A Not-So-Boring Update

Well, since my last post, I've kind of been a little busy. Apparently Joe Vitale was impressed with what I wrote and put a link here from his blog. Needless to say, that's drawn quite a crowd to me and my site.

I thought this would be a boring update because I'm too exhausted to post anything other than what's up. But I just re-read it, and now I'm totally inspired. Hope you will be too!

HEre;s what I've been up to SINCE I last wrote (a couple of days ago)...

I was invited to be a guest speaker on "empoweringmessages.com"

I'm being interviewed tomorrow night by, well, let's just say you'll want to hear this one as soon as the recording is avaialble.

I have been invited to do at least half a dozen JVs (joint ventures)

I wrote a new Special Report, which I *gave* away to my entire subscriber list. (did you miss out? Go get on the list and get in the loop at http://newsuccess.org)

I *finally* completed the Powerhouse Package upgrade to The Success Method, and man, it is stunning. I haven't even started marketing it yet, and it's already selling. Amazing.

I'm busy telling people about an amazing new real estate product. Conference call tomorrow nite at 9pm EST. Mmmm, exciting stuff.

I'm FINALLY contracting (you know how lawyers are not known for the speediness...) with a partner to offer the world's greatest natural weight loss product. No pills, no potions, no crazy fad diets, no insane workout regimes. This thing is gonna take the world by STORM.

AND ...

as if that weren't enough ...

As some of you know, I've been wanting to create some sort of Feng Shui product. I figure people like YOU who are interested in success, might like to know how they can move a mirror or a plant and create more prosperity, better sex, a career change, improved health, etc. Seriously, I didn't used to believe it either, until I saw it with my own two eyes. So I finally found someone worthy of partnering with, and man, is this chick GOOD. We are putting together a free teleseminar, so I'll let you know when that comes up.

And meanwhile, ideas are continuing to flow to me out of the clear blue sky. Knowing that money loves speed, I am taking my own advice and continuing to take massive action. I've probably worked more in teh past week than I have in the past month. Sure, for some people, putting in 6 to 8 hours a day might not seem like a lot, but I am committed to only working a max of 2 hours a day.

But right now I'm in overdrive, and successful people do what it takes, right? Right!

Speaking of that, here is your QoD:

Are you taking action on your ideas, goals and dreams? Or are you making excuses about not having enough time, energy, money, etc.? What will it take for you to TAKE ACTION?

P.S. Getting my book: The Success Method would be a good start. ;-)

The Truth About Joe Vitale

OK, I've left you hanging long enough (you can thank Joe for that...the technique keeps 'em comin' back).

Dr. Joe Vitale, a.k.a. "Mr. Fire" has written more books than even he can count (including bestselling "The Attractor Factor" which sent Harry Potter back to his spellbooks to figure out how he got beaten, has mastered marketing (in fact, some would say he invented spiritual marketing), is reported to have lost 80 lbs, has more websites than you can shake a stick at, mentored a small army of now-hugely-successful marketing gurus, and currently has a massive loyal following of fans. Oh, did I mention he also appears in the movie "The Secret"? And not some crappy cameo role, either. I highly recommend that flick for anyone who's even remotely interested in what it takes to be successful.

But none of this really tells you who the guy is, right?

In fact, some people I've spoken to have read his stuff and are still left wondering if he is in fact the "real deal."

Well, I spent the whole weekend with Joe and I can tell you, wihtout any hesitation or reservation, this guy is something else.

Mild-mannered, genuinely friendly and positively exuding a consistently relaxed confidence that I personally found enviable, Joe is one of a kind.

Just ask "Video Queen" Nerissa Oden. Nerissa has a sweet, centered presence about her...which ignites when you get her talking about something she's passionate about. Suddenly all the lights on the room seem to brighten and her eyes gleam as she explains her latest project or describes her goals or talks about her "critters."

But I know what you really want is to hear more about Joe Vitale.

To label the guy "a brilliant marketer" just doesn't cut it these days. He's gone way beyond marketing. If I had to put a name on the guy, I'd go with something like, "brilliant marketer evolving into spiritual leader."

Something tells me that being labeled an up-and-coming "spiritual leader" might just scare Joe a tad. It showed up in certain things he shared with us this weekend. The hesitancy to cross that line was pretty clear, but he took a leap of faith (so to speak) and we were all sincerely grateful for it.

