Tag: music

Many people new to the Law of Attraction confuse material gain and spiritual awakening. They think it’s either-or: either you attract the money or you attract the awakening, but not both.

Obviously, that’s not what I teach.

In my books, such as The Awakened Millionaire, I explain that you want to profit from your passion, and that being true to yourself in business is also being true to your spiritual path.

It’s not either-or.

It’s both.

One evening I watched a documentary called Still Bill, on Bill Withers, the singer-songwriter famous for such tunes as Grandma’s Hands and Lean on Me.

In one scene in the film, he was congratulated for not “selling out.”

Bill paused and then said, “Look. We are all entrepreneurs. What’s the best sign we could ever put in our store? The greatest sign we can hang in our window is ‘SOLD OUT.'”

I loved his clarification.

Bill wrote songs true to him, and along the way he sold millions of them.

He didn’t “sell out” but he surely “sold out.”

Singer Bono once said “Selling out is doing something you don’t really want to do for money.”

I don’t want you to pursue money for money’s sake, but to instead pursue your passion and make money from it along the way so you can continue pursuing it.

In other words, focus on your passion, create a product or service true to you, promote it honestly and relentlessly, and then enjoy the profit from your work.

Sounds healthy and wise, doesn’t it?

You can do this, too.

It’s knowing your calling/passion/life mission, and being at peace with success, as you express yourself in the marketplace.

It’s not about “selling out” but being “sold out” while doing what you love.

I know people who deceive themselves into thinking they can’t make money doing what they love because they would be too focused on the material.

They completely forget that the material is the concrete form of the spiritual.

Judging “stuff” as not spiritual is spiritual snobbery; it’s a self deception; it’s an ego trip.

I’m not talking about hoarding or whoring, but about being comfortable living well as you do well.

As Milton Friedman said, “Rich or poor, it is good to have money.”

Anyone who wants to awaken needs to embrace all aspects of life and quit judging parts of it or themselves as bad.

“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.”
― Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

It doesn’t take much character to judge anything as lowly; it’s takes much character to see the good in all of life.

Again, you can use the Law of Attraction to attract cars and cigars or spirituality and enlightenment – and you can use LOA to attract all of it.

The only limitations are in your mind.

That said, what would you welcome into your life?

As Arnold Patent, one of my favorite teachers, once said, “You can have it all!”

But, will you accept it?

Ao Akua,

Joe

PS – You can always get greater understanding of these principles about Law of Attraction and more in my Miracles Coaching program.

Here’s a deeper insight into how the Law of Attraction actually works:

I’ve noticed that as soon as I sign up for a seminar or workshop, changes begin.

It may be just the decision that triggers change, or it may be something more esoteric.

Let me tell you a true a story about how this works…

A few weeks ago I decided to go back into the studio with my band and record my sixth singer-songwriter album.

As soon as I decided to do this, song ideas and new opportunities came to me.

For example, one day I looked in Facebook and there was a notice that rock legend Melissa Etheridge was doing a crowdfunding campaign for her new album.

As you’ll see in a minute, I’m a huge fan of hers.

I scanned her offerings and there was one for a two-hour, in-person, songwriting lesson with Melissa herself.

That excited me.

It also made me nervous.

After all, I’m a newbie as a singer-songwriter and Melissa is a goddess at it.

But as I say, “A goal should scare you a little and excite you a lot.”

I decided to go for it.

Within 24 hours, new energy for music hit me like waves of hot electricity.

I started writing new songs almost instantly.

Yet I haven’t had my session with Melissa yet!

As I mentioned, I’m a huge fan of Melissa Etheridge. Have been almost twenty years.

I fell in a hypnotic trance when I saw her on TV around 1995, scorching the screen with just her voice and acoustic guitar on an episode of Unplugged.

I’ve had this photo of Melissa Etheridge over 20 years

I mentioned her in my book on P.T. Barnum, There’s A Customer Born Every Minute.

I’ve seen her perform live numerous times.

I was a card carrying member of her fan club for years.

I bought a guitar signed by her.

I bought and read her autobiography.

