Motivational Speaker, Author and TV show host, Edward W. Smith, who specializes in quick tips on how to move your life ahead even faster, offers this advice on how to find out what you love to do

This is the "manila envelope" technique. Obtain a manila envelope, notepad and pen and carry it with you throughout the day. Each time you see something that interests you, find a way to save it in the envelope. Rip things out of publications, print things off the web, make notes on your pad, whatever, but preserve the thought in some way and put it in the manila envelope. Don't edit or censor your thoughts, if it interests you, put it in the folder. Nothing is too silly or out of bounds in any way. At the end of the day, save the manila envelope and start a new one for the next day.

Do the "manila envelope" exercise each day for 10 days straight. At the end of the 10 days empty all the envelopes and begin to sort the contents by a pattern, or something that lies beneath the specific thing that triggered the attraction to it. Some things were just random ideas, but you will find a pattern of things in others that stayed with you over the 10 days. These ideas that stayed with you over time is where you should concentrate your efforts to find what you truly want to do.

Take these core interests and explore jobs related to them without concern for money, or other factors. Can you do them part time, can you take courses related to them? As you go though you day, constantly look for jobs or careers that relate to the interests you have discovered. Find out what training or experience is required to obtain that job and put together a plan to start down that road. You will then be on your way to your dream job.

Virtual Envelope:

Human rights, genocide, conflict resolution and peace studies, international diplomacy, public policy, China, Cambodia, Central Asia, Latin America, sailing around the world, swimming with sharks, skiing, tennis, surfing, China, communism studies, studying Marxism adopting a Cambodia boy, organization building, making money, social entrepreneurship, sea kayaking, photography, hiking in the mountains, going to the mountains, playing with dogs, eating street food in developed countries, traveling with the locals in developing countries, living in emerging economies and developing countries, studying people, places and culture, international affairs, public policy and politics, the United States government, international economic development: the role of economics in international development, microfinance, cultural anthropology, coffee, tea, the production of raw materials in the developing world, supply chains and value chains as it relates to the developing world, I AM OBSESSED WITH THE DEVELOPING WORLD!, Moving to Africa and living in a village, retiring wealthy, blogging,

Things I am good at, but hate doing: managing people, scheduling people, coordinating projects, managing events, event planning, travel, camping, swimming in the ocean, chocolate, the arts, music, dancing (when no one watches), being a smart ass, being goofy, sex, research, researching things, learning, education, being in leadership positions, smart, deep, intellectual conversations, reading, strategist about anything, wine drinking, doing sophisticated things, owning a great home, running in the forest, sun on trees, culture, culture, culture of other people and indigenous groups, traveling on your own, speaking foreign languages, writing, blogging, founding my own organization, working and living abroad and making a great living, being in the foreign service, working for USAID, joining the Peace Corps, going back to school, getting my PhD, Buddhism, Hinduism, bathing in a river, lonely walks, thinking, philosophizing, challenging myself in everything I do, solving problems, analyzing, figuring out tangled systems, living in Beijing, living in Paris, living in Montreal, living in San Francisco, living in DC, partying in Miami, visiting Spain, Australia, Croatia, Turkey, Israel, Italy, Mongolia, Darfur, Sudan, Ethiopia, India, China, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, New Zealand, flags, Olympics, watching the Olympics, playing in an out games, volleyball, jet setting the world, living abroad, eating great food, spaghetti, lasagna, having it all, burning down my childhood home, working in Government, working at an Embassy, smart people, international affairs, State Department, Fellowship of the Academic sort, Rotary Scholary, Ashoskha Scholar, Saving Green fellow, the Environment, rainbows, dogs, puppies, pugs, my family, my nephews and nieces, studying.

Career Goal: To work in the Foreign Service and to open up my own international non profit organization based in another country (with hostel). taking care of my skin, hair, smelling good, looking good, fine restaurants ,fine establishments, great dinner and wine tasting parties, classy stuff, art shows, flying on planes, airports, places Ive never been, sandals and dirty feet, cute Cambodian men, United Nations, Tribunal Court,

Greatest fears: being poor, not being successful, not having everything I want, not having the career I want, being unhappy

I WILL-

HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE ABROAD AND MAKE A GREAT LIVING AND ACCEPT IT!
HAVE AN INTERNATIONAL CAREER
STUDY FOR THE FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICER EXAM AND TAKE THE TEST
STUDY SPANISH AND LEARN SPANISH
STUDY FRENCH AND LEARN FRENCH
STUDY CHINESE AND LEARN CHINESE
OBTAIN ANOTHER DEGREE


Law Schools: American, George Washington, Georgetown, Harvard, Northeastern
MPP/MPA Schools: Monterrey, Tufts, GW, American, Harvard, Monterrey (International Policy), Brandeis (Sustainable Development)

What are your dreams? I want to own a home in a beautiful developing country, work there with a hostel and an NGO I have created. I want the entire place to be totally self-sustainable and I want it to be an intellectual and educational haven for young people from around the world. I want it to benefit the local community. I want to expand my business globally.

I want to work in Washington D.C. for the federal government. I want to get a job as a Foreign Service Officer and with USAID.

I want to be tri-lingual.

I want an advanced degree.
MBA: Thunderbird, Harvard, GW, American, Brandeis, Monterrey


Jay, Stephanie, Ink, Scott, Karen