THE ORDINARY GURU PROJECT
$9,000 in CASH PRIZES.

“Ordinary gurus are everywhere, you just need to open your eyes, mind, and heart and be receptive. That clerk in the local grocery store, the cabbie or the passerby on the street might just say the right and perfect thing that gives you the key to breaking through a myth about yourself, one that’s been keeping you down. A beautiful caterpillar dangling from a branch by your window might be nature’s way of reminding you that you’re an evolving being. Whoever you are and wherever you live, life sends ordinary gurus your way to remind you about all that you can become.”

ORDINARYGURUS.COM.
We're looking for short stories, essays, memoirs, photo essays, graphic stories, cartoons, and poems about ordinary gurus. Ordinary gurus teach us what we need to know in order to expand our view of ourselves and the world. These gurus aren't just people? they can also be anything in nature that offers you an insight or life-lesson, perhaps a pet, a wild animal, or even a tree that helps you see yourself or life differently.

Whomever/whatever the ordinary guru, your story must embody a personal experience. Entries must be previously unpublished, no longer than 1,200 words, and can be as short as a few sentences. Your story must be an original creation. It can detail a recent encounter or it may be related to an ordinary guru from your past. Additionally, we will need a 50-100 word bio. If your entry is selected for inclusion in The Ordinary Guru Project, your bio will be positioned directly after your story, so as to allow for maximize exposure of your blog, website, or previous publications and works.

We welcome and look forward to reading your tales of transformation!

PRIZES:

First Prize: $5,000
Second Prize: $2,500
Third Prize: $1,500.
SUBMISSION FEE: There is NO fee to enter. ENTER AT ORDINARYGURUS.COM

TIMING: The contest will run from 12:00 AM Eastern Time (ET) on April 1, 2014 to 11:59 p.m. ET on August 31, 2014.

JUDGING: The contest will be judged by the team members of Mind Adventure, Inc. Winners and finalists will be announced on or about October 1, 2014. All contest entrants who enter will be notified by email of the judges' decisions, which are final. (See the Official Rules for details of judging and other aspects of the contest.)

Submissions will be judged on the following criteria:

Authenticity & believability (33.3%)
Relevance to theme (33.3%)
Heartfelt feeling (33.3%)
ENTER AT ORDINARYGURUS.COM

Author's Bio: 

Rob White is an author, storyteller & philosopher. Rob created RobWhiteMedia.com as a way to provide individuals with all the resources they need to wake up to the power of WOW. Rob has dedicated his life to inspire individuals to realize and accomplish their own life goals by providing seminars, workshops, videos, articles, blogs, books and original animation shorts.

Rob is the international bestelling author of And Then I Met Margaret 180, a guide to achieving “inner strength and outer freedom”, and A Second Chance at Success: Remarkably Simple Ways to Open Your life to Opportunities and Turn Past Mistakes Into Lasting Confidence, Happiness and Success. Rob is regularly featured on the Huffington Post and his original articles are published in dozens of print and online publications.

From his modest beginnings in a small town in Western Massachusetts, he built a multi-million dollar bi-coastal real estate business and went on to become a successful restaurateur. Rob is an expert in the fields of personal and professional growth. Drawing on 30 years of experience researching and testing myriad methods and tools for success, he has developed a concise and enriching program that unlocks the true power of human potential. Most recently, Rob has become a National Spokesperson for Hilton Garden Inn and is a guest lecturer at Northeastern University.