How to Talk to Your Ego...And Get It To Do Whatever You Want

I absolutely love the work I do, because I just never know where it will lead me. And lately, it's been getting pretty trippy. In a really, really cool way.

I've been having conversations with people's egos. (Including my own.)


Talking to someone's ego is kind of like talking to an abused child, or to a teenager, or to a homeless guy.

They don't trust you, and they're not interested in making small talk. Friendship is not really an option.

But then again, I'm not trying to befriend anyone's ego. It's all about negotiation and partnership. Creating a win-win scenario.

Why would you want to create a partnership with your ego? Here's a few reasons:

1. You get access to deep insights that you wouldn't otherwise have access to

2. Harmony within. You can create a partnership with your ego, instead of trying to make it go away (which it never will anyway) It's kind of like, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

3. Greater access to clearings. Just think how many kingpin beliefs you can uncover when you can pump your greatest spy for information?

4. Power. Your ego is exceptionally powerful, and just imagine what you can do with that power working WITH you instead of AGAINST you.

5. Peace. When your ego gets heard, and its needs get met, it doesn't have to pound you over the head with life's lessons in order to get acknowledged. And the monkey chatter naturally quiets down from there.


It's a rather strange experience. For starters, you kind of step aside and let your ego talk --- which means you have no idea what will come out of your mouth until it comes out. And you might be surprised by your tone, which could sound mean, curt, wounded, or anything else that may shock you.

I think when someone else talks to your ego through you, it must be a little like what it feels like to channel....you're sitting there, physically participating in a conversation that you are clearly NOT a part of.

Told you it was trippy stuff. But VERY cool

OK, let's understand a bit more before I show you HOW to talk to your ego.

Consider that the source of all resistance occurs when what your Higher Self (God) is guiding you to is NOT in alignment with what your ego wants and needs.

So if you're like most people, you're trying to appease both. But then nobody wins. You do a little of what your higher self wants, but not full-out because your ego won't let you. Or you go along with what your ego wants, all the while feeling that nudge from your higher self about your highest good and the neglect of your life's work.

If you try to ignore the ego and do what your highest self is guiding you towards, it's an uphill climb. Your ego will create all kinds of crazy situations and drama to hold you back.

If you try to ignore your higher self and do what your ego wants, you'll be safe but miserable. Lonely. Unfulfilled. Dissatisfied. Longing.

So what's the answer?

Shift what your ego believes, to bring it into alignment with what your highest self wants for you.

So easy! So remarkable! So fun!

Usually when you can't clear a belief, it's because your ego won't let go, and that's usually because it's an identity belief, or a belief about who you know yourself to be.

And your ego thinks it IS your identity, so it doesn't want you clearing anything that might make your identity get smaller or disappear completely.

This is the ego's greatest fear.

Now, when you understand what the ego is and how it serves you, you're in a better place to talk to it, and to begin negotiations.


Your ego's main goal is to serve you by protecting you. It takes the identity beliefs, and your entire network of beliefs and uses that as a framework for decision-making and risk assessment.

Your ego wants to keep you from getting hurt, looking stupid, and repeating mistakes. And it is DEAD-SET SERIOUS about its job. We're talking 100% commitment, 24/7, no matter what.

When you understand that, you can begin to step into its shoes and understand where it's coming from. Mutual respect goes a long way when dealing with the ego. Your ego loves you, 100%, even when it feels like tough love, it's still unconditional love. It will protect you at all costs.

So here's the nuts and bolts of how to do an ego conversation:

1. Ask permission. If you remember that your ego has its own agenda, this rule will be easy to remember. After all, you wouldn't walk into your boss' office and just start listing all the reasons why you deserve a raise -- you'd ask if THIS is a good time to talk (might sound like "can we talk?" or "got a few minutes to chat with me?"). This is no different. Essential in ego negotiations.

2. Let the ego know that YOU know it doesn’t trust you. It's outrageously skeptical (that's it's job) and it's thinking it anyway, so you might as well acknowlege it so it doesn't have to sit there and wait for "the catch" the whole time you're talking.

