Tag: love

30
Apr

Attracting Harry Potter's Magic Guitar

When I was a kid I asked my parents for a guitar for Christmas. I was probably under ten years old. They were struggling, scarcity minded, hard working folks who weren’t convinced I’d actually practice or stick with it. So they gave me a Roy Rogers special cowboy guitar, made out of cardboard.

It took me almost fifty years to get over it.

But these days I love attracting guitars and playing guitars. I’m fortunate enough to know musicians as well as guitar teachers. Weekly lessons with Guitar Monk Mathew Dixon are a blast. Talking music with guitarist Pat O’Bryan is always enlightening. And meeting luthiers (guitar makers) is also educational and inspiring. (Pic’s of Pat and me.*)

pat and me

Recently I met Mark Erlewine. This luthier made guitars for every rock star I’ve ever admired, including Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill of ZZ Top, Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits, Johnny Winter, Don Felder, Joe Walsh of the Eagles, Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Jimmy Buffet, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Billy Squier, Bruce Springsteen — and the list goes on (!).

Turns out Mark has a little shop in Austin, Texas, which isn’t far from my home. I went to see him one day to check out a Mark Erlewine invention actor Michael J. Fox used in the famed movie Back to the Future: a travel-sized electric guitar called a Chiquita.

Side note: I love travel guitars. I have several, including a pride and joy called a TommyHawk, which was made for me in 1996 by the late Tom Barth. Only 300 were ever made. One went into the Smithsonian in 1997. I want another, if you come across one. (Pic’s of my TommyHawk, with a pocket sized paperback book.)

tommy hawk guitar

I went to Mark’s shop. He’s a soft spoken, gentle, humble man. He didn’t explain the gold record on the wall. He didn’t brag about all the photos on his walls of famous rock stars playing his guitars. Instead, I asked to see the Chiquita and he showed it to me. I loved it and bought it. (Pic’s of Mark and his Chiquita.)

travel guitar

But I didn’t stop there.

Now that I’m attracting new guitars, I’m always on the look out for the guitar with magic powers. The one that plays itself. The one that makes me sound better than what I am. I started to believe Mark could be the inventor of the Harry Potter guitar – the one that turns me into a shredding wizard with the guitar as my magic wand.

So I looked around Mark’s shop. He had a couple display cases. In one hung a guitar that seemed alive. Its soul was calling me. The flame top seemed to whisper my nick-name, Mr. Fire. (Pic of me and Mark.)

mark e and me

I asked to see that guitar.

mark e and me and guitarMark made it in the 1980s, the body out of one block of wood and the neck out of Brazilian rosewood. It has a whammy bar on the front and a sustain plate on the back of the neck. I played it and loved it. (Pic’s close-up of the flamed top.)

mark e guitarI now own that guitar, too.

What are the lessons here?

First, give your kids what they want. Had I started playing the guitar when I was seven, I’d be far better at playing today at almost fifty-seven. But my father wanted me to play the accordion. He bought me one of those. He paid for lessons for me, too. But I wanted to play the guitar.

Two, go for what you want. Too many people settle. They settle for what they think is possible rather than stretching and persisting. If you really want to be something or do something, don’t give up or settle for less. Hold to the dream. I’m taking guitar lessons today to bring to life my dream of playing from earlier days. I’m going for what I want. Childhood dreams do come true.

Three, have fun. I’m delighted to be at a place in my life where I can take time off to look at cars or guitars. I still do my work, of course. I’m still more productive and prolific than the average ‘Joe”. I still practice the seven steps in Attract Money Now. I still donate to worthy causes. But I also take care of me.

How about you?

Who are you taking care of these days?

What dreams remain alive in you – waiting for you to says YES to them?

What did you want to have, do or be as a child that might be fun to experience today?

What are you waiting for?

You can at least begin right now.

Ao Akua,

Joe

PS – Need help understanding the Law of Attraction? Claim your free 30-minute coaching session with one of my Miracles Coaches. It could change your life.

PPS – See the world’s only Alien Guitar.

* How’d Pat and I get so trim? The answer is at this secret location.