I bought her song books to learn how she wrote her hits.

I tried to meet her, too.

She was going to be in the same organization I’m a member of (Transformational Leadership Council) and I thought I’d see her at one of our retreats.

I still haven’t met her.

But I will, when I have my private songwriting lesson with her.

And knowing I will, and knowing I will discuss my singer-songwriter passions with her soon, has turned on some “music production” switch inside me.

Just this morning, as I was working out, I received an entire song.

It just sort of “appeared” in my head.

I knew it was good because I couldn’t stop humming it.

I jumped off the treadmill and wrote the words down.

It was a complete song.

Everything was there.

I was amazed and delighted that it came with no effort and came by inspiration.

But it came AFTER I booked my lesson with Melissa and BEFORE I’ve had it!

Throughout my life I’ve noticed that when anyone makes a decision to attend an event designed to improve them, changes begin.

I saw it when I signed up to do a fire walk decades ago.

I saw it when I registered to experience The Forum seminar long ago.

I saw it when I signed up for Bill Phillip’s Body-For-Life challenge ten years ago, and more recently when I registered for his Transformation Camp and personally trained with him.

I saw it when I booked a saxophone lesson with Grammy nominated sax player Mindi Abair.

Grammy nominated sax sensation Mindi Abair and me

And I see it almost daily when people join my Miracles Coaching program.

As soon as they sign on the dotted line, and know they are committing to change, the change begins.

Why?

How?

I’m convinced it’s the decision to change that does it.

The decision sends a solid message to all parts of you that you are going in a new direction.

Suddenly your mind has a new target; a new goal.

Instantly your brain goes on “alert” for anything to help you with the upcoming changes.

There may be a more esoteric reason for it, too.

When you declare you are going to do something new, the Universe takes note, applauds you, and sends you support.

As Goethe put it –

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back — concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth that ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.“

Decision is the key.

It’s like turning the ignition switch on to engage the Law of Attraction.

Decide and things happen.

So, if there is something big you are considering doing, I say DO IT.

Just Do It!

Show your support for your desired change by signing up for it.

Make the decision.

It’s a concrete way to tell yourself and the world that you are doing something new, and you and the world respond by beginning the change that very day.

And yes, I am VERY excited to meet and learn from the rock icon herself – Melissa Etheridge!

Ao Akua,

Joe

PS – Learn more about Miracles Coaching.

A while back a delightful woman asked me some questions for an online magazine for Czech readers. She published the exchange at http://www.kofibrejkonlajn.cz/pozitivni-mysleni/36-exkluzivni-rozhovor-muzete-mit-vse-po-cem-touzite-rika-joe-vitale.html I thought you’d be interested in reading it in English:

1. Dear Joe, thank you very much for making this possible. You probably don’t know that but you are successful in the Czech republic too. We know you from The Secret and we have access to the most of your books. I read and I also heard it on one of your audio sessions that you were homeless once and now you have this amazing life and career that people usually dream of. I know that this didn’t happen over night but tell us what was “IT” that changed your life. Was it a person, a book or…your inner voice?

Answer:
People have often asked me what was “it” that changed my life. The right answer is “Everything!” I did EVERYTHING. I read books, listened to audios, attended events, kept working on myself, trying, failing, learning, improving and more. I had to DO IT ALL to become successful. There was no “one” thing. Certain books helped me, such as Claude Bristol’s The Magic of Believing. But largely, it was doing whatever seemed like the right next thing to do that got me here.

2. What were you dreaming about as a child? Do you remember?

Answer:
Oh, yes, I remember. I wanted to be a magician. I was going to be like Harry Houdini, and be famous for my great magic and stunts. I also thought I might be a baseball player, and be known player like Babe Ruth. I also thought about being an author. Since I always loved books, and still do today, becoming a writer seemed like my best bet.

3. I read and watched The Secret, which was the first platform for people in the Czech republic to find out about the Law of Attraction. I started practising the LOA, but I was suddenly afraid of my thoughts, because I couldn’t control them. I also felt that the book was only the introduction to the whole philosophy of the manifestation. There were things that were missing, which left me looking for more information. The “ Action” part was also never mentioned and I felt that only visualizing would not get me too far. If you could list 3 things that people should do every day to manifest all they want in their lives, what would they be…?

