February Feature: Darius Gant

Darius Gant. Professional Motivational Speaker and Dream Advocate. Read below for his awesome and informative interview dedicated to helping you achieve not only your dreams...but GREATNESS!
I found this interview to be so helpful, and I'm proud to say I know him!
Darius even provides FREE resourceful information, too!
Make sure you visit his website for more information and support him!

Tell us who you are...give us some background information about yourself.

I describe myself as a rare mix of athlete, accountant, renegade, and artist. This makes for some extremely interesting stories! I’m the type of person who is constantly evolving and looking for ways to do bigger and better things. I can be a bit of a workaholic, but I love my work so I consider it to be more like play. When it’s time to put on the party hat, I like to go out to bars/clubs and get in a little trouble (ha!). One of my addictions is traveling the world. I love to immerse myself in other cultures.

Although I am extremely motivated today, I haven’t always been this way. There was a time when I was self-conscious, lazy, and had no direction as to where my life was headed. I let the words of others discourage the possibilities of what I could accomplish in the future. My life changed once I discovered my passion and ability to achieve it.

Professionally, I have worked for one of the top accounting firms in the world as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). I also graduated Yale School of Management’s Pre-MBA Program. Today, I am a professional speaker and entrepreneur. My passion is to inspire others to achieve GREATNESS.

There is an abundance of life coaches and motivators...but what makes you and your work different from the masses?
Why do YOU stand out?

My mission is similar to many life coaches and motivators, which is why we are attracted to this profession. What I love about what I’m doing today is that I give people hope, specifically my generation. I’ve done things in my life that most people have only dreamed about (even older generations). I have had some extraordinary accomplishments at a young age. The importance of my accomplishments has nothing to do with me, but everything to do with how it allows me to inspire others. As a young speaker, my generation can immediately identify with me, my stories, and my message. Not only are they motivated, but they also walk away with the idea, “Wow…If he can do it, I can do it too.” That small difference is what changes lives. Most speakers get into the industry later in life. In my experience, it’s easier for me to draw a personal connection to my generation because of our peer-to-peer relationship. People need to be able to envision their own success. The vision becomes so much more real when you have been inspired by someone that is in a sense, “just like you.”

What is TEAM GREATNESS?
And who can be a part of it and how?

We are a team of young phenoms who are just crazy enough to pursue our passions. Many people get trapped living very average, dull, and oftentimes frustrating lives because they stick to the traditional rules of society. We don’t care to remain true to the status quo, because we understand that it is the quickest route to becoming average. We have an intense desire to achieve GREATNESS by working together to pursue our passions to the fullest…without limitations.

Team GREATNESS is made up of people who are currently pursuing or seeking to discover their passion. The traditional rules of society usually do not fit those who seek their passion first. Thus, those of us in the pursuit of our GREATEST dreams can be misunderstood. Team GREATNESS is special because it provides an inspiring environment for us passion seekers to find support, share resources, and most importantly, EXPLODE OUR LIMITATIONS!

To join Team GREATNESS, visit www.dariusgant.com and sign-up on the website. After signing up, I’ll be sending out some FREE success tips and tools.

What advice would you give to a person who hates their job, but is unable to leave. They HAVE to keep their nine to five to simply survive; hates what their doing, with their passion on hold.
What would you say to those who are not as financial stable enough to walk away from a full time job to pursue their dreams?

My first piece of advice would be to leave! It’s actually more simple than expected. Either get another job or create your own. Whether it’s another job lined up or starting a business, having another stream of income is the safest option. Most people believe that following their passions means they will have to take less money. This is one of those beliefs that society has that is completely untrue. If finances are a problem, I suggest setting up a system for either saving or making money to allow them to pursue their dreams.

I left my full-time job as an accountant to pursue my passion. I have no regrets whatsoever! I had to ask myself what the cost of my happiness was. I’ve met many others who have left their job to pursue their passion, and none of them regret it.
Anyone who desires to pursue their passion should absolutely join Team GREATNESS.

In your opinion, is it more about WHO you know or WHAT you know? Does education outweigh networking or does networking outweigh education?
Is it simply about knowing the RIGHT people to get ahead?

What you can DO with what you know will qualify you to reach the next step. However, it’s who you have a relationship with that takes you where you want to go. As a college student, my GPA was below the requirement to receive an interview with the firm I eventually worked for. Fortunately, I had relationships within the company who could vouch for my abilities and achievements. Don’t wait to start building REAL relationships. Build your network before you need it!

So what's next for Darius Gant?
What should we look forward to from you in 2011?

2011 is going to be insane! I can’t tell it all because I have a few surprises I want to drop on everyone. This year, I’ll be focusing on speaking nationally as well as growing Team GREATNESS. Be on the lookout for courses and workshops focused on moving people in unsatisfying jobs to a career/vocation in alignment with their passion.

How can we contact you for more information?

The best way to contact me is by email, darius@dariusgant.com.
To reach me by phone, my office number is (773) 340-1674.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT HIS WEBSITE!!!