Tag: jerry hicks

One day my cell phone rang.

It doesn’t ring very often because very few people have the number.

I didn’t recognize the calling number, and there was no Caller ID name listed, so I figured it was a random sales call and declined it.

But a minute later, the phone rang again.

Same number.

Again, I declined it.

But a few minutes later, I got notified of a message.

Curious, I played the voice mail.

I was shocked at what I heard.

It was a slightly muffled conversation between two people, a man and a woman, bad mouthing my music.

It was like being a fly on the wall, listening to a couple bash your first born.

Specifically, they were quite openly thrashing my first singer-songwriter album, Strut!, from 2012.

My first singer-songwriter album 2012

“It’s trash!” the woman said.

“It’s really garbage!” the man said.

I was shocked.

Baffled.

Hurt.

I recognized the woman’s voice.

I thought she was a friend.

Their entire conversation lasted several minutes.

Since the woman had “butt dialed” me by accident, she didn’t have a clue that their exchange had been recorded.

But it was.

I’m not sure how you would feel if you overheard people you know trashing something you created out of love and passion, but I was confused.

I reached out to my music support team, my friends who helped create that first album, and told them what happened.

They were angry.

They wanted to call the woman and give her a piece of their mind.

I didn’t want to do that.

I wanted to process the Twilight Zone-ish experience and see what I could learn.

As I meditated on the bizarre event, I realized a few things –

• not everyone likes my books (!)
• not everyone likes me (?)
• much of music today doesn’t appeal to me

Of course, I wouldn’t call someone and tell them my opinion of their books or music or them, but realizing that not everyone loves me or my work, while baffling, was somehow comforting.

And then I thought about all the good things regarding my first singer-songwriter album.

Musician makes cover

For example –

• Strut! has original songs that were nominated for awards,
• one song was turned into a music video with over 300,000 views,
• the album was mentioned in Rolling Stone magazine,
• the songs were recorded with the help of Grammy nominated people
• and one Rock and Roll Hall of Fame musician,
• and I was voted #1 singer-songwriter by Reverbnation for it.

Voted #1 singer-songwriter 3 years

So, obviously, my music must not be “trash.”

It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but what is?

And I admit that my later albums – such as One More Day (a bestseller that sold out almost instantly after it was released and includes Grammy nominated singer Ruthie Foster on one hypnotic track) – reveal a more polished singer-songwriter, but I doubt that the first album was that bad.

Latest Bestselling CD sold out

Not everyone loves Elvis, the Beatles, Lady Gaga, or Neil Diamond – and those people are legends – but not everyone likes any of the hundreds of thousands of new, alternative, jazz or any of a staggering amount of music coming out today, either.

So, what are you or I going to do?

Stop?

Give up?

Let the critics win?

Mark Twain wrote in his autobiography –

“I believe that the trade of critic, in literature, music, and the drama, is the most degraded of all trades, and that it has no real value–certainly no large value…However, let it go. It is the will of God that we must have critics, and missionaries, and congressmen, and humorists, and we must bear the burden.” – Mark Twain

I’m with Twain, but I didn’t get to the same conclusion overnight.

All of this was a day-long process.

It took me more than a few minutes to get clarity.

After I realized that what I was given was an opportunity to clear up some limiting beliefs I had about approval, I was free to turn the event into a teaching lesson for you and me both, hence this post.

As I wrote in my book, The Attractor Factor, I pulled a TIISG: Turn It Into Something Good.

As you pursue your dreams and goals, you will probably encounter a person or two that doesn’t approve.

You have to continue forward anyway.

There will always be critics.

Their job is easy: put you or your project down.

Your job is harder but more rewarding:

Allow them their opinion, and continue towards your vision.

After all, everyone with a butt has an opinion.

And if you’re really worried about being butt dialed a bad review, just turn off your phone.

Ao Akua,

joe

"Dare Something Worthy!"

