabbyb.tv. These people who are served by the work motivate me to create more content daily. I see myself and my experiences in all of these people. Through their stories I am reminded of where I came from and I reconnect to where I’m going.
AF: What role do goals play in your life? Tell us a few words about your goal setting process?
GB: I believe in setting goals and then turning them over to the Universe for guidance. I’ve come to realize that the Universe has a much better plan than I do. I can set positive intentions for desired outcomes but I must always release them to the care of the Universe. Today, I understand that if I stay on a path of service and a commitment to love, then everything I desire will come into form but not always the exact way I planned it.
AF: What’s the toughest challenge(s) you successfully overcame?
GB: My greatest challenge was overcoming love addiction. I spent twenty-nine years severely codependent and living in fear that without a romantic partner I was incomplete. Because I was wiling to face these fears head on and experience all the pain that came with them I was able to recover. Releasing this addiction is my greatest accomplishment in life.
AF: What are some of your most meaningful accomplishments?
GB: Some of my greatest accomplishments are that I’ve overcome my addictions to drugs, food, love and work. Professionally, I am very proud of writing two books Add More ~ing to your Life, A Hip Guide to Happiness and my most recent book Spirit Junkie, A Radical Road to Self-Love and Miracles.
I am also extremely proud of my social networking site HerFuture.com, which has over 11,000 members!
AF: What do the top performers do differently to excel?
GB: I believe anyone who is living and performing at their highest capacity is connected to their authentic truth. True power is energetic freedom. When your energy flows freely you’re able to move mountains.
To learn more about Gabrielle Bernstein, please visit Gabbyb.tv. And check out her newest book, Spirit Junkie.
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The “Top 1%er” interview series is presented by Alissa Finerman, a Professional Life Coach, motivational speaker, and author of the book, “Living in Your Top 1%: Nine Essential Rituals to Achieve Your Ultimate Life Goals” which is available on Amazon.com. She has an MBA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and a BA from the University of California, Berkeley. To learn more please visit, AlissaFinerman.com and Facebook.com/AlissaFinermantop1.com.
Nancy says
Oh Sister you are singing my song. Clearing out the emationol rubbish is the big first step. I am convinced that Great things happen when we find our way to happiness alone. The amazing thing is what you find along the way. Instead of putting focus on being alone, I have been trying things that I have always wanted to. In just one amazing weekend, I found out I could paint. I always wanted to try but never acted on it. With my little starter set of acrylic paints, I found out that I am quite talented and have amazed my self and lots of other people with my first to paintings. It is an utter joy to find this out about me and I will be having fun for the rest of my life with this new found gift. Thanks so much for your insight and humor! You have it right!!!!