Am I painting an accurate picture? Well, it's hard to say. I don't think one person can ever really "define" another. And it's clear that Joe is continuing to define himself, and that he is evolving. Put simply, the guy just vibrates at a higher level than anyone I've ever met. He's got a quiet charisma that positively and irresistably draws people (and anything he wants) straight to him.

Spend five minutes with the guy, and you can't help but feel good about yourself, him, life, and well, everything.

Perhaps I'm oversimplifying things.

No, I don't think I am. If anything, I'm probably complicating it.

BOTTOM LINE: Joe Vitale rocks, period.

By now, some of you are no doubt wondering what the heck we did and what we talked about in this "Manifestation Weekend."

But I'm not going to tell you that.

Not because I signed a non-disclosure (which I didn't). Not because Joe asked us not to (which he didn't). Not because I learned a powerful mantra and the secret handshake (even though I did).

I'm not going to tell you because you just had to be there.

Anything I could tell you about this past weekend simply would not do it justice. Perhaps one of other participants is more eloquent than I am, and could explain it in a way that makes sense. But I've gone over it and over it in my head, and I just can't cover it in a quippy blog post. It took me nearly two hours of talking to bring my husband into the loop, and I don't think anyone wants to read anything THAT long. I could probably write a book on it, but I'll leave that to Joe and Dr. Len.

But here's the good news.

Joe recorded the entire thing (well, to be precise, Pat recorded it). I'm certain that in a short time, the audios will be available for sale.

If I were you, I would hover over your email, awaiting the exact minute when Joe says they're avaialble for sale, so you can snatch those up and soak it all in. It's as close as you can get to actually "being there." This infomration is for anyone who has already learned to practice the LAw of Attraction and is ready to kick things up a couple thousand notches.

Seriously, it was that good. And that's all I have to say about that.

Pic of me and Joe:



Now, to find a Question of the Day suitable for this post....hmmm.......

QoD:
What are you most grateful for? I invite you to make a list of all the things in your life that you are grateful for, and really savor what it means to appreciate them all.

The Poop and Scoop on Famous Internet Marketers

You've heard their names - Joe Vitale, Pat O'Bryan, Craig Perrine. You've probably read some of their webistes, and you may even be on their mailing list. Who knows, you migth have actually bought some of their many products.

But do you even know who these people really are?

If you're like me, you know you can't believe everything you see on the internet. You've probably wondered if some of these guys are "for real."

Well, I spent the past weekend with all 3 of them (plus Nerissa Oden, the "Video Queen") and I've got the scoop on each of them.

Let's start with the Maverick Marketer himself, Mr. Craig Perrine.

First let me say, he does not look nearly as dorky in person as he does in the pix on his websites. I dunno, maybe the guy just doesn't photograph well. His wife Aimee is an is an absolute peach. I swapped her some feng shui tips in exchange for allergy-free eating tips, which was quite productive for both of us. Oh yeah, about Craig. Well, knowing his wife is a darling should tell you somehting about Craig himself, the whole "behind every great man" thing and all. He is a witty guy - dry, wry, but funny nonetheless. You can tell there's a lot going on inside, even though he seems to be holding something back. Not like serial killer secrets, or anything like that...just the feeling that the guy could be a powerful force if he really let go and cut loose.

Hmmm. I just re-read what I wrote and I'm thinking that pretty much killed any shot I had of doing a JV with Craig Perrine. Well, after all, he is a guy that shoots from the hip, so maybe he'll appreciate my honesty. Or maybe he'll unsubscribe me from his list and block my email address. I'm thinking it could go either way.

Maybe you should go buy some of his stuff (at least sign up for his free e-course, I read it and it's quite good) to keep us all on his "good" side. Go here.

And here's a pic of Craig and me:
















Now, about Pat O'Bryan.

Hmmm...what can I say about Pat O'Bryan?

Of course, his name makes me smile (as it would anyone from New Orleans). I think about all the late nights (and early mornings) spent sipping Hurricanes and Mind Erasers and sweating our asses off even late at night (it doesn't cool of at nite in New Orleans like it does in other places) in the courtyard of the famous Pat O'Brian's bar on Bourbon Street (locals call it "PatO's").

But I digress.

