Our first book begins with a story about a man deep in despair, alone in the middle of the night outside the cheap motel he was calling home. Broken and humbled, he reached out to the friend who knew the far deeper joy of living the life God designed for him to live – an Oola life.

That reunion is the reason you’re hearing about Oola today. Something bigger and better grew out of that desperate moment, not only for the Oola Guys but the hundreds of thousands they’ve touched in the years since.

We must admit, it’s humbling still to see where this led, looking back on our recent Oola Dream Tour, remembering the people we met, the dreams we gathered and the sheer joy of those already pursuing the life they dream of and deserve.

How do you get there? Here’s a cheat-sheet of sorts that will accelerate your journey to your Oola life:

• Put the past behind you. Don’t forget the lessons you’ve learned, but there’s no place along your journey to your Oola life for guilt and anger, two potent Oola Blockers. You can’t change the past, but you can write a new ending to your story.

• Be painfully honest! It wasn’t easy for the OolaSeeker to admit to the OolaGuru, who was living his Oola life, how far he had fallen. But by being honest with himself and humbly owning his problems, he opened the door to his beautiful future.

• Act out of love, a powerful Oola Accelerator, beginning with loving yourself. From there, it’s easier to respond in like to those we meet along our journey. Practice a random act of Oola today and experience it for yourself!

• Follow your passion. God has destined you for great things and once you realize that and step out in faith, you’ll find your purpose for being here.

• Focus on the small steps that will lead you to the Oola life. For most of us, starting a $1,000 emergency fund isn’t as simple as transferring the money to a new account. But selling that piano no one plays, and opening that account with the proceeds can plant the seed.

• Share your Oola, calling on others who have the knowledge you need to proceed and mentoring those who could use your help. Imagine if the OolaSeeker never shared his problems or the OolaGuru, his Oola. We wouldn’t be having this conversation!

• In all things, be grateful. It’s easy to feel grateful about the $1,000 now sitting in that emergency fund, but be grateful too, for the challenges that build us. Make a habit each night of updating your gratitude journal – writing things down is a very Oola way of making things happen – and watch how it grows!