Joe Vitale

I love gadgets, almost as much as I love books.

I have a camera that looks like a cigarette lighter. I have a wrist watch that takes pictures, too. I guess I wanted to be James Bond/Sean Connery/007 when I was a kid, and never got over it.

But I just learned about a covert ring that takes the cake.

This innocent looking ring has a flip top. Open it and inside is whatever you stashed, such as an aspirin, or allergy pill, or, hey, even Viagra.

Apparently the company making these rings thinks the latter is the, well, more exciting market. They openly promote the rings as places to stash your “when you need it NOW” Viagra pill.

I’m pretty sure 007 would never need a ring like this, but you never know.

He’s older now.

Rings are at www.viagraring.com/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=5

Ao Akua,

Joe
www.mrfire.com

PS – From a marketing standpoint, I admire anyone who caters to a niche audience and cleverly provides them with what they want. I just can’t help but wonder what is next. What else is 007 missing today, now that he’s a senior citizen?

I almost didn’t write about this third must-have book.

Why?

Well, I have to make a confession to make this one relevant.

It’s a little embarrassing.

But I’ll go through with it, anyway.

First, here’s the book:

When Panic Attacks: The New, Drug-Free Anxiety Therapy that Can Change Your Life by David Burns, M.D.

Second, here’s my confession:

I used to suffer from panic attacks and social anxiety attacks.

They’re no fun. They come unannounced, take you by surprise, make you feel like you’re going to have a heart attack or die from lack of oxygen, and warp-drive you mentally into a stressed-out run-for-your-life inner place of terrifying hell.

Like I said, they’re no fun.

When you experience a panic attack or anxiety attack, you also feel like you have no control, like you’re going insane, like no one on earth can help you or save you because no one else can see let alone feel what is happening inside you. They don’t have a clue about what is happening. And neither do you.

I’m over panic attacks today. But I still live in quiet fear that one may sneak up on me at any time, cut off my head, and bring me to my knees.

With all of the above in mind, it should come as no surprise that I picked up When Panic Attacks by Dr. David Burns. I’m glad I did. It’s a masterpiece.

Burns explains that your thoughts are what cause the attacks. We’re not aware of the thoughts because they whiz by at lightning speed. But with the help of cognitive therapy, which Burns describes, you can become aware of the thoughts and then choose new ones.

He offers a variety of other methods to heal the problem at the core. The stories he tells brings the concepts to life. While at first blush you may think “This will never work for me,” once you actually absorb the message and try the method, you find your anxiety dissolving and then disappearing — forever.

Burns also explains that there is no such thing as a chemical imbalance in the brain. No scientist has found it and no drug can resolve it. A brain chemistry imbalance simply doesn’t exist.

But a thought imbalance does.

I’ve been able to keep panic attacks at bay by using cognitive therapy (I have an e-book on the subject with Dr. Larina Kase at www.endselfsabotage.com) and with intense exercise (see www.mrfiremeltdown.com)

Becoming aware of the hidden thoughts that create the fears and phobias is the first step. And exercise helps release the accumulated tensions in the body so a panic attack doesn’t have any energy to uncork.

I found Dr. Burns’ new book (he also wrote, Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy) to be insightful and packed with exercises to help anyone suffering from worry, panic, and anxiety. It’s a colossal work at over 400 pages, but a meaty one. I strongly recommend this one.

It’s a must-have book.

Ao Akua,

Joe
www.mrfire.com

PS — Since I read so many books, I’m going to list another must-have book in the next few days. I know I said I was only going to mention three books, but I’m creating the world’s first book buffet. Instead of “all you can eat” in one sitting it will be “all you can read.”

PPS – Nerissa just posted a fascinating blog entry. See www.thevideoqueen.com/blog.html

My friend Cindy Cashman has been sitting on an explosive idea for about a year now.

I know, because I was there in the room with the rest of the Mastermind group when she announced the grand idea.

I was even the one to give her an introduction to the offices of Sir Richard Branson, who loved the idea.

But we were all sworn to secrecy.

It hurt to keep such a great idea under our hats for so long.

It felt like I had a lit rocket in my skull.

Anyway, Cindy gave us permission to announce her idea today.

Here it is:

She and her boyfriend are going to be the first couple to be married in outer space.

Think of the publicity opportunities.

Think of the sponsorship opportunities.

Think of how anyone who is the first in anything is the one who gets remembered in the history books.

Cindy’s idea is brilliant.

But don’t think this was an overnight success.

Cindy has been negotiating and going back and forth with potential partners for months. She could have given up at any time. She could have said this was too hard. This is no fun. This ain’t gonna work.