Pat O'Bryan has a completely relaxed and unassuming air about him. In fact, the guy is as cool as a tall glass of Texas sweet tea, and just as refreshing. His slight southern drawl (I can imagine him "yes ma'am"ing as a boy) adds a certain charm to this six-foot something blues-guitar-player-turned-internet-golden-boy. He has a quiet way of subtly blending into the background and soaking up everything around him. At times, I think he was pretending not to listen, because it's clear to me the guy was 100% present this weekend.

And his wife Besty - now SHE is an absolute sweetheart. You should see the looks these two exchange, like a couple of high school sweethearts. And if you get Betsy talking about all that Pat's accomplished she's practically beaming with pride and admiration.

It's no wonder he calls his coaching program "No B.S. Coaching" because I'm not sure he could BS anyone if he tried. Well, at least not without a bit of wretching. It's clear that he calls it like he sees it, no apologies. He's so straight-up it's uncanny. But it hooks you in, in a fascinating, "gimme more of that stuff" kind of way.

Hmmm, maybe that's why I resonate with the guy. Here's a pic of me & Pat (ignore my hair, it's kinda freaky here).















Now about Joe. Do you really want to know what Joe Vitale is really like? I'm not sure you'd believe me if I told you.

Tune in tomorrow and we'll see if you can believe everything you read here. I just deliver the truth the way I see it, I'm not tryin' to convince anyone else to get on board.

Why am I keeping you hanging and making you wait until tomorrow?

Simple. I just spent the weekend with three marketing gurus. Let's just say I picked up a thing or two.

Until tomorrow....

Here's your QoD:
If someone were to write their impression of you, what would they say? Do you think you'd be satisfied wiht what they had to say? Do you think the person you project to others is a true reflection of who you really are? If not, what (specifically) could you do differently to show your true colors?

What the Heck is Ho'onoponopono ? More Importantly, What's Joe Vitale Really Like?

I really can't tell you what compelled me to go to Austin this past weekend. It certainly wasn't riveting ad copy, that's for sure. But something was definitely urging me to sign up, so I followed my intuition, and man am I ever glad I did.

But wait, lemme back up.

A couple of months ago, I got an email from Joe Vitale. Not an unusual occurrence, since I am a big fan and I'm subscribed to several of his email lists. In fact, I get emails from Joe all the time.

But something was different about this one.

It's hard to explain. At best the email was, well, bland. Certainly not the typical hypnotic writing we've come to expect from Joe Vitale. There wasn't even a link to a super-long sales letter. In fact, there wasn't a link to anything, except his assistant's email address - we were to email her if wanted to attend this mysterious thing called a "Manifestation Weekend."

And yet, I jumped on it. Literally, I was the first person to sign up - within something like 3 minutes of the email being sent.

"Oh, by the way," I informed my darling husband, "I'm going to Austin in May and I'm spending $1000 to go see Joe Vitale."

I didn't even check my schedule, to make sure I didn't have other plans.

Turns out, I did. I was scheduled for a seminar in Denver, which I promptly cancelled in favor of heading to the great state of Texas.

And here's the thing...at no point did we ever get an inkling of an idea of what the heck we would be doing at this so-called "manifestation weekend." What did that even mean?

No clue.

The funny thing is, Joe didn't have any idea what we were going to do either. He got a strong gut feeling he should "wing it," which I can only imagine must have been a terrifying experience for "Mr Preparedness."

Turns out, the whole fricken' thing totally rocked.

Seriously. It was smokin'.

How many times in your life do you get to be a part of something truly transformational? Life altering? Ultra-powerful?

Well, personally, I've been fortunate enough to stay on a roller coaster ride that keeps getting more and more profound as I go along. But then again, I'm no average Joe.

And neither is Joe Vitale.

Tomorrow I'll tell you what he's REALLY like. No holds-barred.

I'll also give you the poop and the scoop on two other internet faves: Pat O'Bryan (the Portable Empire guy) and Craig Perrine (the Maverick Marketer list-building dude who, incidentally, doesn't look nearly as goofy in person as he does here).

What you read may just surprise you. No "spin" here, just the facts. Interesting stuff...

oops, I almost forgot your question of hte day:

When is the last time you were part of something transformational, other-worldly or life-altering? Aren't you about due?

Open up to the possiiblity, and it just may come knocking on your door...or it could show up in your email in-box.

How Simple Do You Want It To Be?