3. Find out what it wants. This will vary for each person and each ego. Some egos want to have fun, others want to be stoic about the job they do, others want to know that they're not hurting you, others want to not work as hard, etc. This is where some good probing questions are helpful. And don't expect your ego to be chatty -- one- or two-word answers are common until you get it talking a bit.

4. Negotiate a win-win outcome. I recommend that you go into the conversation knowing what YOU want. Then you can focus on what the ego wants, and what motivates the ego, and then you can create a win-win situation for you both.

5. Get the ego to commit (verbally, sign a contract, shake hands, pinkie swear, etc.) Remember, the ego is wiley and will do whatever it takes to fulfill its commitment of protecting you. Which means not actually agreeing to something it thinks is dangerous for you. So get it to agree, perhaps by saying, "So can I count on you to be on board with me?"

6. Be authentic and open throughout the conversation – I can't stress this enough, an ego can smell BS a mile away so keep it real. If things aren't going well, and you can't salvage it, just try to end on a good note and ask if you can pick up the conversation at a later time.

Ready to give it a try?

If you want to have me lead you through the experience of a conversation with your ego, visit my website http://AskAmyAnything.com and sign up for a single session. We'll not only talk to your ego, we'll create a partnership that serves you both, and we'll clear some of your most debilitating limiting beliefs -- some of which you may not even be consciously aware of at this moment! And once you experience me doing it with you once you will most likely be able to successfully do it on your own in the future. Well worth the one-time investment!

And if you do try it on your own, why not post your results here? Share with everyone -- these are truly profound experiences.

If you have a truly profound experience, feel free to buy me some crystals using the link below...I've got an upcoming trip planned to my favorite rock shop and would love to bless and think of you as I choose new treasures to come and live with me.

Within 24 Hours, I Had 200 Friends...

Addiction, thy name is Facebook.

For at least a year, I have ignored countless requests to join the social phenomenon called "Facebook."

And this week, I succumbed.

And the reason I caved is as silly (yet understandable) as Facebook itself.

My husband joined a few months ago and said "but honey, I can't add 'is married to...' until you sign up!"

And so it seemed like a harmless request. But little did I know...

within 24 hours, I had 200 friends and had spent about 12 hours on Facebook.
within 72 hours, I had nearly 300 friends and had spent slightly less time online (especially since Thursday was my workday so there was less time available for carousing around Facebook)

My friend Dana (along with my hubby) swears the addiction only lasts about 2 weeks.

We shall see. I will keep you posted.

On the upside, it is an absolute delight to connect with people I haven't seen or heard from in years. To hear what they are all up to, see pix of their adorable children, and remisce about old times -- now THIS is what Facebook is all about.

But I am glad the Olympics are nearly over -- between my new Facebook exploration and these late nights in front of the boob tube, I'm not getting nearly enough sleep!

(No wonder I haven't blogged in a few days, right?)

So if you haven't already, log into your Facebook account, do a search for "Amy Scott Grant" and add me as a friend.

Why not, I mean what else have you got to do? Sleep????

Truth about Trash Talk

Did I tell you I started playing racquetball with my husband Andy?

It's only been about 3 weeks now, but we're playing 2-3 times a week and I'm getting pretty good, if I do say so myself.


Andy still creams me every time, but the matches are getting closer, and he's definitely having to work for each win. And I usually win the 3rd or 4th game each time, because I know how to work him when he starts getting tired.

He typically wins because I have a major weak spot, and he knows how to exploit it on the serve. He also knows that my serve is getting better by leaps and bounds, and if he lets me serve, he'll probably lose. Ha! Fun times.

Anyway, what does all this have to do with success, you ask?

Excellent question.

I recently found out something about "trash talk" and I wanted to share it with you.

According to Wikipedia, "Trash-talk is a form of boast or insult commonly heard in competitive situations (such as sports events). It is often used to intimidate the opposition, but can also be used in a humorous spirit. Trash-talk is often characterized by hyperbolic, figurative language, e.g., "Your team can't run! You run like honey on ice!" Puns and other wordplay are commonly used."

I don't know about "honey on ice," but I've definitely slung a few zingers in my day. Mostly phrases like "Prepare to be annihilated" or "you're going DOWN!"

Then I read somewhere that "trash talk" lowers everyone's vibration.

