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alissa finerman

Q & A Series

Alissa Finerman: Living In Your Top 1%. The Manifestation Q&A Series.

February 10, 2012

Welcome to The Manifestation Q&A Series.

 I am Jennifer Pastiloff and this series is designed to introduce the world to someone I find incredible. Someone who is manifesting their dreams on a daily basis.

Today’s guest is life/business coach and author Alissa Finerman. Alissa has become a dear friend over this last year, and, in fact, we have done a couple of workshops together called “Manifesting Your Top 1%.” Alissa and her book “Living In Your Top 1%” helped me to get clear on my goals and really step into my power, allowing me to achieve so much in these last few months. Allowing me also to really define my own top 1% team. It’s exciting!

I highly recommend her book, Manifesters! 

She has done a guest post already on the Manifestation Station but I wanted you all to get to know my dear friend and mentor, so I asked her to join us in the Q&A Series. She fits right in, alongside such great minds as Dr. Wayne Dyer, Anita Moorjani and the lovely Christy Turlington.

Alissa is one of the most powerful and strong people I have come in contact with. To have her on your own top 1% team would be a dream come true. Now is your chance to get a glimpse into the mind of Alissa Finerman…..

Jennifer Pastiloff: What are you most proud to have manifested in your life?

Alissa Finerman: In 2004, I visited one of my best friends who lived in Santa Monica, CA. I took a picture of the sun shining down on the ocean with the mountains in the background. I put that picture in a frame in my apt in NYC, where I was living at the time, and told myself that’s where I would live. Today, that picture is in my kitchen in Santa Monica, CA and amazingly enough — I see that view every single day!

Alissa holding up KIND bars, which everyone enjoyed at my Manifestation Retreat. Thank you KIND.

Jennifer Pastiloff: What is the greatest lesson that you have learned from being a life and business coach? from competing on the professional tennis tour? from writing a book?

Alissa Finerman I’ve learned different lessons from each of these experiences.

* Life/Business Coach: Once people shift their minds to believe in themselves, anything is possible.

* Professional Tennis Tour: I learned the importance of quieting my mind and focusing on one point at a time. That’s how tournaments and big matches are won and it’s how big things are accomplished in life. One step at a time.

* Writing a book: Writing a book was an incredible learning experience and process. I was outside my comfort zone during the entire process and had to depend on myself (although I did have a great team). At the end of the day, I had to step into the CEO role and make the decisions. And I proved to myself that I can successfully step outside my comfort zone and do it!

Alissa's book is a MUST READ.

Jennifer Pastiloff: Can you tell us a bit about your book?

Alissa Finerman: My book, Living in Your Top 1%, is a combination of motivation, inspiration, and practical how-to (think Tony Robbins meets Oprah). In the book, I break down the laws of success and show people that you can achieve personal greatness from any starting point. There is a process and I share nine rituals to help people create the life they want. I share insights from the best thinkers in the field with a collection of compelling stories, to help people of all ages reach their true potential. I also wanted to make people aware that your top 1% is different than the top 1% and we need to separate what society thinks we should do from what we actually want to do. One of the biggest thrills was having Marianne Williamson, a NY Times bestselling author, give me an endorsement to use on my book cover — I manifested that too! 🙂

Alissa and I at my Manifestation Retreat to Ojai where she was a special guest and a big hit!

Jennifer Pastiloff: I have a list of “rules”. See below. What would some of Alissa’s “rules” be?

Alissa Finerman 

1. Set aside the shoulds

2. Make yourself a priority

3. You have the right to say yes and no

4. Match your words and actions

5. Own your choices

6. Be consistent

7. Go after what’s important to you

8. Honor your non-negotiables

9. Define success and follow YOUR top 1%

10. Step into the CEO role of YOU INC.

Alissa speaking to some of my retreat participants. They loved her!

Jennifer Pastiloff: Who/what inspires you the most?

Alissa Finerman: I’m inspired when people find their passion and truly do what they love. It could be Anthony Robles, who won the NCAA wrestling championships with only one leg, or a teenager that I mentored who will be the first person in her family to go to college. I love when people shine and redefine their potential — that makes me really happy and inspires me.

Jennifer Pastiloff: I teach many of my classes to the theme of gratitude. If you could say thank you right now to one person who would it be?

Alissa Finerman: I love your classes and the themes you choose. I’d have to say “thank you” to my mom, dad and brother for always believing in me during every stage of my journey (from leaving a successful Wall Street career, to moving to LA from NYC). They are incredibly consistent and I can always count on them, and for that I am deeply grateful.

Jennifer Pastiloff: What is one message you would pass on right now to someone looking to manifest their best selves and their top 1%?

Alissa Finerman: Be kind to yourself and realize that success or finding your passion doesn’t happen overnight — it’s a process so enjoy it. You’re top 1% is ready for you and you CAN go from impossible to possible (it’s only 2 letters). Start to build a top 1% team and condition your mind to practice rituals that help you shine.

Jennifer Pastiloff: What brings you the most joy? Your joy list, as it were.

Alissa Finerman: Seeing other people shine and experience top 1% moments.