Hey, did you know that every single one of the greatest fortunes
ever built simply followed a 3 step formula?

Every single one of them!

I had no idea.

This formula is so mind-numbingly simple that I almost dismissed
it as trivial, but then I snapped out of it.

Look, I suppose the business experts can make things
unnecessarily complicated if they want to ...

But does that help me?

I mean, I just want to make the money and get on with my life!

This three-step formula has finally been revealed in Mark
Joyner's breakthrough new book: 'The Great Formula:
for Maximum Profit with Minimal Effort.'

Maximum Profit - Minimal Effort. I'm all over that!

Here's what the business experts are saying:

'A stunningly simple idea that changed the course of history.'
David Garfinkel, Founder of The World Copywriting Institute

'Truly a new perspective.'
Joe Sugarman, Chairman of BluBlocker Corporation,
and Author of 'Trigger'

'Incendiary! The tightest book on marketing I've ever read.'
Ben Mack, Former Senior VP BBDO

It's OK if you're thinking:

'OK, that's great. I might check that out some time ...'

But actually, you wanna get it right now - here's why:

1. If you had invested in Microsoft in 1980, you'd probably be
a millionaire today many times over. Investing in your future
by employing this 3 step formula now will have a much greater
impact on your business that much faster.

2. Today they are giving away a massive bonus package to
people who invest in this easy-to-read book worth thousands
of dollars.

Actually - read #1 again. That's probably worth more to you
than the thousands of dollars worth of business-building-tools
you'll be getting along with it when you purchase it today by clicking here.

Hmmmmm - I wonder ...

I wonder how many reading this today will act, and I wonder how
many will simply forget all about it.

It would be fun to look into the future at the two.

I see one of them making a call to their banker from their yacht
effortlessly transferring money to purchase their new dream
villa.

I see the other sweating away at their desk trying to make ends
meet and wishing they had found an easier way to make it all work.

Which will you be?

Make your choice and click here.

And as for your Question of the Day:

How simple would you have your life and success be? Really, if everything could be simple - abundance, relationships, family life, work - then how simple would you want it?

An honest answer will be very revealing here...

Waiting on God?

It bugs me when people are content to sit in their circumstances, not-so-silently suffering and playing the martyr role.

My personal un-favorite is when I ask them what they intend to do about their situation, and they respond with "Well, I've been praying about it, so now I'm just waiting on God."

Arrrrrggggggh!!!

I typically respond with: "Did it ever occur to you that maybe God is waiting on YOU to make the first move?"

That usually leaves them speechless.

At least until they can launch into their laundry list of reasons why they have no choice in the matter and no real options.

Yikes. Victim mentality.

Do you know people like this? If you do, I suggest you stay as far away from them as possible. They will leech your energy adn suck you dry of your dreams.

Seriously, I mean it. You can't "save" people like this because they flat-out don't want to be saved.

Shake 'em off and keep focused on your dreams.

See, miracles happen for people who get committed to something adn take the first step - no matter how small or how shaky. Miracles. I'm not exaggerating here.

I've been out of town this week - flew to Austin to surprise my sister (which is why I didn't mention it earlier) then I flew to New Orleans for one night to see my parents, and now I'm in Houston for the evening.

Tomorrow I'm headed to Austin to miracle central: Joe Vitale's Manifestation Retreat.

I have a feeling I won't meet any victims there...

In the meantime, here is your QoD:

Do you have someone in your life who loves to play the victim card? Do you agree with them or do you challenge them? Which would be more beneficial to them? How about to you?

Think about it....

The Truth About Creativity

It kills me to hear people say to me, "I'm just not creative like you are." I just look at them like they're nuts, which they kind of are.

EVERYONE is creative - absolutely everyone.

Did you put together that outfit you're wearing? Did you have a conversation wtih someone today? Did you ever cook a meal?

Every time you turn around, you're creating something. You're creating relationships, you're creating conversations, you're creating email messages, you're creating stuff ALL the time. So don't let me hear you say ever again that you're "not creative." It's a hoax.

But here's the rub...

If you want to create truly fantastic things in reality (not just inside your head), you've got to incorporate a little sense of adventure. Consider this formula:

CREATIVITY + ADVENTURE = SOMETHING NEW

See, nothing big ever happens with creativity alone. There's got to be a sense of adventure to actually take action and get things done.

