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How did Hercules stay fit?

What did the greatest bodybuilder eat to stay healthy and win all those awards?

What can you and I learn from the nutrition secrets of the man who influenced more superheros than anyone else?

You may or may not know that I’m a fan of Steve Reeves, the actor who played Hercules, and the bodybuilder who won so many awards — Mr. Amercia, Mr. World, Mr. Universe — before steroids.

I have everything from Steve’s car (1976 Jaq XJS) to his home gym (commercial grade Universal).

Recently I teamed up with Reeves’ friend and business partner, George Helmer, and wrote an unusual cookbook about what Reeves ate as an actor and bodybuilder to live a long and healthy life.

It’s called The Hercules Cookbook: The Recipes and Nutrition Secrets of Steve Reeves.

This is far more than a cookbook. It’s packed with full-color photographs of Reeves on and off the movie set, and contains terrific stories about Reeves. It reveals what the world’s first film action hero ate to stay fit — before fitness was considered cool.

We are going to offer this collectible book as a downloadable e-book very soon. But I wanted you to know that if you wanted a limited-edition printed copy, signed by me and George Helmer, that we only have 250 available.

It’s just $29.95 (a screaming deal) but there are strictly only 250 copies being printed (and I’m keeping a box of them myself to give out as gifts).

This book has great stories from people who knew Steve best, great color photos, information on how he became an expert on nutrition, and what he ate during his years in bodybuilding, starring in films, and on his ranch. We have had this information for many years and now want to share it with you.

The book measures 8′ x 10′ inches and has 108 pages of little-known information and amazing color photos. You’ll love thumbing through the book, reading the stories, looking at the pictures, and trying out the recipes.

And don’t think Steve only ate nuts and bananas. He wasn’t a monkey. He enjoyed normal food made in special ways – including brownies!

We are now taking orders for this limited-edition printed book and will not charge your credit card until we ship your book. The books are due to ship on December 11, 2010, so you’ll get yours in time for the holiday season (assuming you order today).

Order by clicking right here. (If the link doesn’t work, go to http://www.stevereeves.com, click on the online store, and search under ‘books’.)

The book is a historic work, perfect for anyone interested in cooking, eating, nutrition, health, fitness, movies, classic bodybuilding or of course the great Steve Reeves.

Ao Akua,

Joe

PS – Remember, there are only 250 copies of the printed, collectible, signed book. To get yours, go to http://shop.stevereeves.com/store/viewItem.shop?idProduct=273 or go to http://www.stevereeves.com, click on the online store, and then search under ‘books’.

Member BBB 2003 – 2011

Recently I caught the classic 1956 movie, Moby Dick, based on the famous book by Herman Melville, starring Gregory Peck, directed by John Huston, screenplay by Ray Bradbury. I was reminded of how hypnotic and meaningful the movie is, with symbols about Divinity and messages about the Law of Attraction, and more. I loved it. Always have.

You probably know the Melville book is an American classic first published in 1851. You probably also never read it. At least not all of it. Even Ray Bradbury admitted he could never get through the thing.

I have read it. I’m a fan of the book. I read everything by Melville when I was in college in the 1970s, including Billy Budd, Typee, and The Confidence Man, and even his overlooked poetry, such as Clarel.

But I wouldn’t read Moby Dick today.

Instead, I’d watch the 1956 movie.

Here’s why:

Moby Dick is actually a story about the war between ego and, well, let’s say it: God. Captain Ahab is out to kill God. Yes, the great white whale is a symbol. But everything in life is. In this case, the whale represents the Divine. And Ahab wants it on a stick. Or at least a harpoon.

As Pip says in the movie, “That ain’t no whale; that a great white god.”

But why does Ahab hate God/Whale?

The movie cuts to the chase and tells the story best. Ahab went fishing one day, ran into God in the appearance of a huge white whale, and God/whale challenged him. Ahab lost a leg. Got a facial scar. And was royally upset. He devoted the rest of his life to revenge. Of course, trying to blame God for your life is a losing battle. After all, God’s in control, not you.

And this is Ahab’s problem.

