What's Really Stopping You?

Recently singer Sarah Marie kidnapped me.

If you’re going to be kidnapped, she’s the way to go.

We sometimes meet for coffee, and talk about everything from guitars and music to movies and dreams. We also “Nevillize” each others’ goals. She’s part of my support team for creating my own music, and I’m helping her produce a CD of ho’oponopono inspired, Opera-influenced healing music. I love spending time with her.

sarah and Joe

But this time Sarah said we would be going on a mysterious little trip. She didn’t offer any clues and my normal psychic powers couldn’t see in the dark.

I surrendered.

sarah flower

We met, got in my car, and I started driving.

And driving.

And driving.

We were going through remote wooded hilly areas that seemed perfect for UFO landings.

No sign of life.

No billboards.

No other cars.

Where was this woman taking me?

Sarah and husband JJ

Sarah and husband JJ

Eventually we ended up at a hidden hilltop estate. As we passed through the front gate, Sarah told me this was the home of Martin Jacobvitz, a reclusive wood worker and luthier (guitar maker), and the jolly man was going to give me a private tour of his shop and guitar collection.

Now anyone who knows me knows I love guitars. I’ve met several luthiers and always learn a lot. The fact that Sarah arranged this private meeting was a thoughtful and priceless gift to me.

sarah playing at bd party

But the reason I’m sharing this story with you is this: the man who makes guitars in the seclusion of his home learned how from books.

From books!

Stop and think about this.

He didn’t take courses.

He didn’t do an apprenticeship.

He didn’t worry and fret about education and experience.

He didn’t let anyone talk him out of his wild desire and dream.

Instead, he simply read books and took action.

This is a huge secret to success:

You need very little to actually go for your dreams. Most of what you say you need are excuses for not taking action right now.

Let me give you a couple more examples:

bleep guy w Joe

Will Arntz (pictured above) is the man behind the hit movie What the Bleep!? I recently spent an evening with him. During it he told me he had no movie making experience at all. He hired people to help him. But when the editor he hired flaked out, Will simply took over the job. He learned movie editing on the fly and edited the now famous movie.

nick ortner

Nick Ortner (above) is the man behind the great EFT movie The Tapping Solution. When I interviewed him, I asked what experience he had in creating movies. He said, “I had a membership card to Blockbuster.”

How could these people create globally recognized movies with no experience?

What these people have in common is desire.

And desire is all you need to get moving on your dreams.

Yes, money, resources, talent and a long list of other things would be nice to have, too.

But what do you really need?

What’s really stopping you?

I suggest the only thing in your way is lack of action.

And you are in control of that.

If you focused on your desire, and let your passion lead the way, you’d attract what you need as you need it.

Knowing this, what are you going to do today?

What’s really stopping you, anyway?

Ao Akua,

Joe

PS – I met Sarah Marie over a year ago, when she came to my local book signing for Attract Money Now and spontaneously sang for me. I expected her to sing some folk song. She didn’t. What she sang was so much more, and it fried everyone in the room, especially me. I wrote about her as “The Woman Who Sang Past Fear” here: http://blog.mrfire.com/the-woman-who-sang-past-fear/ Expect great things from her. If you missed her singing to me the first time, here it is:

AMN bannerMember BBB 2003 – 2011

13 Comments

  1. January 16, 2011 at 10:57 am

    Hi Joe, that was good. I got it in Twitter, read and will spread it to my followers. Some time ago, I was looking for some advice of a coacher and contacted the office of Jack Canfield. A secretary called me back and arranged a date and hour to one of his man to talk with me. In the date and exactly in the very hour we had appointed the phone rang and I talked with a very skilled professional. I answered questions and one stook me. The same of your title in this message;
    He aked : What is holding you back, Marcio? You know what have to do. You do not neeed our coach. Go there and do what you have to do.
    Thank you for remenbering me that with your extraordinary message.
    Bye.
    Marcio.