But she hung in there.

And now she’s going to be shot into space.

And married there.

And the entire world will hear about it.

Beginning today.

Get on the list to learn more about it at http://www.firstspacewedding.com/

Consider: How many great or even spacey ideas do you talk yourself out of every day?

Stop it already.

Ao Akua,

Joe
www.mrfire.com

PS — I haven’t forgotten about the third must-have book. It’s coming.

PPS — The verdict is in: The site I opened yesterday is a hands-down best-seller. Go see for yourself what everyone is talking about at www.BeyondManifestation.com

I told you about the first must-have book I’m currently reading yesterday. Today I’ll tell you about the second one:

The Culture Code by Clotaire Rapaille.

I almost didn’t pick this one up. I thought it was yet another poor spin-off of The Da Vinci Code, which I’m tired of hearing about and seeing take-offs of.

But this new book is riveting, as well as revealing.

Rapaille is an expensive marketing consultant who digs into the collective unconscious of a nation to unearth its silent system of “codes” — unconscious symbols, or archetypes.

The book’s subtitle says, “An ingenious way to understand why people around the world live and buy as they do.”

I found the book astonishing. What he declares are the hidden motivators for our behaviors is surprising, at least at first.

For example, being overweight means a person has “checked out.”

The code for fat is basically giving up on life. A fat person has “checked out” of the game, so to speak. When they check in again, they will lose weight.

And the code for money is “proof.”

We want money to show we are worthy; that we matter; that we have succeeded. It is the “proof” that validates our living and our abilities.

And you don’t want to know the code for sex.

The Culture Code goes through numerous revelations. He gives the code for beauty, health, luxury, food, shopping, work, money, sex, and more. All of it is brilliant.

My only concern with the book is how do I find out the code for any particular audience I might want to market something to? I’m left thinking the codes are priceless to know, but only Rapaille or some other Freudian trained marketer can reveal them. The codes he shares are enlightening and will help me better understand myself and other Americans. But beyond that, what do I do?

Still, this is truly a must-have book.

Get it.

Ao Akua,

Joe
www.mrfire.com

PS — Later I will reveal the third and final must-have book from the stack I am currently reading. What are the top three books you are currently reading? I’d love to know.

PPS – Great news: The audios, transcripts, and secret manual to the famous Manifestation Weekend are now available at www.BeyondManifestation.com If you’re ready for the “Advanced Manifestation” course, go see that site right now.

I’m reading a dozen or so books at any one time. Three jump out as must-haves. I thought I would mention them here on this blog. I’ll tell you about the first book today:

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck.

This one is really opening my eyes. Dweck says there are two basic mindsets: a fixed one and a growth one. A fixed mindset says you can’t learn anything new in a particular area. A growth mindset says you can learn something new, with time, effort and patience.

At first glance this may seem lame as an insight.

But look closer.

In the field of marketing, copywriting, publicity and online selling, I have a growth mindset. I didn’t know any of those subjects at birth. I had to learn them all. But my mindset was open. It was growth oriented. I knew I could do it, in time. And I did.

But in the field of fitness, I’ve had a fixed mindset. I felt I would never be an athlete, never lose weight, and always fail at dieting and exercise. When it came to fitness, I felt nature had dealt me a bad hand and I was doomed to accept the cards.

How do you change your mindset?

According to Dweck, all you have to do is flip the mental switch. Just being aware of the two mindsets can help you choose the growth oriented one.

For example, my trainer, Scott York, came to my gym today. I met him at the door with an enthusiasum that rocked him a little. He’s used to me being reluctant to work-out, especially with his Navy Seals bootcamp-style intense exercises.

But I’ve been reading Mindset. I realized I had a fixed mindset and I decided to give it up. After all, it wasn’t helping me. As a result, I had a terrific, though difficult, workout. And I now feel fantastic. (You’ll be able to see the workout, and hear me reveal marketing secrets, if you sign-up at www.mrfiremeltdown.com )

Obviously, in some areas of your life you have a fixed mindset. In others you have a growth mindset. The point is to realize you have a choice in all areas.

Consider: In what area of your life have you given up, or accepted that you can’t succeed or improve?

Always bad at math?

Can’t learn Internet marketing?

Always fail at dieting or learning a new language or meeting someone new or — ?

Your answer reveals where you have a fixed mindset.

You can change it.

It’s a choice.

Ao Akua,

Joe
www.mrfire.com

PS — I’ll tell you about the other two books that I think are must-haves later. For now, go get Carol Dweck’s book, Mindset. And read it. Like right now.