PS – If you want to see for yourself how bad my music is, go review all 15 albums I’ve created over the last 4 years at All Healing Music.

Member BBB 2003 - 2016

As I type these words, people in Paris are traumatized by the recent surprise attacks on them, and worried about family, friends, and their future well-being.

While the world is still reeling from the effects of war, many are now bracing for something that could be worse.

As I overhear all of this, I hear an underlying victim mentality.

We’re victims of storms.

We’re victims of attacks.

We’re victims of a poorly run government.

We’re victims of gas prices, gas shortages, inflation, recession, taxes, wars, and more.

I’m going to say something unusual.

It may upset some people.

I’m hoping it will inspire you.

Here goes:

You have more power than you think.

While you may not want to stand in the path of war, you don’t have to cower under the bed, either.

As odd as it may sound, I believe that if enough of us think positive, we can create a counter storm of sorts.

We can protect ourselves and our loved ones with our thoughts.

I’ve described and proved this with the research in the back of my book, The Attractor Factor.

More than nineteen studies *proved* that when a large group of people hold positive intentions, those intentions radiate out and become reality.

I asked my readers to help stop Hurricane Rita almost ten years ago.

Rita stopped.

I asked my readers to help stop the Texas wildfires several years ago.

The fires stopped.

I asked my readers to help my dying mother several years ago.

My mother is still with us.

Together, we can do something about Paris, too.

I’m not saying ignore current reality.

I’m asking you to create a better reality.

I’m saying don’t get caught up in fear.

I’m asking you to come from faith.

Look. If you think an attack will get you or a loved one, then it’s already gotten you.

You’re living in fear.

Your life is dark, gloomy and in a cage.

The media is flawless at whipping us into fear.

So I suggest ignoring the mainstream media.

It’s not information, it’s propaganda.

That’s why it’s called “programming.”

It gets large groups of people to think negative, which of course then becomes reality.

Why can’t we do the opposite?

Why can’t we get large groups of people to think positive?

Yes, be sure to travel safely and wisely.

Yes, be sure you take care of yourself and your family.

Yes, contribute to any causes you believe in that help people who need it right now.

But also check the storehouse in your mind.

Are you living in fear, or living in trust?

Are you coming from fear, or faith?

Are you focused on the negative, or are you doing something to create a positive?

We are always at choice.

My plea is that the readers of this blog — you — will stop, breathe, and focus on love; pray, or in some positive way send out an energy that will help dissolve the fear in and around us.

I’m asking you to do this today.

As I was writing this, I was reminded of the famous Paradoxical Commandments written by Dr. Kent M. Keith.

They go like this –

“People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

“If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.

“If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

“The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

“Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

“The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.

“People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

“What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

“People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.

“Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway.”

I know you may feel that thinking positive may be a waste of time.

Do it anyway.

I know you may feel that your efforts are insignificant.

Do it anyway.

I know you may wonder if group meditation will really work.

Do it anyway.

I know you may doubt if prayer will help.

Do it anyway.

Let’s create the positive future we want right now.

Let’s focus on spirit.

Let’s focus on love.

What I’m asking you to do is be happy, right now.

Smile.

Send that loving energy out, in the direction of Paris.

Intend for all to be well, for, in reality, from a spiritual view of life, all is well.

We can make a difference.

It begins with you.

And me.

Will you join me?

Ao Akua,

Joe

PS – Please forward this post to family and friends, share it on Facebook and Twitter, and wherever you think it will make a difference. Thank you.

Note: Some resources for you:

For information on The Paradoxical Commandments see –
http://www.paradoxicalcommandments.com/

For information on meditation stopping wars and attacks see –
http://www.worldpeacegroup.org/world_peace_through_meditation.html

For information on prayer and The Secret Prayer see –
http://www.thesecretprayer.com

Member BBB 2003 - 2016

At the risk of turning this blog into an obituary column, I have to again pay homage to another friend who just passed away.

I’m in tears as I write this.

Morty Lefkoe was the most loving man I’ve ever met.