AMN banner

19
Apr

"You Can Have It All"

In the early 1980s one of the authors who inspired me was Arnold Patent. He came out of nowhere with a book titled You Can Have It All and quickly went on the cover of national magazines and even appeared on Oprah.

ArnoldPatent

Arnold is still around. He’s eighty years old and still writing and speaking. I interviewed him recently for my Hypnotic Gold members. He’s an easy guest, as he’s so loving and relaxed.

One of his tips for growing is what he calls stretching.

The more you reach for goals that you think are beyond you, the more you will stretch yourself into being the kind of person who can reach those goals.

arnold patent book

He also noted that you can’t dramatically change without a coach.

He openly said that books and audios won’t do it, even though he (like me) offers both.

He said you need someone to take you beyond yourself. In his opinion, that’s a coach.

Of course, I agree. That’s why I started Miracles Coaching more than four years ago. Books and audios helped me, but coaching transformed me.

When it comes to stretching, just talking to Arnold was making me stretch beyond my limits. Through our interview, he was a temporary personal coach to me.

For example, as you may already know, I had been contemplating buying a Spyker car for well over a year. It’s a hand-made exotic sports car from Holland. It’s rare, stunning, and expensive. Since I already attracted several nice cars, including a Rolls-Royce Phantom and three Panoz sports cars, I wouldn’t let myself even test drive a Spyker.

But then I remembered Arnold and the idea of stretching.

I had to admit I was letting my limiting thoughts stop me from trying out the Spyker. I had to come face to face with my own issues of deservingness, wealth, status, opinion, and much more.

Please note: It’s not about the car. It’s about stretching.

As a result, I flew to Houston to do one thing: test drive that car!

I wrote about that experience in a previous blog post (April 2nd: Are You On the Right Path?). It illustrates how taking action leads to unexpected miracles.

spyker_burnt_almond

Now it’s your turn.

Please think about what you have been afraid to do.

That fear may be a stretch for you.

But stretching often leads to transformation.

Go read Arnold Patent. I endorse him and his work. As his famous book title declares, you really can have it all.

But in order to experience that abundance, you may have to do something you’ve been afraid to do.

The next move is yours.

I wonder what joy awaits once you take the first step to stretch into what you want….

Ao Akua,

Joe

PS – Want help in overcoming fear and other inner blocks? Get a free thirty minute consultation with one of my Miracles Coaches by clicking right here. Discover how to use the Law of Attraction and the ideas in the movie The Secret to finally attract what you want.

AMN banner

20
Mar

Attracting Michelle Malone

One of my all time favorite singer songwriters is Michelle Malone.  She’s played private house concerts in my home four times over as many years. I love her power and passion. She gave a rocking performance again just last night. Here are some photos to share the moment with you:

This is Michelle after the show playing my second Saddle Pal guitar, created by luthier Chris Jenkins:

michelle malone saddle pal

Here’s Michelle before the show playing my first Saddle Pal, a guitar with explosive and surprising volume, also made by Chris Jenkins:

michelle malone sadle pal one

Here’s Michelle with my guitar teacher Mathew Dixon:

michelle malone mathew dixon

And here’s Michelle (playing my Robert Taylor all Koa wood amazing guitar) and her band rocking my house and my world:

miichelle malone robert tylor

I had a blast with Michelle. She’s light, fun, funny, and smart. I also showed her and her band my Alien Guitar. They’ll never forget it. I’ll share that clip with you later.

Nerissa filmed the show last night. Until it’s ready to share with you, here’s an excerpt of Michelle Malone’s 2007 concert in my home with me playing harmonica with her:

AMN banner

10
Mar

Fitness Model Jennifer Nicole Lee's Law of Attraction Secret

International fitness model Jennifer Nicole Lee sent me this photograph of her wearing one of my limited edition T-shirts for my new book, Attract Money Now:

rsz_jnl

Jennifer was a Phantom Rider last January, when ABC News filmed our entire Rolls-Royce Phantom Mastermind together. That’s when I met her for the first time.

I already knew who she was from her famous infomercial for the Ab Circle Pro, from all the magazine covers she’s posed for (300), from her weight loss success story (which Oprah reported on) and from her book (which I wrote the foreword to).