Hmmm, that makes sense actually. It lowers the vibration of the person hearing it, because it's mean and degrading (even when done in a 'playful' or joking way, the ultimate vibration is meant to demean or weaken). And it lowers the vibration of the person saying it, because, well, honestly -- WTF?

If the trash talker were that good, their actions would speak for themselves. They wouldn't need to mouth off or play some kind of mind games to win.

Believe me, I know what it's like when you're losing by a lot, or you're on the verge. Most of us will exploit any angle we can to get the upper hand. I was using a nasty little trick on Andy when he was beating me but I was starting to catch up -- if he hurt a shoulder (usually by slamming into a wall to make a play!) right before he served, I'd ask "How's your shoulder?" I wanted to keep him in the space of thinking about how his shoulder hurt, instead of thinking about how to crush me on the serve.

Yeah, I know it's a low blow, but I hate to lose! Don't we all?

But then I found out this bit about trash talking lowering everyone's vibration. And I thought, wow -- it may be hurting his game a little bit, but it's hurting mine, too! And I thought about the way the greatest Beijing Olympians have been playing, and how the little bit of trash talk that was publicized seems to come back and bite the trash talker in the ass... So I thought, let's see what happens if I stop?

And you know what? My game improved by at least 35%. Holy crap! 35%! That's outrageous! I started playing better than ever. I didn't worry about Andy or how to mind-muck him up, I just focused on what I was doing, and focused on staying in the moment, staying in the game.

Sweeeeeeet.

And then I noticed that when I played like that, he didn't get pissed or frustrated when I had a good run. The whole vibration of the court was raised significantly -- we were even able to compliment each other on great plays -- even when those great plays meant we lost a serve or the other person scored a point. For sure, a much more fun way to play.

And besides, good sportsmanship is always in style.

Look at that classy move by Dara Torres the other day. What a great example of vibration-raising at its finest!



In case you missed it, Dara was about to race a heat but one of her competitors had torn her suit at the last minute and was going to attempt to change into a new suit. (And we're not talking about a bikini, right? It was one of those high-tech full-body suits)

So Dara walked over to the official and told her they should wait -- not a requirement by Olympic rules. And so they waited, and she appeared momentarily, and they raced. And even though Dara Torres had been all fired up -- concerned, quick to tell the official, surely adrenaline pumping -- she kicked ass in her race and finished FIRST! (The other girl didn't qualify, but at least she got to race, and won't spend the next 4 years wondering "what if")

It is likely that the other swimmer would have missed the race entirely if it wasn't for Dara's extreme compassion, consideration and magnificent display of sportsmanlike behavior. Now that's a winner in my book.


Like Dara herself said, "They may be my competitors in the pool, but they're my friends outside of the pool."

Amen to that. Hey -- my fiercest racquetball opponent is one I wake up with every morning. So in the long run, it pays to dump the trash talk and play nice, don't you think? (But that doesn't mean I won't beat him whenever I can!)

By One 100th of a Second...

We've been watching the Beijing Olympics every day since the Opening Ceremony and I gotta tell you, this 1/100th of a second thing is throwing me for a loop.

I mean, can you even fathom what 1/100th of a second is?

Let's put it into perspective, ok? What letter do you see here?

K

If you're slightly quicker than average, it took you about a HALF a second to recognize that letter as a "k." A half a second is 50/100ths of a second, which is about FIFTY TIMES greater than the difference between Michael Phelps' Gold Medal time in the 100m Butterfly yesterday, and Milorad Cavic's Silver Medal in the same race.

We're talking about quicker than the blink of an eye...now THAT is a close race!





And what exactly was the difference between these 2 athletes?

Arguably, you could say:

1. It was a tie, but Michael Phelps fingers are longer so technically he won
2. Michael Phelps gave that extra half a stroke while Milorad Cavic coasted in
3. It was just a race like any other race, and it happened to be on a day that "counted" and so people are making a big deal out of what isn't a big deal
4. Phelps wanted it more than Cavic

Personally, I'm leaning toward reason #4. Michael Phelps just wanted it more. You can literally feel the guy's drive and determination to hit his goal of 8 gold medals in a single Olympics -- he can't see anything else but that.