I met him at my first TLC (Transformational Leadership Council) meeting many years ago.

We instantly connected, talking about beliefs, books, personal change and more.

Loving Morty Lefkoe

Morty had been deeply involved and influenced by est, the controversial seminar back in the 1970s.

He was friends with the founder, Werner Erhard (who was best man at Morty’s wedding), and handled the celebrity department as est grew.

He also personally studied with Ayn Rand, the author of staggering bestselling classics of literature, such as Atlas Shrugged.

Morty attended her private classes, once had a collection of her books, all signed (that today would be worth $20,000 each), and became personal friends with Rand.

He used to tell me stories about Erhard and Rand, that both fascinated and enlightened me.

I couldn’t help but think that Morty soaked up the wisdom of the giants.

Morty Lefkoe

But Morty never stopped learning or growing.

He developed his own system for change, called it the Lefkoe Method, and went on to use it to help tens of thousands of people, including me.

He wrote a book about it, too.

Morty's outstanding book

I love his book and suggest you read it.

When Morty and I would meet in person, we’d explore our thoughts about life and change, always wanting to learn from each other.

One time he asked me to write a blog post about the Law of Attraction.

He said he would write one, too.

We would then post them and then see what we each thought.

It was a great idea, and helped our readers, as well as both of us.*

Shelly and Nerissa with Morty and me

When our wives went clothes shopping, Morty and I went book shopping.

When everyone else talked about the news of the day, Morty and I talked about what really works in personal transformation.

He treated me with love and respect, and often felt like an unconditionally loving uncle, encouraging me, listening to me, and loving me.

The last time I saw him, a few months ago, he was in the hospital.

His spirits were good.

He smiled big, asked about my life and projects, and showed no signs that he was unhappy.

He wasn’t.

He talked about projects he was working on, and excited about.

He acted like he was not going to leave us.

But he did.

He passed away yesterday, on November 11, 2015.

I’ll never forget him.

He was the most loving man I ever met.

I love you, Morty.

Ao Akua,

Joe

PS – Morty’s thoughts are worth digging into on his blog at http://www.mortylefkoe.com and in his book. *You’ll find the blog he wrote on the Law of Attraction, with a link to the one I wrote about LOA, at http://www.mortylefkoe.com/joe-vitale-discuss-law/

Member BBB 2003 - 2016

A few days ago I got the inner nudge to contact self-publishing legend Dan Poynter.

I didn’t do it, and now I know why.

Dan was no longer there to reply.

Self-publishing legend Dan Poynter

Dan helped me almost thirty years ago, with advice about publishing, and later by sending me clients for my copywriting services, getting me hired as a speaker at publishing conventions, introducing me at giant events like the National Speakers Association where I was the keynote speaker, and more.

Over the decades, we became friends.

He was the first person to ever stay as a guest in my home when I lived in Houston, was the primary resource I turned to for advice about publishing in any form, and was a friend I could talk to about books or cats.

He believed in e-books before I did.

He believed anyone could become an author, and showed them how.

He believed everyone needed encouragement, and offered it to all, including me.

He believed in stunts to get attention, and loved being involved.

When I helped generate the idea for a national publicity event involving President George H. W. Bush, to help promote parachuting, Dan was right there to help.

The former senior President wanted a special parachute.

Dan, being an expert on the subject because of the self-published best-selling book he had written on it, found the chute.

And the news went global.

Since 1969, Dan wrote more than 130 books, many reports, and more than 800 magazine articles, most of them on book publishing.

But he also wrote about – and because of his books became the authority on – other subjects.

When I was asked to be an expert witness in a court, it was Dan who advised me what to do and what to charge.

How did he know?

He had written about it.

Most of the advice I gave people when I was a publishing consultant, and when I was teaching writing and publishing classes, came from experts like Dan.

His books taught me, and I shared what I learned.

When I was broke and unknown and struggling, it was gurus like Dan who gave me a leg up, offered advice, and encouraged me, even when they made no money or had any idea the advice would stick.