Answer:
This is a big question. I think The Secret and other books and movies are just introductions to the Law of Attraction. There’s much more to learn. I have entire courses, like The Missing Secret, and my Miracles Coaching program, to help people understand these deep concepts. If I had to list three things to do, they’d be:

1. State your intention. What do you want?
2. Get clear. When negative thoughts arise, realize they are just thoughts and don’t feed them.
3. Take action. Results are a co-creation of what you do and what the Universe does through others.

4. I read your Hypnotic marketing and hypnotic writing and I have to say it is very powerful. It hasn’t been translated to Czech language yet unfortunately. I hope that it will be soon after we publish this interview.  Where do you get your inspiration for you books? Do you first test everything and then write about it.

Answer:
I get ideas from everywhere. I read a tremendous amount and get ideas from what I read. i also have inspirations and follow through on them, testing them on myself first. If they work for me, I share them with others. I see myself as a scout who rides ahead of everyone, tries out what he sees, and then returns and shares his secrets with others.

5. In our magazine Kofibrejkonlajn.cz (coffeebreakonline –but written in a funny way) we also write about procrastination, work ethic…and so on. You are the author of so many books, you teach, do online seminars, travel the world, you are a musician with 4 albums; it seems to me, that you don’t have a problem with procrastination. Or if you have, you sure know how to beat it  Can you give us some advice or tips on how to be productive? (please tell us also about your daily routine if you have any)

Answer:
This is another big subject. People who procrastinate are doing one of two things: They are either afraid of failure or success, or they are trying to do something too big. In other words, people have unconscious beliefs about success. They may fear it or they may fear the opposite of it, failure. Either way, they will hesitate to take any action to protect themselves.

Also, if people are trying to create a big project, they may feel overwhelmed and stop. They need to break down the big project into little steps; something they can do each day to make progress. I work every day on my goals. I read every day, write every day, exercise every day, meditate every day, and rest every day. Living and doing moment by moment, I achieve massive results. Anyone can do this.

6. As you are a “guru” for millions of people through your work, we think that even a “guru” needs his own  “guru” sometimes. Is there an author or a person that inspires you?

Answer:
I have MANY authors who inspire me, from Bruce Barton and Vash Young to Debbie Ford and more. Ralph Waldo Emerson and Mark Twain also inspire me.

7. You meet lots of people through your live and online seminars, and they talk about their struggle with money, in relationships, or at work…. what do you tell them? Is that one thing that you want them to always remember?

Answer:
I tell them “This, too, will pass.” In other words, what you are struggling with will pass, what you are worried about will pass. It’s the nature of life to move things along and change them. But you can accelerate that change by focusing on what you want, clearing yourself of limiting beliefs, and taking action. The sun will rise again. It always does.

8. What are you working on now?

Answer:
Numerous things. I have two new books coming out: “The Miracle” and “The Awakened Millionaire.” I have new music coming out, on top of the 15 albums I’ve already recorded. I have an Authorship Program about to be released, to help first time authors get published in 12 weeks. I’m of course always working on my Miracles Coaching program. And most recently I have become interested in strongman feats of strength. I have been bending horseshoes, nails and spikes, and steel bars. I may write a book about it. I’m enjoying life.

9. Would you be interested in coming to Prague to have a workshop or a seminar? Do you travel to Europe often?

Answer:
YES! I would LOVE to visit there. I have been to Europe many times, and love the countries and their people.

Ao Akua,

Joe

PS – New book coming April 2016:

New book April 2016

Back in 2006 I held the world’s first Canine Concert.

It was a publicity event to promote my 1998 book on P.T. Barnum, There’s A Customer Born Every Minute, which was revised, expanded, and reissued in 2006.

Many people donated their time and talents on a mind melting hot and humid Texas day to help me.

Little did any of them know — including me — the karma we triggered.

Let me explain…

The Canine Concert was a playful hoax, a publicity stunt, an idea given to me by the legendary prankster Alan Abel.

