Tag: Books

4
May

How to Increase Talent

I of course know who Lance Armstrong is.  I have yet to meet him, even though we live in the same area of Texas and we’ve both been on the cover of Austin Fit magazine. He came to life for me when I read Daniel Coyle’s New York Times bestselling book, Lance Armstrong’s War. While I’m not a cyclist, the book was so well written that I was compelled to read every word of it. When I heard Coyle had a new book coming out, I pre-ordered it without a thought.

talent-code.bmp   It arrived a few days ago. It’s terrific. The Talent Code reveals the true source of greatness. And it’s not what you might think. As the author’s site (www.thetalentcode.com) for the book says…

What is the secret of talent? How do we unlock it?

Journalist and New York Times bestselling author Daniel Coyle visited nine of the world’s greatest talent hotbeds — tiny places that produce huge amounts of talent, from a small music camp in upstate New York to an elementary school in California to the baseball fields of the Caribbean.

He found that there’s a pattern common to all of them — certain methods of training, motivation, and coaching. This pattern, which has to do with the fundamental mechanisms through which the brain acquires skill, gives us a new way to think about talent — as well as new tools with which we can unlock our own talents and those of our kids.

The Talent Code may be the most stimulating, inspiring and informative book I’ve read so far this year. I keep reading it, underlying parts, making notes, and reflecting. It helps explain many defining moments in my own life. For example —

Back in 1969 I failed high school geometry. Got an ‘F’ in it. I had to retake the course the next year. The funny thing is, the next year I got straight ‘A’s in geometry. How did I go from F to A? I had a different teacher. The second instructor – a Mr. Ron Posey, I remember – had me follow a strict discipline, right down to using a particular notebook, putting protectors around the 3-holes in the pages, handwriting meticulously, and more. It drove some kids nuts. It helped me get straight A’s. According to Coyle, that second instructor was a brilliant coach intuitively using The Talent Code’s secrets.

Back in 1972, when I learned how to fly a single engine plane, I went through a ten-week course that was the hardest thing I had done (and have yet to do) in my entire life. I either flew a plane every day or was in ground school studying every day, five days a week, all day long. I thought the curriculum was intense. Overwhelming even. It wasn’t until I read Coyle’s book that I realized Kent State Univeristy’s flight school was teaching me exactly the way I needed to learn: by stretching me beyond what I thought was doable.

But how does all of this work to increase talent?

What was my geometry teacher and that flight school doing to turn an average (below average, really) kid into a straight A student and a licensed private pilot?

Coyle’s riveting book explains the three things needed to increase talent and go toward greatness. One essential is “the spark” of inspiration. Something has to ignite desire.

That’s what happened in 1970 when I met Rod Serling, creator of the famous sci-fi TV series, The Twilight Zone. I realized Serling was human and if he could be a famous writer, than I could too. I then put myself through a self-study program that contained well more than 10,000 hours of writing, reading, writing and more reading; of being rejected for years, and yet trying again and again (and again and again). My first book wasn’t published until 1984. The spark of inspiration was Rod Serling. This “spark” is what begins a huge, deep transformation. It’s the beginning to unlocking talent.

The second ingredient needed is a particular kind of practice.

When I was learning how to play the harmonica some thirty years ago, I nearly threw the instrument against the wall. While it’s easy to just blow through a harp and get some music out of it, learning how to blow through single holes, bend notes, and control your breathing and the resulting music is a challenge. But I kept practicing. I practiced every day at 7 pm on the front porch of an abandoned house. After an entire year, I could play like a relatively good blues harpist. But it took practice that involved struggle, errors, correction, and more practice. That’s part of the secret to increasing talent.

The third secret is great coaching.

I’m currently taking private tutoring lessons with Berlitz instructors to learn Spanish, for my speaking engagement in Lima, Peru on June 4th.  While I have books, courses, CDs and more on how to speak Spanish, there’s nothing like having a personal coach there to guide my learning. When I failed geometry the first time but excelled at it the second time, it was due to a better coach. I learned to pilot a plane in a short amount of time due to great teachers. These days I have my own coaching program for people wanting to improve or breakthrough. It’s needed for noteworthy success. In fact, it’s a requirement.

Coyle’s book is essential reading for the hypnotic writing, the stories, the insights and more. At the heart of it is the news that a substance in the brain called myelin is what makes people great.

But the greater news is anyone — even you and me — can develop any talent by following the three elements Coyle describes. Doing so will build myelin. As the subtitle of his book says, “Greatness isn’t born. It’s grown.”

The Talent Code may just be “the spark” needed to turn wishful dreamers into talented greats that in the future Daniel Coyle may write about — just as he’s already done for a living legend, Lance Armstrong.