Dan Poynter was like that.

We didn’t stay in regular contact over the last few years, so I didn’t know he developed leukemia.

And I didn’t know that he died on November 3, 2015.

That was the day he came to my mind – as if he was saying goodbye.

He was 77.

Dan was the self-publishing guru who helped countless newbie authors – including me.

Thank you, Dan Poynter.

I will miss you.

Ao Akua,

Joe

PS – Dan’s books are relevant to any author. Look him up on Amazon or at http://www.parapublishing.com/sites/para/

Member BBB 2003 - 2016

Recently on my Facebook fan page I posted this thought:

“Whenever you get upset, it’s because you went unconscious. A hidden belief was activated. Become aware of the belief, release it, and the upset vanishes. You are then able to clearly see what to do next in the moment.”

The idea is to become aware.

When something upsets you, it’s not because of the “something” but because of your internal trigger, usually an unconscious belief.

When you become aware of the belief, you can remove the trigger.

Then when “something” happens that used to upset you, you will be calm, and better able to see your choices in the moment.

In other words, when you get upset, you have to become acutely sensitive to what belief in you is being activated.

Under your emotions is a thought about how things “should” be.

Because things are suddenly not as your unconscious mind expected, a switch was thrown, a belief was activated, and you became upset.

But once you realize what the belief is, you can change it and no longer attract the experience.

New movie releases Nov 20

As I also posted one time —

“The meaning you give an event is the belief that attracted it.”

Once you clear the belief, you no longer need situations to remind you of it.

One way to find the belief, is to ask yourself what the situation means.

• “This always happens to me!”
• “He/she never respects me!”
• “I can never win!”

All of those statements seem like accurate observations of reality by the person stating them.

On one level, they are accurate.

But in unfiltered objective reality those statements are the beliefs that are attracting the subjective reality.

Clear the belief and you won’t attract the experience, or, if you attract something akin to it, it won’t bother you.

You’ll be free.

From time to time I post nuggets like that to help you do one thing: awaken.

For example, a while back I posted this:

“If you don’t have some self doubts and fears when you pursue a dream, then you haven’t dreamed big enough.”

The idea behind that one is to get you to stretch, and realize stretching will bring up any beliefs counter to your goal, what I call counter-intentions.

In other words, going for a big dream will make you excited and uncomfortable, at least until you clear the negative beliefs.

Why?

Because you’re leaving your comfort zone.

By the very nature of the phrase “comfort zone,” you will be uncomfortable when you leave it.

But that doesn’t mean you aren’t to go for your dreams.

It simply means that when you pursue a new goal, your limiting beliefs around it will surface.

Which brings up the question, how do you clear limiting beliefs and counter-intentions?

I’ve written and recorded numerous books and audios about many different processes you can use, from ho’oponopono to The Remembering Process to Nevillizing to the Fourth Dimension Process to Miracles Coaching and more.

But today I’m excited to announce that I will be teaching a six week class on all of this.

It’s called “Expect Miracles.”

It will be my definitive course on going beyond where you might be stuck to living a life of magic and miracles.

It will take you from beginning to advanced to awakening.

It will contain processes, meditations, visualizations and more, all led by me, all designed to help you.

It will take quotes like this from me and explain them:

“You created this moment from what you thought and felt three days ago. What you are thinking and feeling right now will create your next moments.”

In other words, Expect Miracles will help you understand how your mind works, so you can actually go past the mind and merge with the energy vortex of life itself.

In that realm, miracles are the norm.

The course begins November 10, 2015.

If this is something that resonates with you, then check it out at http://mval.li/?a=5325&c=1676&p=r&s1=

Remember – Expect Miracles!

Ao Akua,

joe

PS – For more quotes from me, one place to look is at http://addicted2success.com/quotes/36-joe-vitale-quotes-to-inspire-a-life-of-abundance/

Member BBB 2003 - 2016