Alan is a genius.

He is a “professional media prankster.”

Before and beyond Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart, Alan, as one newspaper called him, was “The Rembrandt of the ridiculous.”

Alan started his career in the 1950s with a fake organization called S.I.N.A.: the Society for Indecency to Naked Animals.

The crusade wanted to clothe critters.

Alan made national news, ignited a craze, and became infamous.

DVD reveals lotto hoax by Alan Abel

Alan helped me get media attention for my book The Attractor Factor with a fake lotto win in 2006, which was turned into the short documentary Humbug!

He also wanted me to run for U.S. President later, on the “Common Sense” platform.

I passed.

But I went to Alan for ideas on promoting my Barnum book.

He offered the Canine Concert.

The idea behind it was to put on a show “for dogs only.”

I thought it was wild, didn’t know if it would work, but was willing to try it.

I sent out a survey to my list to find out what kind of music their dogs liked. The majority vote was for rock and roll.

So I went looking for a local rock and roll band that would be willing to play at a sound level only dogs could hear (like using a dog whistle), and who would play for the fun of it.

The band Porterdavis and me in 2006

I’m a lifetime member of the Society of American Magicians, and knew many entertainers through the local magic club. Many of them donated their time to help me. And one (hypnotist C.J. Johnson) introduced me to the band, Porterdavis. The group agreed to play at my wild stunt.

There were more volunteers, of course.

I had a beautiful live mermaid (Lisa Nicks), a performing magician (John Maverick), an MC (Kent Cummins), P.T. Barnum (played by Kevin Coyne) and even a protesting cat.

Protesting cat made the news too

Three news crews came to film the people, the dogs, and me.

We all had a good time and we parted after the event.

And here’s where the story gets juicy…

Years went by and one day I received an email from Daniel Barrett, the lead singer for Porterdavis.

He wanted to have lunch and ask for some advice about a career change.

I remembered him, of course, and agreed.

Over lunch, Daniel told me he was planning to start a program to help first time musicians write, perform and record their own music.

What Daniel didn’t know is that my secret dream was to write, record and perform my own music.

Think about this.

Daniel had no idea I wanted to become a musician.

I had no idea he wanted to help people become musicians.

Yet we met — years after he did the good deed of helping me at the event — and our karma balanced out.

Daniel has so far produced five of my 15 albums, including an album with me, Daniel, and Grammy nominated singer Ruthie Foster.

Is this all amazing or what?

DVD of the famous event on Amazon

But the story doesn’t stop there…

We’ve been having problems with our wireless Internet for a long time.

I finally jumped online and searched for someone nearby to come to the rescue.

I called a listing and left a message.

I didn’t think much more about it.

Later the same day, a fellow named Randy called me back.

“Are you the Joe Vitale that’s the self-help guy?” he asked.

“Some say I am.”

“Then we met years ago,” he explained.

“We did?”

“Yes. You gave me my first job when I moved to Texas.”

“I did?”

“Yes. I was the protesting cat at your canine concert.”

P.T.Barnum and a mermaid, too!

I was surprised, delighted, and impressed.

Again, a good deed from years ago returned.

Karma had balanced the tables again.

Neither Randy or Daniel (or me) had any idea that their giving in 2006 would lead to new business and new friendships almost a decade later.

And Alan Abel, the man who offered the Canine Concert idea to me, is still (at age 90) writing and hoaxing. I’ll be publishing his autobiography soon, so he won out in this karmic play, too.

There are probably lots of lessons in this story, but here’s a big one:

Give joyfully and without concern for return and the good karma you trigger will come back to you multiplied and spilling over.

You don’t need to do everything with money in mind.

Sometimes helping a good cause, or helping a friend, without concern for pay or pay back, can lead to spectacular unexpected miracles later.

Call it good karma or canine karma.

Either way, it’s pretty cool.

Do it and Expect Miracles.