  2. January 16, 2011 at 1:36 pm

    Wow…Sarah has such a gorgeous voice!
    Thank you for this really inspiring post…

  3. Christina-Reply
    January 16, 2011 at 11:52 pm

    Thank you for this post! It’s true..We can’t expect our dreams to come true if we don’t take action. Many of us are held back by fear (maybe even the fear of being successful), and we often need a ‘silent’ kick in the seat of our pants to send us into action. These people are an inspiration. We have absolutely nothing to lose by trying, only by sitting waiting for our dreams to come to us.

  4. January 17, 2011 at 1:55 am

    She has a killer voice doc and definitely killed you there too =D

  5. Ernie de minico-Reply
    January 17, 2011 at 9:54 pm

    Hi Joe , wow she has an amazing voice.
    I wanted to tell you that I have read so many of your books and watched your movies and have your audio programs, including the abundance paradigm. After listening to the abundance paradigm about 10 times, I got an intuition or an inner voice to start posting these 2 – 5 min little videos on facebook teaching people about how to raise their vibrations, manifest their goals and clear out some of that negative stuck energy we have. Well let me tell you that the response i have been getting is absolutely amazing. People are commenting on how these little videos are making a change in their lives and that they are looking forward to the next posts that I put up. Since starting this( from Jan 2) my business has gone way up. I am a personal fitness trainer and nutritional consultant and I also help people get clear on their goals and inspire people that all is possible if they choose it to be.
    I have attracted so many new clients, that I still cannot believe it. But it all makes sense, because I truly want to make a difference in people’s lives and by giving away this information the Universe has opened it’s doors wide for me and am receiving Heaven’s abundance.
    Thank you Joe for inspiring me when things were tough and not so nice for me.
    I feel truly blessed to have learned all this information and for coming across your work in 2007.
    I would love if you can go check out my videos on facebook. Go check out my profile at
    Ernie De Minico ( Yes I am also Italian)
    I know you are an extremely busy man and thank God for that, but if you have a few spare moments, I would truly feel honored if you can leave me a comment or 2. Wow that would really make my day, rather my year if the Great Joe Vitale would comment on my posts. Cool. I will visualize it. They begin from Jan 2 and go through right to today and will continue through the month of January.
    Thanks again Joe
    Ernie De Minico

  6. January 17, 2011 at 9:58 pm

    Right on Joe! This is what it’s all about. Stop making excuses and start doing something. Learning by doing is the best way. You are totally correct in that what we claim that we need to accomplish a goal are only excuses and are usually caused by fear.

    You have given some great examples here that we should all take note of and should follow their lead.

    Thanks for the inspiration!
    Anthony

  7. ebooks2help-Reply
    January 18, 2011 at 3:21 pm

    Had an Inspiration to create a ho’oponopono ebook and did it. Find the ebook here: ho’oponopono. Also Inspired to create something for those outside of ho’oponopono awareness who might benefit from the method. One of the Inspirations was for dealing with stress – guessing something we can all relate to. That site is called stress management and also offers the ebook. Ebook has a free sample available so to those who might have a calling please come by and get some information without charge or risk. When darkness seems most prominent the Light can shine brightest, so Keep The Faith. Love.

  8. January 18, 2011 at 5:04 pm

    Yes, Yes, YES ! thats the way to go from Procrastination to Paradise… take the Rubicon challenge and just
    !!! DO IT !!!
    Love you, Joe
    Keep on Shining :-)x X x

  9. January 19, 2011 at 11:26 am

    Thank you, Joe. I needed this message right when I read it!

  10. January 21, 2011 at 12:26 pm

    Thanks Joe – By the way seen the video of that bat mobile car on the video blog – Wow! Lovin your monthly newsletter also
    Thanks From Brian ZImmerman

  11. Joe,

    Thank you for a very lovely song and pointing everyone to the true start of inspired action spending time with one’s desire instead of going on to the next thought that shows up.

    To Your Best,
    Dr. Houston Vetter
    DocResults.com

  12. April 28, 2011 at 10:57 am

    Prezado,
    Dr. Joe, li dois livros seus:o Limite zero e Marketing Esperitual os quais gostei muito, gostaria de saber se o sr. vem ao Brasil? se sim, Quando? gostaria de trocar algumas idéia com o sr. Se não for pessoalmente pode ser via e-mail. Não falo nem escrevo ingles. Grata,
    Josy

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