Joe Vitale

Aaron Potts started a great Internet experiment called “Simply Successful Secrets”.

He invited bloggers to write a post about the 5-10 things they do most days (at least 4-5 days a week) that help them be successful.

Participating bloggers then “tag” other bloggers, inviting them to contribute to the experiment, revealing their own secrets to success.

Each blog post is linked back to Aaron’s original post and to the person who tagged them.

As you might imagine, this is a brilliant way to get all the bloggers new readers, elevate all the blogs in the search engines, and help educate everyone — readers as well as bloggers — by revealing daily success tips they may never have thought of before.

I received Mary Ann Copson’s email invitation to me to participate in this grand experiment and decided this would be entertaining as well as educational.

So, here are the top ten things I do every day to be successful:

1. Exercise.

I exercise 4 to 5 days a week. Weight-lifting is three days a week. Cardio/aerobics is two. I usually do this in the morning, after I’ve had enough coffee to awaken most of my body and alert it to the fact that we’re about to move. Exercise is a great stress reducer as well as confidence builder. Plus burning off calories lets me consume some calories and not regret it. I work-out in my own gym, so I don’t have far to walk to get there. Truth be known, I wish I didn’t have to exercise. But I also know there’s no healthy way around it. So I, as Nike advises, “Just do it.”

2. E-mail.

I check e-mail all day long, but heavily in the morning. I do my best to answer important e-mails quickly, as if writing a short telegram where every word costs plenty. Since my business is largely Internet driven, taking care of urgent e-mails keeps me prosperous and customers happy. Since I’m in the movie The Secret, often these e-mails come from reporters or people wanting to set up interviews with me, so it’s important I act on these right away. I answer most email faster than most autoresponders. I also have a couple of mentoring programs, such as Miracles Coaching, and I love receiving emails from people achieving new levels of success from this coaching. Donald Trump once wrote, “Email is for wimps.” For me, it’s for the successful.

3. Read.

It should come as no surprise to anyone who knows me that I read numerous books, many at one time, and throughout the day. I love books. I’m an admitted bookaholic. I rarely read fiction and can’t get enough nonfiction in the areas of marketing, copywriting, publicity, advertising, spirituality, psychology, health, healing, hypnosis, mind power, new thought, muscle building, close-up magic, etc.

4. Write.

I’m always working on a new book. I have so many books out now that I can’t remember them all, which means I can sometimes re-read one of my own books and be entertained, since it’s new to me, too. Usually there is one book I am focusing on writing to the exclusion of all else. Right now I’m writing The Key: The Missing Secret to Attracting Whatever You Want, but I also have two other books to write and several more to promote. Focus gives me power. I write every day, either on a book, an email campaign, a blog post, a website, a news release, or an article for www.mrfire.com/ I even write blog posts from my Blackberry. I’m a writer, so I write. A lot.

5. Hot Tub

My Jacuzzi is the greatest investment of my life. I’ve never been so relaxed after being in it for just 30 minutes at 101 degrees. I now do this virtually every day. There’s nothing like resting and revitalizing yourself so you can go back into the office and resume work. I think it’s essential to meditate and relax, in some way, daily. If you’re too busy to do this, then you really need to do this.

6. Gratitude

About six months ago I started smoking cigars. Not cigarettes with all their paper and additives; cigars. Say what you want, cigar smoking has become a type of gratitude meditation for me. I usually smoke a Cuban cigar outside, on the pool deck, in the evening. Sometimes I play one of my guitars, too. As I relax and look at the sky, I give gratitude for my life. I didn’t always have a luxurious lifestyle. I was homeless thirty or so years ago. I am grateful to have survived it and grateful to be alive today. Life is good. Giving thanks makes it better. Watch my smoke.

7. I Love You.

Every day I spend time with Nerissa, our cats and dog, and feel the love. I’ve learned that the simple statement “I love you” can create miracles. “I love you” keeps the bliss alive. I explain this in my forthcoming book, Zero Limits. But I do this every day. I’m doing it right now. I’m silently saying I love you as I write this.

8. Planning.

Every evening I list what I will do the next day. But I do this in a unique way. I learned this method from Jerry and Esther Hicks. I make two lists. On one list I write the things I am scheduled to do, such as make calls, do an interview, turn in my tax records to my corporate accountants, etc. On the other list I write what I want the Universe to do. This may sound goofy, but the Divine (the Universe, God, Life, Tao, etc) will handle some of your bigger requests, if you simply ask. Again, this may seem gonzo to you, but it’s my reality. Apparently, it works. I continue to do it. Have for years.

9. Research.

I visit very few websites, but those I do are essential to me. I visit Amazon every day. I’m always checking on how my babies (books) are doing, such as The Attractor Factor and my P.T. Barnum book. I’m always looking to see what new books Amazon suggests I get. I read a handful of blogs. I don’t pay too much attention to the current news. I’m interested in trends, gadgets, new technology, health, healing, the Law of Attraction, etc. But my quick turbo-speed web surfing keeps me at least abreast of what’s happening, so I can spot opportunities for new products, etc.