Even when his competitors start talking trash (Cavic was reported to have said "If I beat him, it will be good for him" prior to the race) it only fuels his fire.

So what's Michael Phelps' secret? Other than training 8-12 hours a day?

Well, for starters, he admitted how much he uses his imagination -- when other people told him it couldn't be done, or he needed to rethink his goals, he would visualize himself winning, achieving what other said was impossible.

Secondly, you could consider that he had little to no beliefs that said he COULDN'T do it. You know, those pesky limiting beliefs that try to convince you that you can't do what you want to do. Yeah, I'd wager Phelps had less than 50 of those coming into the games, and right now, he probably has 5 or less.

I am a firm believer that once you clear all the limiting beliefs that are blocking you (can show up like fears, old wounds, doubts, or simply beliefs about it), you can achieve absolutely anything.

Look at me -- after more than a decade of using every plan and method under the sun to lose weight (and succeeding a couple of times -- temporarily -- and only by the sweat of my brow or by severe restriction of my wants and needs), I decided to take a different approach.

This January, I started clearing truckloads of limiting beliefs around my body, weight, mass, sex appeal, being seen, and about 40 other topics that you wouldn't think were related to weight. And after months of digging and clearing and digging and clearing, finally, I struck gold.

I dug down to the major kingpins in my belief network, and man, they were NOT what I was expecting. And after clearing them, I am now easily and effortlessly reshaping my body. I'm not dieting, I'm not forcing myself to "exercise" and I'm not denying myself one damn thing. And in the past 3 weeks, I have reduced my overall body fat percentage by about 7.5%. Without denial or pain! or pills or surgery! I'm loving it.

And I'll tell you exactly how I did it, too! But more about that coming soon...

The point I'm making here is that if you clear the beliefs, and then take action, and NEVER give up -- just keep rocking until that last 1/100th of a second, you WILL prevail! You will emerge victorious.

Even last night -- I was at a networking event for a new local group that's forming in my town. Truth be told, I've never actually been to a networking group! But this was fun, and I decided I wanted to join. And they asked me to put my business card in the fishbowl, they were drawing for prizes.

"What kind of prizes, I asked?"

Turns out it was for t-shirts and other crap I don't want or need -- BUT they were also drawing for free memberships to the group. "Ah!" I thought. "Now I would like to win that!"

Later in the event, my husband asked if it was optimal for us to join. "I don't know about you," I said, "But I'm winning my membership."

Three names were drawn, and I was only slightly surprised when the third name was called and it wasn't mine. But I wasn't disappointed -- which means I wasn't attached.

And lo and behold, the 3rd person they called had already left, and you must be present to win, soooooooooooo can you guess what happened next?

They drew another card, and of course it was MINE. Congratulations to me.

See? A lot can happen in the last second (or 1/100th of a second). So the key is to stay focused on your intention and NEVER, NEVER give up.

Commitment, Thy Name Is Michael Phelps

My husband Andy and I are having a great time watching the Beijing Olympics this year. Thank goodness for TiVo!

Andy is an official Olympics junkie, and I would call myself an avid fan.

There's just something so inspiring about the level of commitment and dedication to perfection that these athletes have -- you'd have to be lacking a pulse to NOT be inspired by these amazing people and their captivating stories.

There are so many magnificent athletes in these games, but oh my goodness how can you not be impressed by the outrageous commitment of Michael Phelps? The guy is truly extraordinary, and I just love watching him win.

I was getting a massage this morning, and, being a talker, we tend to talk throughout. Today's topics was largely around the Olympics, and I thought I'd share this mini download I received.

There are essentially only 3 factors that separate Olympic champions from everyone else. Do you know what they are? If not, I'm gonna tell you, because it's a HUGE lesson in success to realize this.




1. Clearly defined goal.

Take Michael Phelps for example. He doesn't just have a goal of winning a gold medal...heck, he doesn't even have a goal of winning the MOST gold medals by a single athlete (done!) or the most gold medals in a single Olympics (nearly done!). He also has very specific goals for each event -- for example, a new world record (done! multiple times!) or what time he wants to beat. Did you see the butterfly swim where he won the gold and clearly looked disappointed? His goggles had filled with water, and he didn't hit the specific target he wanted to hit, so he was bummed about that. Are you getting the magnitude of this? The guy just won a GOLD MEDAL and was disappointed! Now that's an impressive commitment to a specific goal.