If you have the world's greatest idea, but you have no sense of adventure, you'll never share your idea with anyone, and you'll never pursue making it a reality. It'll just rattle around in your head. Until someday, when someone else uses my little formula above to actually make it a reality.

Then you'll say, "hey, they stole my idea!"

Ah, if only you had followed the formula, then you could get all teh credit (plus whatever profit is involved).

I often marvel at the stuff we eat...I mean, think about it.

What do you think was going through the mind of the first person to ever eat a mushroom? They were walking along, saw some cow patties and some stuff growing around the cow poop and decided to eat it.

What about the first person to eat shellfish? They found something crawling around on the bottom of the ocean, feeding off crap in the silt, sand and muck, and they decided to eat it.

Well, being a person who enjoys mushrooms as well as shellfish, I'm pretty appreciative for that person's sense of adventure.

Last night my sister and I went to a little Mexican restaurant here in Spring, Texas (near my father-in-law's place). There was an appetizer on the menu that really caught our eye, and we just had to try it.

Listen to this:

Half an avocado, stuffed with cheese and steak strips, breaded and deep-fried, served with queso on the side.

Well, we just had to try it. We figured it would either be delicious...or it would suck. We just couldn't see any middle ground with this one, so we ordered, and waited with bated breath.

When it arrived, there were 2 halves of deep-fried avocado, so we each got our own.

We cut into it....we each blew on our bite to cool it - it was steaming and had clearly just come out of the hot grease.

We tentatively tasted it....

and

OH MY GOODNESS

it was soooooooooo yummy!!!

Truly one of the most unique and succulent creations I've enjoyed in a very long time.

As we savored this culinary delight, we got to thinking, and talking.

How did someone come up with this? Who thought to fry an avocado? Then we talked about the strangest things we had fried. Then we wondered what else we could fry.

Creativity was flowing. But then reality kicked in. I'm supposed to be off wheat for awhile, and my sister doesn't fry foods at home. So we had a bout of creativity, but we weren't committed to that sense of adventure. So the things we thought of to fry....will just remain unfried. Well, at least until someone else has the idea.

But whoever created that avocado sensation...now that person had creativity AND a sense of adventure! And it's certainly paid off!

Remember:

CREATIVITY + ADVENTURE = MAGIC RESULTS

So your QoD is this, dear reader:

What's a great idea that you've had that you never acted upon? Can you see how a sense of adventure can turn a mere idea into a reality? What will you take action on TODAY to turn one of your ideas into a reality?

Go for it!

To The Successful Moms...

Today is Mother's Day - a day to celebrate motherhood. The concept of motherhood has certainly evolved over time...from a sweet, gentle and nurturing stereotype to a virtual powerhouse of busy-ness.

Today moms are pulled in many directions as children, marriage, career, sanity and more all compete for time and energy.

This post is dedicated to the moms who've "got it together."

To the moms who find innovative ways to sustain the household budget without spending too many hours at the office and missing the "good stuff" at home.

To the moms who remember to take care of themselves...no one can share from an empty cup.

To the moms who exercise extreme patience, and remember that most of the stresses of "ordinary" people are just illusions.

To the moms who know there are many ways to nurture a family, not the least of which is cooking nightly. There are also many ways to provide nourishment other than nightly home-cooked meals.

To the moms who can remember what it must be like to be two or three years old...or fourteen...or twenty-two -- exploring, discovering and generally getting into trouble without intending to do so. These moms can be particularly understanding and gentle in their correction, wtihout completely "losing it" with their kids.

To the moms who go the extra mile -- not out of guilt, duty, peer pressure or competitiveness among supermoms -- but out of pure love for their families.

To the moms who know there is a better way...and are committed to finding it. These moms understand the importance of leading by example.

This dedication is not only to those rare mothers who exercise all these traits regularly, but also (especially, perhaps) to those moms who know this is a more peaceful and loving way to live, adn they strive to practice all of the above, every day.

You are successful, dear mothers. You have your priorities straight and you try to align your actions accordingly. You are a blessing.


Happy mother's day.

QoD: Have you called YOUR mother yet? Even if your own mother doesn't exhibit any of the traits we mention here, surely you can find something to thank her for today. If nothing else, she gave you life, and that is worth your gratitude. Go call her !

