Amotivational speaker without any motivation is a perplexing situation.

But thatB次元官网网址檚 exactly the position Colwood resident Steve Donahue found himself in when, after about 15 years on the job, travelling from corporate event to corporate event, he suddenly realized he didnB次元官网网址檛 care about what he was doing anymore.

B次元官网网址淚t was like Groundhog Day, I told the same story 1,000 times probably,B次元官网网址� Donahue said. B次元官网网址淥ne day I wake up and I realize I hate my job. A motivational speaker, and I hate my job. See a little problem there?B次元官网网址�

This problem led to a trip half way around the world and ended with the documentary movie Take My Advice, I CanB次元官网网址檛, which will have itB次元官网网址檚 world premier screening at the Victoria Film Festival on Tuesday, Feb. 5 at 9:45 p.m. at Empire Capitol 6 (805 Yates St.).

Looking for a new direction, Donahue decided he would rather be a bestselling author. He wrote a book based on his lecture, which revolved around a trip he had made across the Sahara desert at the age of 20.

Expecting a hit, Donahue himself purchased 10,000 copies of Shifting Sands to sell. He sold 200 copies. He went bankrupt. He hit a low.

B次元官网网址淣othing less than a complete disaster literary-wise, in North America,B次元官网网址� Donahue said.

Out of curiosity Donahue started calling around to see how the international copies of his book had sold. Most countries reported similar numbers. Russia: 200 copies. Turkey: 180 copies.

Then he found out his book sold 80,000 copies in South Korea and was a bestseller.

For the film Donahue visits Korea to meet his readers and try to figure out why his words touched people there when it sold so poorly everywhere else.

He said people there told him the book gave them hope, that it helped change their lives.

B次元官网网址淭hey would have tears in their eyes when they would tell me what the book had meant for them and what it had done for them,B次元官网网址� Donahue said. B次元官网网址淚 was just stunned, itB次元官网网址檚 never happened to me in the past.B次元官网网址�

Donahue also went back to the place that started it all: the Sahara desert. At CampbellB次元官网网址檚 insistence Donahue retraced the adventurous steps he had taken as a youth.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 very, very moving for me. ThereB次元官网网址檚 a scene in the film where I just break down,B次元官网网址� Donahue said. B次元官网网址淚f you tell a story enough you lose the memory of the actual experience. You only remember the story youB次元官网网址檝e told. And when I got back to the Sahara it all came back to me like it was yesterday.B次元官网网址�

The Victoria-based director of the film, Peter Campbell, said it was Donahue himself that drew him to the project. He followed Donahue through his trips to Korea and the Sahara, and said the experience was incredible.

B次元官网网址淚 thought the idea was fabulous,B次元官网网址� Campbell said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 really happy with the show. Three years in the making and itB次元官网网址檚 wonderful to have the opportunity to premier it here in our hometown.B次元官网网址�

The experienced changed DonahueB次元官网网址檚 life. He has since written a second book specifically for Korea, entitled 6 Ways to Follow Your Compass, another  bestseller. He also found a reinvigorated passion for motivational speaking and is once again giving lectures in the hopes of helping people to change their lives.

Tickets for the screening are available at victoriafilmfestival.com.