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Our cover story this month is all about changing your life. Whether you’ve been dreaming about opening your own boutique or starting a nonprofit, hear from people who did it. You’ll learn their successful strategies for losing weight, working from home, expanding their tastes, living large on a budget and quitting smoking. You’ll learn what steps to take to start a business, run for office, to pursue your dream. In short, to make your life better—or at least more interesting.

Most people say they want some things to change in their lives. However, how many people are successful in actually bringing about significant and lasting change?

What do you dream about? What is it that you want most? A better, more satisfying job or career? Increased income? More time to spend with your family, more time to do the things you love and enjoy? Time to travel? Time to study or learn something new, build a business of your own?

Whatever the desires or dreams, the good news is that any day we want, we can begin to commit ourselves to the process of changing our life. Think about it. Any day we want, we can buy a book, read it and open our mind to new information. Any day we want, we can begin to exercise and eat healthy. Any day we want, we can volunteer or go out of our way to help others. Any day we want, we can discipline ourselves to change it all.

We can do it today, next week or next year, but we have the power to choose. If the idea of changing ourselves makes us uncomfortable, we can remain as we are. The cool part of living in America is that the choice is ours to make. You just have to have the guts to take the risk.

I want to encourage you to pursue your dream no matter how far-fetched it may seem. Dreams are the joy of your present and the hope of your future. I grew up with a stuttering problem but used to dream of someday being able to speak in front of crowds. Today, I am able to travel to different parts of the world and do public speaking before crowds of thousands and get paid for my passion. You can do whatever you set your mind to if you begin to make better choices and take action today.

As I tell friends, it only takes everything you’ve got. One young man I met here in Baton Rouge was a personal trainer, but told me his dream was to make movies. I encouraged him to go for it. So he did just that. He packed his car and headed for Hollywood. He worked hard and now has his own production company and is involved in making movies.

Fortunately for us, the burgeoning film business in Louisiana (due largely to film tax credits) has allowed him to make movies right here in his home state. He is living his dream—and loving it. I am proud of his courage, and it’s deeply fulfilling to me when someone fulfills his or her destiny.

But most people play it safe. Some choose to pretend rather than perform; others choose doubt over confidence. They don’t even try. If you don’t like how things are going in your life, then change it! You have the ability to totally transform any area in your life—and it all begins with your very own power of choice. Don’t be like the elderly lady who reflected back with regrets and wrote, “First I was dying to graduate from high school so I could go to college, then I was dying to graduate from college so I could go to work. Then I was dying to get married and have children, and then I was dying for the children to grow up so I could go back to work. Then I was dying to retire. Suddenly I’m dying and I now realize I forgot to live.” Read our cover story on Page 46 and be encouraged to do your own thing. What are you waiting for? Remember, no risk, no reward.