Some Sound Advice

Today I received an email from my dear Auntie Pauline. I thought this was pretty sound advice, so I'm passing it along. (I don't think Auntie Pauline penned this personally, and I've give appropriate credit if I knew who wrote it, but I don't. Feel free to post a comment if you know who deserves credit for these words of wisdom....)

Don't spend major time with minor people.
If there are people in your life that continually disappoint you, break promises, stomp on your dreams, too judgmental, have different values and don't save your back during difficult times...that is not a friend.

To have a friend, be a friend.
Sometimes in life as you grow, your friends will either grow or go. Surround yourself with people who reflect values, goals, interests and lifestyle that
that would have positive influences in your success.

Over the years my phone book has changed because I changed for the better. At first you think you're going to be alone, but after a while new people show up in your life that can make your life so much sweeter and easier to endure.

Birds of a feather flock together.
If you're an eagle, don't hang around chickens: Chickens Can't Fly!

Here is your QoD:

Did you know that your income is the average of the incomes of your 5 closest friends (or the 5 people you hang around with the most)? I invite you to do the math....generally speaking, your success level, happiness and overall well-being is also on par with your inner circle. That's why this advice is so sound - as you grow...your friends will either grow or go. So don't freak about it, just flow with it. The question to consider is...are you more attached to the friends you have now (that hold you back) or to your potential future?

A Gift for You

My friend Jeffrey Combs just published another one of his golden nugget-packed newsletters and there's an article in it by yours truly (that's me!).

Why not go grab your free copy and see what I have to say? It's called "You're not wearing THAT, are you?" and it's not about what you might think.

Go on, check it out, while it's fresh in your mind.

Click here to get it. (My article starts on page 9.)

The #1 Reason Most People Stay Stuck

You'll appreciate this post. If nothing else, it will give you insight into why the world IS the way it IS.

It's true. The fundamental reason why most people never do what they say they really want to do, never create the life they only dare to dream about, and never get out of the rut they're stuck in is this:

In the Face of Possibility...Disaster Lurks

NOTE: This is a lesson I learned from Landmark, so I must give credit where credit is due. I don't believe I'm causing any copyright infringement with this post (but if I am, I'm sure I'll hear from Landmark's legal team, haha! and then this post will be gone forever...)

At any rate.

As I said, in the face of Possibility, Disaster lurks.

In other words, have you ever noticed that every time you set out to do something, the first thing that happens is NOT THAT?

For example:

this morning I was completing my morning pages (if you don't know what morning pages are, you absolutely deserve to get a copy of Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way. Seriously, go order it right now.) and I always create my day as part of this process. So today I decided my intention was PRODUCTIVITY. Today I would accomplish a whole list of things I've been putting off. As I was writing, I was definitely inspired by this possibility.

So then what happens? I finish up my morning routine, and I am in total breakdown mode becuase of the P-word. Procrastination. (Incidentally, my book The Success Method gives you lots of ways to kill procrastination and get free of its evil grip, but I was in no mood to take my own advice this morning).

So I'm all mopey and not wanting to get started on any of the things I committed to complete today.

Fortunately, today is Tuesday.

My masterminding call snapped me right out of procrastination-mode and into action. In fact, I've alreayd accomplished 3 of the 4 major goals I committed to for the WEEK! and I'm working on the 4th as soon as I finish this post.

But I was keenly aware that as soon as I created that possibility, the first thing that showed up was, well, NOT it. But breakdowns are our access to breakthroughs and I pushed through it to achieve phenomenal results today (and it's only 6pm, I'm not nearly finished yet!)

You'll probably notice this in your own life.

Maybe you were daydreaming about what would life be like if you took a Carribean vacation? and then your car breaks down, so you're suddenly short of cash.

Maybe you were thinking about patching up a relationship and being willing to compromise, and then the other person does something unforgivable.

Maybe you woke up this morning and decided to eat right and make healthy food choices. Then you got to the office and there were donuts in the morning and birthday cake at lunch.

Catch my drift?

I thought you would. Don't ask me WHY it works that way, I only know it does. So here's the moral of the story:

If you can recognize when it's happening (when disaster is trying to squash your newly created possibility)...then you can choose to push through the break down and create a massive breakthrough.

Capisce?

Here is your QoD:
What stops you? Where do you just "quit" and go back to teh drawing board (or give up entirely)? What would be possible if you could actually push through that into the unknown?