Ao Akua,

Joe

PS – Watch a brief clip about the Canine Concert, created and narrated by Nerissa Oden, at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjJl1wqtsRQ  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjJl1wqtsRQ

Note: There is a DVD of the event, created by Nerissa Oden, for sale at Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Worlds-First-Canine-Concert/dp/B000V246RK/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452085530&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=canince+concert.

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I’ll be 62 years old (young) at the end of this month.

While that means I’m a member of AARP, I can get discounts at certain stores, and my remaining hair is turning gray, it doesn’t mean that I have stopped growing.

In fact, I’m aging backwards.

I’m youthing.

In the last year alone I —

— attended a strongman training and bent a horseshoe, a steel bar, and a nail, all with my bare hands, and drove a spike through a board with my fist. I was the oldest person in the room, even older than the instructor, and probably the most inexperienced when it comes to feats of strength. But I attended anyway. I learned a lot, too, including the fact that virtually “Nothing is impossible.”

Bent and straightened this horseshoe

— attended an advanced guitar camp with legendary player Tommy Emmanuel. I was one of the oldest in the room, was surrounded by players far more advanced than me – including a 14 year old girl who dazzled everyone with her skills – but I attended anyway.

— attended an online class to learn how to play the baritone saxophone, wrote an article about playing for a sax mag, recorded an entire album of saxophone music, hired Grammy nominated sax sensation Mindi Abair to perform for me and tutor me, and more.

— discovered a synthophone — an alto sax turned into a midi instrument — and bought one and learned how to play it, using it to help make another healing music audio with Guitar Monk Mathew Dixon, called The Enlightenment Audio.

– went into the studio with one of my favorite singers in the entire world – Grammy nominated Ruthie Foster – and producer Daniel Barrett and created an album called Stretch! with me writing lyrics, playing baritone saxophone, and singing with Ruthie. Talk about a stretch! But I did it.

Daniel, Ruthie and me Stretching

— traveled to Kuwait to speak to people interested in self-improvement and curious about positive psychology, but also traveled to numerous domestic spots, as well, including to one where we discussed my having my own television show in 2016.

— despite having written more books than most people read in their entire lifetime, I released several more, including the best selling The Secret Prayer and volume 3 of The Miracles Manual. And I just signed a publishing deal for my next book, coming out April 2016.

— and even though I’m an author of books designed to help people, I’m still buying and reading other people’s self-help books, too. I’m always searching for new authors, new voices, new books, new material, to help me expand my thinking and my life.

Why?

Why do I continue to invest in courses, books, audios, coaching, classes and more?

Why am I continuing to do this as I turn 62?

Because I’m still learning, growing, improving, stretching and discovering myself.

Because I don’t know it all and am eager to discover more about myself and life.

Because as long as I keep moving forward, they won’t throw dirt on my face.

I have no idea your age, and it doesn’t really matter.

My father is 90 and still enthusiastic about life.

He gets up earlier than you or me or the sun every morning and wallops a standing dummy five hundred times.

And that’s before he does light weight lifting, walking, and other exercise – with a hernia.

Actor Dick Van Dyke is 90 and still dancing.

Turn on the right music and he’ll start free styling it without a word or a prompt but with a gigantic bright smile on his happy face.

I’m sure you are younger than 90.

I’m reminding you to think big, do big, and move forward in big ways, no matter what your age.

Or, drop the “big” and just think, do, and move.

“There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.” ― Sophia Loren

It’s the end of this year.

The new one is firing up.

Ready or not, here it comes.

What would you like to accomplish in 2016?

You can begin right now by signing up for a course, or a class, or coaching.

The idea is to joyfully experience life.

It’ll keep you young, bright, happy and healthy.

“You’re never too old to become younger.”  – Mae West

And isn’t that what life is all about?

Happy Birthday to me.

Happy New Year to you.

Let’s make this new one rock.

Ao Akua,

Joe

PS — Consider my father. He’s 90 years old. He still gets up every morning and works out for two hours. He also is the primary caregiver of my ailing, bedridden mother. And, at 90, my father became an author. His book, The Most Contented Man, is on Amazon. He’s starting another book. He’s ninety. I’m sixty-two. Do you really have any excuses not to stretch and grow, learn and do?

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