Jennifer Pastiloff: What can we expect Alissa Finerman to manifest in 2012?

Alissa Finerman: Wow, there’s so much to manifest! I will give my “Living in Your Top 1%” workshop all over the country, write for OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network), have Oprah recommend my book as one of her favorites and have the book be in the Top 50 on Amazon, give a TED talk, work with at least three Fortune 500 companies as a speaker/coach, donate 5k to charity with proceeds from my book, have my own radio show featuring people who are inspiring others and making a difference in the world, and be in an amazing relationship! And much more!

Jennifer Pastiloff: Can you tell us a little about your journey. Giving up your 9-5 job to pursue your dreams…..

Alissa Finerman: I had a great life, good job, was living in NYC and making good money. There was only one problem — I wasn’t fulfilled or engaged in my job and I didn’t want to live in the cold weather. In 2007, I was finally honest with myself and realized that even though I had gone to business school to have a finance career — it wasn’t my path. It came to the point where I couldn’t go on one more day in a finance because I wasn’t passionate about that area. I left my investment job in 2007 and started on my journey as a Business/Life Coach and got my coaching credentials.

Jennifer Pastiloff: Why did you pick life coaching? When did you realize you had a gift for this?

Alissa Finerman: I’ve always been interested in motivation and why two people given the same resources excel to different levels. I started reading personal development books back in 2000 and have read hundreds of books and articles. I received my coaching credentials from New York University. As a coach, I get to inspire and be inspired by incredible people and that’s a true gift. I love what I do and it’s taken me a long time to say that. I’m grateful for that too!

Jennifer Pastiloff: I read somewhere you mentor young women. Can you tell us about that?

Alissa Finerman: When I worked on Wall Street, I didn’t feel like I was making a difference and that always bothered me. Last year, I set a goal to get involved with three non-profit organizations, Dress for Success, Step-up Women’s Network, and I gave a scholarship with proceeds from a book signing event I did to a great organization Exceeding Expectations. So I’ve had the privilege to make an impact with young women in these organizations and that’s very exciting for me. It’s important to me that every person has someone who believes in her and tells her she can not only dream but achieve great things too.

Jennifer Pastiloff: Who are your greatest teachers?

Alissa Finerman: Marianne Williamson started me on my journey with her book, A Return to Love, and helped me open my heart and mind to a world outside of Wall Street. I learn everyday from my clients, yoga teachers (yes you), hiking in the Santa Monica mountains, and stories of people redefining possible.

Jennifer Pastiloff: What is one quote you live by?

Alissa Finerman: Different quotes speak to me during different periods in my life, this quote speaks to me right now because I like to challenge myself to live in my stretch zone and reach higher…

“There is no passion to be found playing small, in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” ~ Nelson Mandela

Jennifer Pastiloff: Are you writing a 2nd book?

Alissa Finerman: Soon! One of my goals is to have an idea/theme for my next book clearly defined by the end of 2012!

Jennifer Pastiloff: How can we find more of Alissa Finerman?

Alissa Finerman: I have a monthly newsletter that people can sign up for on my website. They can also join my Facebook and Twitter pages to learn about upcoming workshops/events. And to learn more about coaching options, please visit www.AlissaFinerman.com

Website/newsletter: www.AlissaFinerman.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/alissafinermantop1

Twitter: @alissafinerman

Jen’s “rules”:

1. Be Kind.

2. Have a sense of humor especially when it comes to yourself

3. Write poems, even if only in your head

4. Sing out loud, even if badly

5. Dance

6. If you don’t have anything nice to say… you know the deal

7. Find things to be in awe of

8. Be grateful for what you have right now .

9. Watch Modern Family, read Wayne Dyer, and end every complaint with “But I’m so blessed!”

10. Duh, do yoga

11. Don’t worry. Everyone on Facebook seems like they have happier and funner lives. They don’t.

12. Tell someone you love that you love them. Right now.

13.. Take more pictures.

14. Forgive yourself for not being perfect. no such thing.

15. Thank the Universe in advance.

Guest Posts, How To, Inspiration

Keep It Simple! Guest Post by Author Alissa Finerman.

November 14, 2011

This is such a special treat, my Dear Manifesters! Alissa Finerman, the renowned author and life/business coach has written a special post just for us. You can catch her this Saturday November 19th at 5 pm in Santa Monica at the Yoga Collective as we lead our workshop “Manifesting Your Top 1%”. There are still a couple spots available. You can register here.

Enjoy this article. I know I did!

Keep it Simple by Alissa Finerman

“Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.”

~ ALBERT EINSTEIN

 

Sometimes life can be overwhelming with all the choices we have to make. So I like to keep things simple. And I find that keeping it simple is a great recipe for success.

 

I believe that deep down everyone wants to improve and lead his or her best life. Seems easy enough, but often challenging to implement because you need clarity and the courage to take action.

 

Here’s my recipe for success by keeping it SIMPLE…feel free to add on to make these rituals your OWN.