Go for it !

Canine Concerts?

Dr. Joe Vitale is always up to something interesting. Except of course when he's not.

But this one I can't resist checking out...Canine Concert

Here's the message from Mr. Fire himself:

This Tuesday at noon in downtown Austin,
Texas a wild event will take place.

It's the first ever Canine Concert.

It's a live rock show played at a sound level
only dogs can hear.

The event is a publicity stunt to promote my
latest book, which I'll tell you about on Tuesday.

But the Canine Concert isn't the only draw.

I'll also display a real mermaid.

Yes, a real one.

And a famous magician will actually produce
P.T. Barnum himself out of a copy of my book.

And I'll be there to sign a few books.

If you're in the Austin area on Tuesday, or know
someone who might be, tell them to go to
Wooldridge Park, 900 Guadalupe, at noon.
Map is at http://www.canineconcert.com/

If you just want to hear how well this flies --
or how badly it bombs -- tune in Wednesday night
when I'm interviewed about the entire escapade.
Get details at --

Interview: Mr. Fire Barks All

Onwards,

Joe

PS -- I understand some cats are upset that they
won't be able to hear the Canine Concert. If you
see them picketing, please ignore them. You
know how cats can be. So uppity and all.

No, Wait...You Gotta See This

Every time I am blessed to see a natural beauty of stunning significance, I am reminded that I take life far too seriously as a general rule.

Today we visited the Garden of the Gods, in beautiful Colorado Springs, Colorado. If you haven't been there, I highly recommend it. NAtural red rock formations pepper the landscape against a backdrop of the majestic Rocky mountains. Pike's Peak is stunningly displayed in several of the scenic vistas and photo opps abound.

My husband's 93-year old great aunt is visiting us from Tampa, and we took her to Garden of the Gods for a picnic and driving tour of the park today. She said something profound: "Anyone who says they don't believe in God has never seen such beauty as this." Hmmm, indeed, I thought.

Whenever I'm taking life too seriously (or vice versa), I always find I can get re-grounded by stepping out into nature for awhile. That's part of hte reason we chose Colorado when we were deciding where to live after Hurricane Katrina. Ther'es so much to offer here for nature buffs, and we're already planning our first camping trip of the season.

So what's your pleasure?

Is it fishing? Hiking? Picnicking? Biking? Walking? Jogging? Taking the kids for a stroll? Driving through a park? Swimming in a lake? Bird watching? Stargazing? Flower picking? Boating? Water skiing? Camping? Walking aournd the block? Napping on a blanket in the park?

Certainly, you must have a favorite outdoor activity. When's the last time you did it? The weather is certainly getting fabulous in most parts of the U.S., and it's time to get out and get grounded.

OTherwise, you could get stuck taking yourself (and your life, your job, your business, your relationships, your mother-in-law, etc.) too seriously.

And life's too short for that!

So here is your QoD:
What can you do THIS WEEK to get out and enjoy nature? Make a list of five outdoor recreational activities you'd like to do this week and choose ONE that you actually WILL do. Now get out there and soak up nature and remember that you're only human!

Deadlines vs. Life Lines

I have a friend who refuses to participate in "death-speak." You'll never hear her use phrases like "I was just dyin' to go" or "when's the deadline?" or "drop-dead gorgeous" or "these shoes are killin' me" or "I could have killed him for saying that." She speaks only of life and life-giving phrases. Being around her reminds me how much "death-speak" is naturally incorporated into my speaking.

But the word deadline is an interesting one.

Normally used to indicate the due date of a task or project, deadline is a word we use in pretty much every industry.

Construction requires deadlines for certain phases of a project to be completed before others can be completed, and deadlines must be met at every stage to keep the overall project on time. Office work has deadlines for any number of reasons, normally based on keeping timeline promises made to clients. Lawyers have deadlines based on court dates and statutes of limitations. Chefs have deadlines related to the opening of a restaurant and busy meal times. As a writer, I certainly have my share of deadlines. (Can you guess why this topic is coming up today?) Even housewives and stay-at-home moms have deadlines for PTA meetings, permission slips, field trips, dinner, costumes, etc.

Everyone has to deal with deadlines.

By why such the negative connotation to the word? Why does it have to be a DEADline?