But nothing prepared me for the experience of meeting Jennifer herself.

She’s beautiful, yes, but also upbeat, optimistic, positive thinking, charismatic, funny, likable, lovable, smart, persistent and oh so much more.

Yes, I liked her.

But there’s more to her than the obvious.

My driver that night said if Jennifer isn’t my #1 groupie, she’s at least my #1 fan.

jennifer nicole lee and joe

She not only arrived with luggage full of my books that she wanted me to sign, but she also showed me her ipod and how it was loaded with all of my audio books. She often works out listening to The Attractor Factor.

But her ipod also had everything by me, from the iTunes self-help hit The Solution to my bestselling CD and DVD course on using the Law of Attraction to attract money, The Secret to Attracting Money.

As the evening went on, she would quote my own teachings back to me, such as “The more money you spend, the more money you receive.”

It’s clear that Jennifer is successful because she feeds her mind with success thoughts, stays positive, and takes action.

Every morning she and her assistant get in the car and drive around Florida, masterminding, brainstorming, and dreaming big.

She also read my latest book, Attract Money Now and said:

“This page-turner reveals the real secrets to attracting money! I love it!”

amn book ad

I confess that when Jennifer booked her evening with me for the Phantom Rider experience, I wasn’t sure how I could help her. After all, she’s already successful. And she’d already read all my books and listened to all my programs.

What was left?

But she later told me — as well as ABC News — that she got her money’s worth within the first 15 minutes of our conversation. We generated new ideas and came up with money-making plans she hadn’t thought of before. She loved it.

And the end of the evening, Jennifer gave me a million-dollar smile and said, “And the best part of tonight is you didn’t ask for a percentage for your ideas!”

You (and I) can learn from the secret of Jennifer Nicole Lee.

Focus on what you want, surround yourself with positive people and positive thought, and take action.

As Jennifer ends all her emails, what’s left is to just “Believe!”

Ao Akua,

Joe

PS – You can learn all about Jennifer Nicole Lee at her website and you can still read my latest book, Attract Money Now, online for free by clicking on the below banner. Enjoy and remember — Believe!

AMN banner

19
Oct

Is "Bright-Sided" Critical Thinking?

I saw Barbara Ehrenreich, author of the book Bright-Sided, on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart last week. Her book reveals  “How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America.” I love Jon Stewart’s interviews and was keenly curious about this author and her book.

As I watched Ehrenreich on television, I got the feeling she’s a wounded soul. She talked about being diagnosed with cancer and how people around her told her to just think positive. I know from having my own cancer scare a few years ago that her feelings were justified. When you’ve been diagnosed with the C word, you’ve been kicked in the gut. Smiling people don’t help.  I felt for her and agreed with her. Positive thinking in that dire situation isn’t welcome, at least not at first.

As I often do after seeing a Jon Stewart interview, I jumped on Amazon and ordered her book. I was so curious that I paid extra for next day delivery.

IMG00167-20091016-1634Well, it arrived.

It’s a well written historical overview of positive thinking. It mentions all the positive thinkers you might guess, from Napoleon Hill to Joel Olsteen , Jack Canfield, Will Bowen, Bob Doyle, Rhonda Byrne; to the teachers in the movie The Secret, including me.

Turns out Ehrenreich heard me speak a few years ago at the National Speakers Association annual convention. There were more than 6,000 people there, so I never met her. But I apparently left an impression. She says in her book –

“Vitale, who looks like a slightly elongated version of Danny DeVito, offers the theme of ‘inspired marketing,’ and also love. “

Inspired Marketing is the title of a book I wrote with Craig Perrine, and love is the core  of everything I do.

But Ehrenreich didn’t say either fact.

She mentions I’m a disciple of P.T. Barnum in her book, too, but doesn’t explain that’s because I wrote a popular business book on him, titled There’s A Customer Born Every Minute.

For a journalist, she cleverly left off statements that would justify what I, and others she mentions in her book, stand for and teach.

The message of her book seems to be to use critical thinking, not positive thinking, in order to make a difference in your life and world. For her, positive thinking can be delusional, while critical thinking can give you a well-rounded view of your choices.

I agree with her.