2. Absolute commitment.

Most of us can't possibly imagine living the kind of life these athletes live while training for the Olympics. Michael Phelps says he swims, eats and sleeps. Clearly, he's not exaggerating, because the guy is outperforming virtually every swimmer alive. Absolute commitment means doing whatever it takes, no matter what, for as long as it takes. Period. How often do "average" people give up when the going gets tough? It is only your commitment that allows you to focus unwaveringly on your clearly defined goal. Definitely not a skill the average person has mastered.

3. Complete ability to be in the moment when it counts.

I love watching Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh play beach volleyball. And I was asking myself WHY I loved watching them so much. I realized it's because they are so IN IT, every moment! Even when one of them makes a mistake or misses a shot, they high-five (low-five, usually) and offer encouraging words. And they almost never get into a slump, because they stay in the moment. When I walked on hot coals (about 1300 degrees, to be more specific), I remember the instructor telling us during prep time: you MUST stay focused on what you're doing! You cannot let your mind wander - that is how people get burned! These two gals have mastered the art of staying in the moment when it counts (e.g., during a game) and I would venture to say Michael Phelps and ALL Olympic champions have as well.




Can that really be it? Just 3 things separate YOU from the world's greatest Olympic athletes? (Not to mention, the most successful people in the world)

If that's true, that means there are only 3 things for YOU to do in order to accomplish ANYTHING:

1. Set a clearly defined goal
2. Make the absolute commitment
3. Stay in the moment when it counts

Now let's see what YOU can accomplish!

Empowered Women Speaker Series in Denver, CO

Just a quick update, if you're going to be in or around Denver, Colorado on September 9th, you might consider signing up to attend the Empowered Women Speaker Series.

I'll personally be speaking in the late morning, and I've seen the lineup for that day and it looks to be a well-rounded speaking ensemble. I'll be talking on the topic, "How to make the Right Decision -- in time, every time!" OR something to that effect....in other words, Truth Testing methods 101.

The two-day event is being coordinated by Boutique for the Soul -- here's the flyer for the event (CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE)

RockIt to Destiny Card Game - Strategy Tips & Tricks

If you haven't yet played RockIt to Destiny (a.k.a. "RockIt", this post won't make much sense to you. So go back and read the rules and find a play mate and try it out, ok? Then come back here....

Now, if you HAVE played already, here are a bunch of additional tips to enhance your RockIt pleasure:

NOTE: don't read this part until you've played at least 1-2 times, otherwise it will only confuse you!

No player is obligated to explain what they just played for the benefit of an opponent who was not paying attention. You can, you just don't have to.

Trash talking is completely optional. And yet, highly recommended. Typically in a two-person game, loser shuffles. Which is a PAIN with two decks. Loser may also have to make a snack/drink run, go check on the kids, and perform various other less desirable tasks. :-)

No player is required to make a play. During any given turn, a player can choose to draw a card and end their turn -- even if they have a valid play they could make. This is especially useful if your opponent only has a few cards left, as your new lay down could result in your opponent's ability to go out and win the game. You cannot "pass" however -- you must either make a play OR draw a card.

One strategy with a two-card game (with two different color decks, i.e., one red deck and one blue deck) involves only picking cards from the same color deck. There are advantages and disadvantages to this strategy...which is why we suggest you try it out both ways once you've got the hang of the game.

If you jack up the board only to discover that you CAN'T actually make it work the way it seemed to make sense in your mind, you can either put the whole board back the way it was, or just end your turn (IF you didn't play any cards), either way is fine BUT you must ensure that every play on the board is a valid play.

If a player jacked a play (for example, let's say they played a 4 of spades and two 4s of diamonds) and no one noticed it until the end of the NEXT person's turn, then they "got away with it" and play stays jacked. It is not recommended to attempt to make dishonest/illegal moves, but from time to time it happens and we have found that after the next player's turn, it becomes impossible to remember who jacked what, so it's easier to leave it as is. If someone DOES catch the error before the NEXT player says "RockIt" then the player who made the error has to make it right (pick up cards, or play the correct card if they have it in their hand).