 

S:         Define SUCCESS

We all want success but are you clear on what success means to you? To do so, it’s much more effective to focus on YOUR top 1% rather than on THE top 1%. Living your best life is dependent on doing what brings you energy, makes you feel alive and connected, and leaves you feeling fulfilled. It’s not dependent on your status, role, $$’s, or education as society likes to have us believe.

A client recently shared the following…

“I recommend if you have a dream follow it as soon as you can! I stepped into the French Culinary Institute this morning for my class after having 4 hours of sleep due to work and it didn’t matter, my heart was racing and I felt alive!!!”

Success is doing what makes you feel alive! Take the time to continually redefine what success means to you.

I:         IMAGINE your ideal outcome.

I like to encourage people to think in terms of the ideal outcome. This starts with your imagination. If you want to start a business, become a yoga teacher, or buy a house, train your mind to see all the possibilities by creating an inspiring vision for what you want. Then you can work backwards to see how your vision translates into reality. However, if you start dreaming and immediately let obstacles throw you off course, you create a less than ideal outcome.

The work is to have the courage to think without obstacles rather than let your mind be clouded by everything that can go wrong or the challenges that could show up. People who create think about what can be rather than why something can’t be done. You can train yourself to do the same.

M:         Create a winning MINDSET

We all have a story. Many of us believe our story defines us, but what really defines us is how we interpret the story or facts and choose to move forward.

 

According to the National Science Foundation, our brains produce as many as 50,000 thoughts per day. Ninety-five percent of these thoughts are repeated daily.

 

Your thoughts become your beliefs, which, in turn, become your mindset.  Your mindset governs your actions, which lead to your results. In short, if you have a mindset that limits your potential, then you will likely accept limited results in your life.

 

Start becoming aware of the words you use on a consistent basis and how often you tell yourself: can vs. can’t or impossible vs. possible.

 

Is your mindset costing you success or helping you excel?

P:         PRIORITIZE What’s Important To You

Making something a priority is different than simply saying something is important.

I have lots of clients who think it’s important to make time for the gym or make themselves a priority but that doesn’t mean they do it. I start every coaching workshop by having people tell me their “wins.” Wins are anything that make you feel proud and give you the feeling of “I did it.” The consistent theme that emerges as to why the wins are accomplished is simple –people make them a priority. So if you want time to read to your kids, have a better relationship with your parents, go to sleep earlier, take a vacation, or take a photography class, make it a priority and you will see different results.

L:         LAUGH often

I learned this one from my favorite yoga teacher, Jen Pastiloff. One of the things that I love about her class is her ability to make us laugh so we don’t take ourselves too seriously. We all know that tree pose or crow is serious stuff, but who really cares if you fall out of a pose? The truth — I do! But seriously, laughing opens up your heart and brings good energy into your life. Would you prefer to surround yourself with people who are laughing and fun to be around or Debbie downers? It’s your choice!

E:      Bring EXCITEMENT into your life

Everyone can use a little excitement in his or her life and the easiest way to do this is to pursue a goal that is truly exciting rather than something you should do. How do you want to invest your time and energy? All the brilliant innovators get 24 hours in a day – the only difference is how you decide to use them.

You will naturally be more motivated and resilient when you fill your day with projects/a purpose/goals that are exciting to you.

TOP 1% BOTTOM LINE: Although life can be complicated, we always have the choice to keep it SIMPLE. To achieve this you need to know what’s most important to you and then focus on your top priorities.  The process starts by gaining clarity on how you define success and then practicing your rituals consistently.

 

Alissa is a Professional Life Coach, motivational speaker, and author of “Living in Your Top 1%: Nine Essential Rituals to Achieve Your Ultimate Life Goals” available on Amazon.com. She works with individuals and organizations to help them think bigger, redefine what’s possible, and get results.  Alissa has an MBA from the Wharton School and a BA from the University of California, Berkeley. To learn more about coaching with Alissa and to take the Living in Your Top 1% quiz, please visit www.AlissaFinerman.com or www.facebook.com/alissafinermantop1.

 

Contests & Giveaways, Daily Manifestation Challenge, Inspiration

Your 3 Words. The Daily Manifestation Challenge.

October 27, 2011

Today’s DMC is a fun one.

What are the 3 words that inspire you most today?

I challenge you to keep these words with you all day and fill yourself up with them.

In the comment section below list your 3 words. You must list it in the comment section below to be added into the contest to win a spot at the “Manifesting Your Top 1% Workshop” with author Alissa Finerman and myself November 19th.

(I loooooove contests.)

If you are so inspired, for “extra credit”, write a poem below with your 3 words included. You will not be graded, judged or tested on the poem. You will only be Loved.

I ask not that you concern yourself with if the poem is “good” or not. I am simply challenging you to envelop yourself in your words and allow yourself to be creative. You know that old adage: If only the best birds sang in the forrest, it would be an awfully quiet place? (Or something like that.)

My 3 words of the day are: compassion, inspiration, creativity.

 

Notice how every cell in your body becomes infused with these words and how doors start to open where once there were just walls. Eat your words! Breathe your words! Live your words. Your words become your world.

Or something like that.

What are your 3 words to live by today?