10. Nap.

I try to take a nap every afternoon. Sometimes being in the hot tub relaxes me so much that’s it best to take a nap right after being in it. I need a nap to let my muscles recuperate from working-out. I also need a nap to let my mind refuel after writing and reading most of the day. I don’t usually get a lot of sleep at night, so an afternoon nap keeps me sane, too.

There you have it. Those are my daily success to-dos.

As for other bloggers I’d like to see respond to this “tag” and reveal their own daily secrets to success, they include:

Pat O’Bryan
Jim Edwards
Bill Hibbler
Craig Perrine
David Garfinkel
Seth Godin
Dan Kennedy
Michelle Malkin
Sir Ri
chard Branson
Kathy Sierra
Mark Joyner
James Ray
Jon Stewart

Feel free to share this message with anyone you like. I’m sure we can all benefit from the success tips of the successful.

Ao Akua,

Joe
Mister Fire!

PS — What are the top 5 things you do every day to get and stay successful? Why not post them as a comment here, or on your own blog and link back to this one?

If you take a quick look at the image on the side, you might get a sense of just how complicated Search Engine Marketing can be.

I don’t know how to do it but I know who does. This is part of my philosophy of life: do what you love, and what you don’t love, find someone to do it who loves it.

Same with the things you don’t know: find someone who knows how to do it and hire them to do it or teach you how to do it.

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It’s the best thing I’ve ever seen on the subject.

Ao Akua,

Joe
www.mrfire.com

I love guitars.

I have several here. I have as many guitars as I know guitar chords.

No, I don’t know many chords and I can’t play all that well (yet) but still.

When Michelle Malone came here and performed a private concert in our home, she unloaded a van full of guitars. Then she noticed mine and said, “I didn’t need to unload anything. I could have used Joe’s guitars.”

I’m no Michelle Malone but I sure love guitar music.

Since I’m also a fan of unique, rare, collectible, innovative and limited edition gadgets, you can imagine how excited I got when I read about the new Blackbird guitar in the May issue of Popular Science magazine.

The Blackbird is a smaller, travel-size guitar, made out of carbon fiber. It features an all-hollow uni-body shell, setting it apart from any guitar in the world. The body, neck, and head are cast in one-piece with the sound board, fretboard, tuners, etc. added to that main component. The sound comes out of the neck of the guitar, so it’s still got a full-size guitar sound.

The thing is virtually indestructible. I told my bud Pat O’Bryan, a guitar slinger with several blues-rock Cd’s out, that if an atom bomb went off under a Blackbird guitar, all you would hear is a “ping” in the key of E.

Blackbird is only making 100 of these gems. I placed an order for one of them this morning, which means I’ll have one of the first 50 made, to be delivered in June.

I got so excited that I went outside (it’s gorgeous out) and played one of my other guitars, just to celebrate.

I think we should do things to reward ourselves whenever we accomplish something. You don’t have to invest in a collectible guitar. But it’s wise to pat yourself on the back whenever you complete something, by rewarding yourself with a treat. This is great for your self-esteem and a way to program yourself to expect more good when you do good.

My last big reward was a hot tub.

I had finished my fifth fitness contest and treated myself to the best investment of my life. I love my Jacuzzi. I’m in it virtually every day. Talk about a stress reducer. I can barely get out of the tub after 30 minutes in it. I am sooooo relaxed I can hardly walk away from the hot tub and back into the house.

After completing one of my earlier 12-week fitness contests, I celebrated by buying a new car: a BMW 645ci. (Side note: Yesterday the car called BMW and booked a service appointment. Apparently it needs an oil change. I’ve never had a car make a phone call for me before. I wonder why the car doesn’t just drive itself over to BMW, too?)

Since I completed editing the galley to Zero Limits yesterday, and am making terrific progress with the new book about the missing secret, called The Key, and I just signed yet another book deal for yet another book, I felt I deserved a reward.

Plus I really wanted a Blackbird.

Ao Akua,

Joe
www.mrfire.com

PS — Have you rewarded yourself lately? Again, it doesn’t have to be a guitar or a hot tub or a new car, but have you done something nice for you recently?

To learn “Why Freud Was Wrong,” go see the book Why Freud Was Wrong: Sin, Science, and Psychoanalysis by Richard Webster.

To learn how Bernays made Freud famous, go hunting for the fascinating book, Biography of An Idea by Bernays himself. I have several copies, including a very rare one signed by Bernays. This gem is hard to find but fascinating reading. Bernays had an ego bigger than the planet, so, according to his own book, he single handedly influenced the modern world with his ideas. A fascinating little man and a hypnotic big book. Read it. Freud would approve.