You gotta watch people with Joker stealing -- I can't tell you how many times I've seen someone try to steal a Joker and then combine it with a card from the board -- when you steal a Joker, the WHOLE NEW PLAY has to come from inside your hand. AND you can't even steal the Joker unless you're holding the card it represents IN YOUR HAND. (Yes, I'm watching and you cheater-babies know who you are...)

When you've been playing RockIt all night and you're getting bleary-eyed, you've also got to watch that someone isn't playing invalid tricks. It's rarely intentional, but it just gets hard to concentrate after a couple of hours because this game is so intense.

"Killing" a Joker. When a Joker is played and the only cards that could replace it are already on the board, we call that "killing the Joker." In other words, if someone plays the Joker as the 3 of diamonds, and you're playing with 2 decks and there are already two 3 of diamonds out on the board, they just killed the joker because you can't borrow the card you need to steal the Joker. Can also kill it by playing the final 3 of diamonds instead of stealing the Joker (why would you do that? Because you don't have a play in your hand to make with a stolen Joker, so you can't steal the Joker and you'd rather kill it than have to draw another card).

When you can't come in because you don't have a 30-point play and you have to keep drawing cards and you start to get a hand cramp, we call that a "CT" or "carpal tunnel" hand. A hazard of play of course, but totally worth it when you nearly go out in one round. Woo-hoo! :-)

If one of your playmates seems to take FOREVER to complete their turn...you might consider using a timer from Scattergories or the like, to keep each game from running ridiculously long. Or you can always hum the theme song from "Jeopardy."

We have not yet configured a way to play the game for money....if you figure that part out, let us know. Right now, we're just teaching it to as many people as possible

OK, I think that's it. Have fun with RockIt!

NOTE:
The name RockIt to Destiny, the game itself, and these rules are (c) 2008 Amy Scott Grant and Francois Camenzuli. All rights reserved. So don't be a weenie and try to claim it as your own! Just have fun playing :-)

How to Play the NEW Card Game: RockIt to Destiny

Finally! Here are the rules of the fluently-received card game I've mentioned a few times already on this blog.

A BRIEF HISTORY:

As you might know, my family and I took a recent vacation to New Orleans and Sandestin, Florida this summer with our good friends Francois & Kelly and their daughter (and Kelly's mom Susie). Francois and I go waaaaaaaaay back and our spouses sometimes joke that we share a brain.

And one night we were playing cards and just messing around near the beginning of the trip, and we fluently received this card game. It was definitely a joint effort: me, Francois, and higher powers. We continued to perfect it until it evolved into what I will describe in detail here.

The game is called RockIt to Destiny (I don't know why, that's just what we got was optimal to call it) and this is the logo for the game:




Why? Because you play just ONE time and you will be HOOKED like a fish! (But in a good way.)

WARNING: Do not play this game while intoxicated! You will need every last brain cell to win...and besides which, the game provides enough of a high on its own.

NAME
The game is called RockIt to Destiny. Like I said, I don't really know why. And how important is the name -- I mean, what the hell does "pinochle" or "rummy" mean, anyway?

OBJECTIVE
To get rid of all your cards by creating new tricks or playing the cards in your hand on existing tricks on the community board.

WHAT YOU NEED
Two people can play with one standard deck of 52 cards + 2 jokers, and a single deck is recommended while learning the game. Things really get juicy with the addition of a second standard deck and 4 jokers total (although shuffling becomes a pain), and the game is particularly challenging if both decks are the same color (because you could wind up with a lot of repeat cards in your hand). Up to 5 people can play RockIt with 2 decks. Three decks are not recommended -- if you have more than 5 people who want to play, why not play tournament style with multiple games going on separately yet simultaneously?

SETTING UP THE GAME
Since this is a completely Fluent game, the cards are not "dealt"; rather, the cards are shuffled thoroughly and spread out (Go-Fish or accordion style) and players take turns selecting cards randomly. Players are not allowed to look at their cards, as it is generally thought that a person could influence the selection of their hand if they knew what cards they were already holding. Each player draws at random until they are holding 14 cards. The remaining cards are kept face down and moved to the side, to be used as the draw pile.