Will someone die if the deadline is not met? Not usually, unless it's a transplant surgery or a ransom note or something of that nature. Although we certainly talk about it as though it's a life or death situation.

"My boss is gonna kill me if I'm late with this report."
"That client will scream bloody murder if we can't meet his timeline demands."
"These deadlines are killing me."
"I better get this done on time or else."
"My neck is on the line with this deadline."
Or any other number of not-so-positive comments tied to deadlines.

Don't get me wrong - deadlines are necesary for progress to continue. If I didn't give myself deadlines (and keep them) for my personal projects, I'd never move forward.

But here's the rub.

If success is in your language or speaking of it, and integrity means you keep your word, we gotta talk about this word "deadline."

For one thing, just the word causes a sense of tension. Again, it's that "DEAD" right there in the beginning.

For another thing, if we think carefully before agreeing to a mutually-satisfactory completion date (another word for deadline), there won't be as much stress surrounding the date itself.

Finally, if we are people of integrity who keep our word, deadlines or due dates aren't as terrifying as if we were not.

Let's face it, sometimes things happen and we simply are unable to keep our word. Integrity is not a moral issue; it's a simple "you did" or "you didn't" kind of thing. So if "you can't" even though you've tried every possible avenue, you simply get in communicatino and explain that you can't deliver on time and give a time when you can deliver by. Period. That's all there is to it.

Try to remember that the next time you start to panic about a deadline (er, I mean due date.)

So your QoD is this:
Can you think of 5 alternatives to the word "deadline" and begin using them in your daily speech?

Just Because You Have the Tools...

This seems to be coming up a lot lately, so I thought I'd blog about it.

You know, just because you have the tools to be successful, it doesn't guarantee anything. Nothing. Nada. Zip.

Some get the tools and never even remove the shrink wrap.
Some get the tools, try them out a bit, but never read the manual and give up.
Some don't even understand hte manual, but fail to ask for help.
Some use the tools incorrectly and can't see where they went wrong.
Some forget they even got the tools and keep doing things the hard way.
Some only use the tools until it gets too hard, then they quit.
Some get the tools expecting them to do all the work for them.

And a few...just a precious, persistent few!...will use the tools beautifully, persist without exception and truly shine. These are the successful ones.

What kind of tools do I mean?

Knowledge. Wisdom. Connections. Resources. Ideas. Skills. Energy. Power. Information. Partnerships. Software. You get the idea.

Here's an example everyone can relate to.

Everyone knows how to lose weight. EVERYONE. Yes, there are a million different theories, but at the very least, most people know you can exercise more and eat less to lose weight. Yet look at the number of obese Americans that claim to want to lose weight! Knowledge is clearly not the issue. The knowledge is there, but hte results don't come from just acquiring the knowledge - you've got to actually USE it.

You know, that whole 'take action' thing I'm always preaching? Exactly.

I hired an internet marketing coach to help me take my book (and a number of other ideas/projects) to the next level. His program is pretty exclusive - limited to 30 people at any given time.

I have been in contact with him every day (sometimes more than once a day) since I signed on. When he makes a suggestion that makes sense to me, I take action immediately. Sounds simple, right?

Well, one day it dawned on me that he was spending a fair amount of time working with me. I'm paying the same amount (presumably) as his other coaching clients, so I got to wondering, "is he spending this much time with everyone?" Because if so, he's spending an awful lot of time on this one project for a fixed amount of money.

Rather than jump to conclusions, I decided to get the facts. (Funny, I was just teaching that same concept to my daughter tonight. We were reading Chicken Little, so the conversation seemed a natural segue.)

So I asked my coach. How many others are as involved as me?

Turns out, very few. Not that it surprised me. I figured it would follow the 80/20 rule at best. In fact, 20% have signed up and paid him and haven't even contacted him yet or responded to his emails.

The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Of course it is. It's had decades of programming convincing it that it's not worthy, that it's bad to be rich, that it doens't deserve to be paid for its efforts. Can't just flip that like turning on a switch. I've spent the past few years working specifically on raising my prosperity consciousness in order to be able to receive the fruit of my efforts...ALL of it.

So my question for you today is this:

What tools do you have in your possession right now that you haven't bothered to use? What's in your arsenal just sitting there, waiting to be utilized? What exactly are you waiting for?

Now get going. Your life is waiting for you!