Ao Akua,

Joe
www.mrfire.com

PS — The new and improved Joe Vitale Miracles Coaching program is at www.mrfire.com/miraclescoaching 

 

13
Mar

The Dice Man

img00771.jpg Some books dig into your brain and lodge themselves there, even if you finished them decades ago. The Dice Man is such a book.

I read it in high school in the early 1970s. The memory is still with me. I still have the paperback book, too. It’s an unforgettable novel about a man who learns to make every decision by rolling dice. 

It’s an addictive read. It’s at times hilarious, at other times disturbing.

Inspired by the book, I remember rolling dice for high school decisions. It was liberating, but also dangerous. If you didn’t balance the roll of the dice with critical thinking, you could end up in trouble, as the book’s character reveals.

The Dice Man became a cult classic. It’s still an underground bestseller. One day there will be a movie of it. First editions of the book are nearly impossible to find.

So imagine my surprise when I roamed around a used book store and discovered a first edition hardcover signed by the author to his wife.

I instantly bought it, of course. I was so excited that I was tingling the rest of the day.

In that same book store I found a signed copy of Think and Grow Rich, the book that has made more millionaires than any other.

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Napoleon Hill’s signature is worth gold, and I eagerly paid for the signed volume. It’s going in a locked glass display case with my other prized autographed books, such as ones by Neville Goddard, P.T. Barnum, Edward L. Bernays and of course Luke Rhinehart, the author of The Dice Man.

The author of The Dice Man also wrote one of the top five most life changing books of all time: The Book of est. I think it’s the greatest self-help book ever written.

The Book of est is even harder to find. Even the author doesn’t have copies. It’s a fictionalized account of the famous “est” training of the 1970s, created by Werner Erhard, and it’s one of the most hypnotic books ever written. I love it.

Last year Mark Ryan and I released it, with the author’s consent, as an e-book. You can get it at www.bookofest.com (In a week or so you’ll be able to order printed copies of the book from the same site.)

Some day we may get to re-publish The Dice Man, too.

We’ll just have to see what the dice roll…

Ao Akua,

Joe
www.mrfire.com

PS – The bookseller who sold The Dice Man to me was so influenced by the book that he carries dice in his pocket. He pulled them out and showed me. He said he makes decisions with the roll of the dice. I can only imagine he lets the dice advise him and not control him. At least I hope that’s the case.

Note: I know you may be curious, so here are the facts. I found the autographed books at Sam Wellers Bookstore. The list price for the signed Hill volume was $1,000; the signed Dice Man book was listed at $500. My rule of thumb is to reward myself after accomplishing goals. Since I had just recorded 17 audios and 5 videos the two days before, buying the rare books was an easy decision. I didn’t even need to roll the dice.

7
Mar

Zero Limits Proof

Received by email and used here with permission: 

I read your book Zero Limits in December, 2008. I work as a lifecoach and parenting instructor at the Women’s prison in Baton Rouge.  I hold three classes each week with 20 women in each class. I started doing the ho’oponono immediately after starting the book. I could see instant results with the women in the group. I shared the information with them and bought five books for them to take turns reading. They have shared so many success stories with me about how the deputies in charge of them are changing. One day last week, there was some sort of disturbance going on in the prison. I could hear the commotion outside of my classroom. The warden stepped in my classroom and had this stunned look on his face. He couldn’t believe the calmness and quietness of the room with all of the ruckus going on outside. He told me, “I don’t know what you are doing, just keep doing it.” He has shared with me on several occasions that all of the women are behaving better and are actually getting to have priveledges they have never been able to have before. I am also having positive changes with my teenage daughters and husband. Thank you so much for bringing this information to light.  
Cindy Ray-Huber
Regional Director, RCB of Baton Rouge
www.lifecoach123.com 

2
Mar

The Fifth Agreement

img00738.jpg Last night I got to meet Don Miguel Ruiz, author of The Four Agreements and Toltec Wisdom expert. He’s a gentle, sweet soul speaking what he calls just plain common sense. He told me about his next book, The Fifth Agreement. What is The Fifth Agreement? “Be skeptical of everything (even yourself) but learn to listen.” We talked for maybe thirty minutes about life, the brain, meaning, the ego, and more. He’s also working on a book about psychology, saying we’re still influenced by Freud, which is outdated and incorrect. The photo is of Don Miguel and myself, taken by his son. Most of the conversation was filmed, and will be on YouTube soon. If you haven’t read his book, check it out at www.miguelruiz.com or of course your local book store.

27
Jan

Wimberley Book Signing

I’ll be signing books (Expect Miracles and The Attractor Factor, 2nd edition) this Saturday in Wimberley, Texas. Michael Abedin of Austin All Natural magazine will also be there offering healthy chocolate products for tasting. Stop by. Jan. 31st, 1-4 PM at Rancho Deluxe, on the Square in Wimberley, Texas. Call 512-847-9570 or toll free 877-847-9570 or see http:/www.ranchodeluxe.net