Any "chance" method may be used to determine who goes first (rock-paper-scissors, odd man out, flip a coin, etc.) In subsequent games, the winner of the previous game goes first.

TRICKS
The term "trick" or "lay down" refers to any one of the following legal plays:

three or four of a kind, all of different suits (e.g., 3 diamond, 3 heart, 3 spade) Cannot repeat suits from multiple decks in a single trick. Can repeat tricks on the community board (e.g., 2 separate tricks of three of a kind 7s)

straight flush, three or more sequential cards of the same suit (e.g., 7, 8, 9 of diamonds). Ace can be played high or low and can continue in either direction (e.g., King, Ace, 2 of spades is a legal play).

Every lay down becomes part of the community board, and no play "belongs" to any particular player.

COMING IN
In order to come in or enter the game, you must play a single trick of 30 points from your own hand. (NOTE: This is the only time in this game when points are tallied.) Ace = 1 point, number cards are worth face value, Joker = 0 points, and face cards are 10 points each. Any three-of-a-kind play is worth 30 points. You may not add to an existing play as your "coming in" trick. Jokers may not be used in your "coming in" trick.

HOW TO PLAY
Once everyone has drawn their cards, and it's been determined who goes first, the play begins. The first person must either "come in" with a trick worth 30 points, or draw a card. Play commences in clockwise order.

During each player's turn, they must either make a play or draw a card. Once a player draws a card, their turn automatically ends.

Once you've "come in," there are three ways you can make a play.

1 - Create a new lay down. This happens when you have an entire trick in your hand, and you lay it down as a new trick. Once you end your turn, subsequent players can add or change up this play. For example, you play 7, 8, 9 of clubs from your own hand.

2 - Add to an existing trick. The only "complete" tricks are 4 of a kind. Straight flushes can be added to in either direction, and can be split up and turned into multiple tricks (as long as each separate run is a valid trick on its own). For example, you can add a 10 of clubs or a 6 of clubs (or a 5, 6 of clubs) to an existing trick of 7, 8, 9 of clubs. Additionally, if there is a run of 5,6,7,8,9 of hearts on the board, you can play a 7 of hearts from your hand by splitting the existing trick into 5,6 (add your 7) and a separate trick of 7,8,9 from the original trick. Capisce?

3 - "Jack up" the board. A player can move, change, build or destroy any existing tricks on the board in order to create new tricks. Three 7s and three 6s are split into straight flushes to add cards from player's hand such as 6,7,8 of one suit and 5,6,7 of another suit and 5,6,7 of yet another suit. Jack up the board any way you like, but you must play everything you mix up (can't add cards from the board into your hand -- you can only ever take cards from the draw pile, and only then if you don't make a play). Remember, when you end your turn, ALL tricks on the board must be valid tricks of 3 or more cards. If there is a 9,10,J,Q,K of diamonds on the board, you can steal the 9, the 9,10, OR the K, or the K, Q, but you can't steal the J unless you can make a play with the remaining cards. Make sense?

At the end of your turn, you declare "RockIt." This is not only a cool thing to say, but it also lets the next player know that you're done for now and they can begin their turn. Once you say "RockIt," your turn is OVER -- you cannot make another play once you've said "RockIt." No exceptions. Review the board and your hand carefully before you say "RockIt" -- you will be surprised how many plays you miss if you don't do a complete review before ending your turn. As a courtesy, please remember to say "RockIt" after you draw a card, as this ends your turn.

PLAYING A JOKER
Jokers are wild, and a joker from your hand may be used in place of any card to create a new trick or add to an existing trick. However, the rules are slightly different with a Joker stolen from the board.

When a Joker is played, it is played in place of a specific card. For example, Ace of diamonds,2 of diamonds,Joker,and 4 diamonds means the Joker represents the 3 of diamonds. Q,Q,Joker means the Joker represents a Q of a DIFFERENT suit than the other 2 in the trick (since there can be only 1 card of each suit in a 3 or 4 of a kind).

