All of us have been programmed since the time we were little people to have certain expectations and aspirations about our careers. Our culture entrains us to desire money, fame, beauty, status and we have been taught that success is synonymous with these attributes. However, too many people are unsatisfied with their professional careers (yes, even those who make a lot of money, have possessions, and acquired fame) and are “stuck” in situations that do not make them happy and fulfilled.

The first step in attaining true career fulfillment is to let go of the inhibiting mindset that happiness is somewhere “out there”. A wonderful and accomplish-filled career is not waiting for you to discover it, but already within you. The path to this discovery is longer for some than it is for others, and we must develop a transparent relationship with our inner voice (or “soul”) to find that perfect career!

So what is the soul, and what do I mean by transparency? The soul (true self, spirit) is the very essence of who we are as individuals; it has ultimate knowledge of our inner-most intentions and dreams and also contains an inherent road map of how to make these things a reality. Developing transparency means finding the path to making decisions (and living your life) based on this intrinsic wisdom.

The happiest and most successful people you know are those who are continuously following a path closely depicted by their souls. The joy and success you feel from them is nothing more than a transparency to an internal guide that always leads them in the right direction. In sum, these people have developed the ability to listen within and the astuteness to follow-up with action.

Once we peel back the layers and uncover the truth that lies deep within it becomes possible to craft a career that is on track with everything that makes you, you. Here is a step-by-step guide to creating transparency:

1) The first step is to cultivate awareness, or belief, that there is some innate voice that lives deep within and instinctively knows the right path for you. We all have this voice, and (interestingly) the simplest way to begin noticing it is when it fervently does NOT like something.

Does your stomach turn when you think about going to work the day after day and dealing with the tasks at hand? Do you shake with disbelief and fear at the prospect of working along the same career path for the next 20, 30 years? If so, that’s your internal voice. It’s your soul speaking.

So as you start using your innate abilities it might be easier for you to recognize what you should NOT be doing…and that is perfectly OK. Step one is to just listen to it, and be aware that its there.

2) The next step in cultivating transparency is to nurture the attribute of acceptance which stipulates that once internal knowledge surfaces, and we become aware of it, we must 100% adhere to it without resolution.

This is a tougher one for most people to swallow, and where the difficulties tend to begin. For some, developing an accepting attitude provides a sense of relief that you are on the right path (and that’s a really good thing)! Others see acceptance as opening “Pandora’s box” to the myriad of consequences and risks involved with listening to the internal guide.

Acceptance implies action, and tough questions begin to surface like “how am I supposed to change careers now” as your mind begins contemplating the ramifications of your transparent voice. These thoughts lead to fear, which is the most critical emotion to deal with when becoming transparent.

3) Overcoming fear is the next step to developing a transparent relationship with your soul and also the point where most people back out of the potential to live their dreams!

Once the internal guide kicks in and you a) are aware of it and b) accept what it says, it is logical that your next move is to take action. Almost automatically, you will begin generating 1,001 excuses which explain how changing careers or switching jobs at this point in your life is totally irresponsible. Again, it’s easy to think about living in this idealistic manner but a whole different ballgame to disregard all your current responsibilities.

If you get nothing else from this article, I implore you to work on perspective when fear is pulling you back to “reality”. Remember, we are talking about how you can spend your 90, 100 years alive on this planet with as much joy, fulfillment and meaning as possible, and through awareness and acceptance you now have a glimpse of knowledge that can lead you in this direction…and you are thinking of backing out! The nugget of wisdom you are disregarding is the true you providing a glimpse of what you can do to be truly happy. Ask yourself; is there anything more important than finding this path?

So how do you begin facing these internal fears? The first step is to garner the courage to do so; you have to want to overcome the inhibiting voices in your head that disallow transparency. Once you make this decision there are a myriad of techniques for conquering fear that include journaling, meditation, physical confrontations, and more.

I know you want to live a magical life, but you will not be able to move forward without conquering the obstacle of fear.

4) The fourth step in developing a transparent relationship with your soul is the rule of patience, which states that you should remain calm and open to all possibilities and have unwavering faith that your deepest intentions will surface to reality.

If you have come to the point where you are aware and accepting of your internal guide, and have dealt with all inevitable fears that will surface you are 95% the way home. However the last 5% is the most crucial and only by cultivating a patient attitude will you allow true transparency to surface.

Here is the reason— even though we have a soul which contains ultimate knowledge plus a road map for acquiring it, there is still uncertainty concerning the precise manner your transparent nature will unfold. You may have listened within and come to the realization that you want to write, teach and educate. You may also feel as if traveling the world is in sync with your true self, and have come to terms with awareness, acceptance and fears.

But there is still great mystery in the universe, and we have no way of knowing the exact sequence of events that will make these realities happen. Therefore, it is imperative to nurture patience and remain open to all possibilities at all times. By mastering patience our true calling is revealed to us at precisely the right time, and when this happens you begin living moment by moment in a transparent nature with your soul!

In conclusion, I am frequently asked “is this a difficult path”? At first, it can be very complex as it necessitates a grand effort on your part to focus and become aware of things in a different way than you’re used to. Applying transparency in your life is like flexing a muscle, and you have to purposefully develop the qualities described in this article. However, once you go down this road and even catch a glimpse of the internal guide there is no going back. Once you sense awareness of the intrinsic wisdom, and take advantage of it for the first time, your life will never be the same and you will find yourself making decisions in a truly transparent manner!

Todd Goldfarb is a business consultant and entrepreneur located in Manhattan, New York. Over the last several years Todd has developed and implemented award-winning marketing programs for a successful network of financial planning firms, CPA’s and attorneys. In this capacity he has given over a hundred web-based presentations and more than a dozen conference lectures on sales tactics and “how to market a small business".

Todd’s passion for nutrition, alternative healing and spiritual practices lead him back to school (in his spare time) where he became a certified holistic health counselor. He founded We The Change http://www.wethechange.com as a platform for sharing his unique and diverse perspective on how to be successful both in business and in personal life. In 2006, Todd was featured in New York Times Columnist Marci Alboher’s book One Person Multiple Careers as someone who runs two thriving, yet seemingly unrelated businesses. For more on Todd, please visit http://www.wethechange.com/about