The thing is, most people who say they are critical thinkers are actually skeptical thinkers.  They quickly dismiss concepts without trying them, or demand scientific proof for concepts that are still being researched. That, to me, is delusional.

The most powerful books I’ve read on the subject of critical thinking are by Steve Siebold. His books are wake-up calls to your brain. Read his book 177 Mental Toughness Secrets of the World Class, or Die Fat or Get Tough, or read his forthcoming book on mental toughness secrets of the rich.

While I prefer positive thinking over negative thinking, I have to admit that positive thinkers can sometimes be blind to reality. When I had my cancer scare, I didn’t just think positive. I also took massive action. I searched for cures, I contacted all the healers and medical doctors I know, I tried every method offered to me, and I stayed persistent. The end result is a clean bill of health. But I didn’t get there by putting on a happy face and sitting in a corner.

Bright-Sided is a bestselling book and Ehrenreich is getting lots of publicity for it.  While she ends the book with a call to be more critical in our thinking, and to take action to get results, I suspect it will mislead many readers. Too many will jump to the conclusion that positive thinking doesn’t work at all. They’ll use the book to justify not being optimistic, or not choosing to feel good. They’ll just keep on complaining.

My reminder to you is that you always have a choice: When confronted with any moment, you can look at it cheerfully, unhappily, or objectively. I prefer the latter but with a positive expectancy.

When I got the heath scare, I at first was walloped with the news. But then I set an intention to find a cure. I expected one because, as I say in my book The Attractor Factor,  there’s always a way to handle any problem. My critical thinking — or maybe it’s better called objective thinking — included the possibility that positive action and positive expectation would be better than just unhappiness, happiness, or no action.

I appreciate critical thinking, but it’s subject to delusion, too. Most of the people I know who claim to be critical thinkers still have limiting beliefs and negative attitudes they aren’t even aware are in their own head. They are actually skeptical thinkers as a form of self-protection.

Combine all this with the Law of Attraction and you might see where critical/skeptical thinkers will find evidence for their beliefs, and positive thinkers will find evidence for their own beliefs. They’ll simply attract what they need to support their mindsets.

So how do you get out of this maze so you can have a clear-headed, productive life?

For me, the fastest thing that helps you get mentally clear is having the right coach. I know I’ve said it before but it needs said again: Every high achiever I know has a coach in their area of expertise. The coach can help them see their thinking patterns. The coach can help them stay accountable. The coach can help them achieve the results they want.

If having a coach is part of what Ehrenreich condemns as something that has “undermined America”, then I have to disagree with her. In fact, I’d go so far as to suggest she get a coach to help her unravel her own thinking about “Bright-Sided” being  negative. It could also help her heal her psychic wounds.

But as she openly says, it’s “reckless optimism” that bothers her the most. With that in mind, I suggest she’s correct. You don’t want to be recklessly optimistic, but practically optimistic.

In other words, choose what you want, have an optimistic expectancy about the results, take action to attract it, and monitor your progress for feedback and course changes. That’s how you make practical use of the Law of Attraction.

That’s not being “Bright-Sided”, that’s being smart.

Finally, decades ago I had a landlord who made fun of me for reading success literature, such as positive thinking books.

I was struggling, broke and unknown at the time. I was paying him two hundred dollars a month to live in a dumpy little room in his house. I didn’t look like I was going anywhere in life.

He caught me reading a Norman Vincent Peale book (probably Enthusiasm Makes the Difference) and said, “You believe that shit?”

“I sure do, ” I said.

While at the time he questioned me I had no evidence for any future success, and any critical thinking person could have dismissed me as a dreamer, today I’m wealthy and well known.

Was it because I read positive thinking books?

Was it because I chose to be “bright-sided” about life?

Was it because I took massive action and kept a positive expectancy about my future?

What do you think?

Ao Akua,

Joe

PS – Check out my Miracles Coaching program by clicking right here.

Note: The T-shirt I’m wearing in the photo of me and the book says “I Create My Reality.” It’s backward writing. When I look at my shirt in the mirror, I see it clearly. It’s a direct message to my unconscious, and a real conversation starter for others who see it. Call it “Bright-Sided” clothing.

amn book ad