When you "steal" a Joker from the board, you MUST replace it with the card it represents from your hand AND you must use it with cards from your hand to create a new lay down. In other words, in the above scenarios, you could take the Joker to use it in a new trick if you have the 3 of diamonds AND the new trick is made completely of cards from your own hand (NOT the community board).

A joker that you drew (already in your hand) is not subject to this rule and can be played in any legal manner.

WINNING THE GAME
The game is won when a player has played all the cards in their hand (also called "going out,") AND every play on the board is a valid play.

And let the swearing begin.

Have fun, and when you start playing (hooked!) be sure to post your questions here -- it's possible that I may have omitted something important and your question will benefit all who follow and read this after you. In a subsequent post, I'll add some tips.

Have fun practicing!!! The more you play, the more this game will sharpen your mind, that's for SURE. You'll start seeing opportunities everywhere you look. Why? Because you trained your brain to look for them. :-) Enjoy!!!

NOTE:
The name RockIt to Destiny, the game itself, and these rules are (c) 2008 Amy Scott Grant and Francois Camenzuli. All rights reserved. So don't be a weenie and try to claim it as your own! Just have fun playing :-)

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It Happened! It Finally Happened!

It's been said that your subconscious mind doesn't know the difference between sarcasm and truth -- in other words, your unconscious mind can't take a joke.

And today I see proof of that.

For about a year or so, I've been making a joke about something, and today it ACTUALLY HAPPENED.

Let me set the stage for you:

As you probably already know, my name is Amy Grant. Since there is a famous singer by the same name, I use my maiden name as part of my "official" name, i.e., Amy Scott Grant.

AND as you can imagine, since I do have a famous name, people often make comments to me. Such as, "as in 'the' Amy Grant?" and "do you sing" or "like the singer?" or "isn't there a singer with that name?"

And I've always joked to friends and colleagues that I can't wait for the day when my own fame and reputation actually precede that of the singer's.

And today it ACTUALLY happened!

Today I was at a place where I was being introduced to a number of new people. And as I met this particular man for the first time, I stuck out my hand and said, "I'm Amy Grant, nice to meet you."

Then HE said:

"Amy Grant? Isn't there a...."

And thinking I knew what he was going to say, I attempted to finish his sentence for him:

"Yes, there's a singer by the same name."

And then HE said:

"Yes, but I was going to say...isn't there a famous marketer by that name?"

And my husband and I looked at each other, and I laughed out loud and said, "Yes, actually, that's me."

And it was a full 2 hours later until I realized the impact of what had just happened. Now I don't rightfully know if this guy read my chapter in Inspired Marketing!: The Astonishing Fun New Way to Create More Profits for Your Business by Following Your Heart, or if he saw the article that recently was published about me in the local paper, or perhaps he saw me speak at Pat O'Bryan's Un-Seminar earlier this year, but who cares?

The point is, I made a joke and it ACTUALLY HAPPENED.

So don't think you can go around innocently joking about your mother-in-law getting hit by a bus or your ex filing bankruptcy. Anything you consistently and intensely (and humor is definitely a form of intensity for me) speak or think has the imminent potential for manifestation.

Mark my words.

Now if you have info about the SECOND part of my joke coming true, please do let me know.

(That's when someone meets the singer Amy Grant for the first time and asks, "Oh, Amy Grant the prophet?")

Oh yeah, that could definitely happen. And I'll be the one laughing when it does!

Solar Eclipse and a New Moon...Means What, Exactly?

Today there was a solar eclipse and a New Moon. So what does that mean?




Well, to be completely honest, it means nothing. Or it means whatever you think it means. New Moon is often the time when we create newly, when we set intentions and allow the power of the moon to assist in manifestation.

And as for a solar eclipse, well some may say it represents a "reset button" for us earthly beings. A tiny winking out of the sun marks the end of one era and the beginning of another. Others say this time represents healing, or the opening of a portal.

But I'm not one to take what others say at face value. (You know me well enough by now to know that, don't you?)

So you - what do YOU say it means? Because I would venture to say that for you it will mean whatever you think it means.

As for me, I'm not getting any earth-shattering info on this, and since my goal is to THINK LESS, I'm not concerned about it.

But I do always love hearing what you think, so feel free to post a comment.