Ahab thinks he can find and destroy God/whale. He bribes his crew with a Spanish gold coin to find the whale. He uses maps and math to help pinpoint the next appearance of the great white.

Along the way Ahab ignores another ship in need of help. Ignores his crew who needs to work. Ignores Starbuck, his first in command, trying to warn him of his choices. And ignores his own mission: to hunt for whales so the world has light from burning their fat.

Listen as Ahab declares how he would “strike out the sun” if it insulted him:

“Speak not to me of blasphemy, man; I’d strike the sun if it insulted me. Look ye, Starbuck, all visible objects are but as pasteboard masks. Some inscrutable yet reasoning thing puts forth the molding of their features. The white whale tasks me; he heaps me. Yet he is but a mask. ‘Tis the thing behind the mask I chiefly hate; the malignant thing that has plagued mankind since time began; the thing that maws and mutilates our race, not killing us outright but letting us live on, with half a heart and half a lung.”

Ahab is pure ego.

He’s hypnotic, as most madmen are.

He’s obsessed, as most madmen are.

And he’s going to fail, as most hypnotic, obsessed, madmen do.

He’s not going to be able to kill “the thing behind the mask” because that thing is God/Divine/Life.

How do we know Ahab failed?

The only reason we know of the story at all is that there was a lone survivor. Ishmael, played by actor Richard Basehart in the movie, is a detached observer. He’s a witness. He’s a reporter of the event. He lives to report the lesson back to us.

Why?

Because you and I need reminded that there is God and there is our ego. When you battle God/Divine/Life/Whale, you lose.

Here’s the lesson as I see it (with apologies to Melville, Bradbury, et al): Accept what happens to you in life as a gift, learn from it, turn it around if need be, and then get on with your life mission.

Feeling resentful, angry, unforgiving and driven by revenge is only going to do one thing: sink your ship.

The secret to living a happy life is to go with the flow. That doesn’t mean roll over and play dead. Put up your sails to use the God-given winds to get you where you want to go, but don’t blame God/Divine/Whale when you hit any bumps in the road. You attracted them as an unconscious dance of energies with life. Just adjust your sails and get back on track. Life goes on.

Beware The Ahab Syndrome.

It’s self-sabotage at the extreme.

What whale have you been fighting, anyway?

Ao Akua,

Joe

PS — Here’s sci-fi legend Ray Bradbury giving a misleading (it wasn’t as easy as he claims in this clip) but fun account of how he wrote the screenplay to Moby Dick for egocentric director John Huston by becoming author Herman Melville:

I’ve been offering masterminds in my Rolls-Royce Phantom for about a year and a half now. ABC News filmed one of them last January when fitness celebrity model Jennifer Nicole Lee was the rider for the night.

These masterminds are amazing, unusual, unforgettable, stimulating, profitable and productive – to say the least.

They are idea fests. We brainstorm everything from product ideas to marketing strategies, from copywriting to spirituality, from Internet marketing to the Law of Attraction.

Since I’ve written about fifty books, in the areas of marketing and self-help (from The Attractor Factor to There’s A Customer Born Every Minute to coauthoring the definitive book on masterminds titled Meet and Grow Rich, with Bill Hibbler), our masterminding evening can touch on any or all of these areas – and more. I just let inspiration lead the way.

During these one-of-a-kind events I’ve met some of the nicest people in the world, too, who have flown in from all over the world – from Japan, France, Switzerland, Italy, etc.

I love these events.

Now that I have an even rarer car in the 2008 Spyker c8 Laviolette — the only car of its type in the world — I thought I would offer the Spyker Mastermind experience.

The difference here is the car. I saw it in person two months ago and haven’t been able to forget it. So I attracted it. Spyker is a handmade car from Holland. Only about 30 exist in the USA. It’s a James Bond-ish street jet built on airplane technology, and the one I now have is as rare as a car gets.

The Spyker is not a Rolls-Royce, though it’s just as divine, and just as expensive. Since it’s a two-seater coupe, I can only have one passenger, and you need to be OK with a tight space for at least the ride to and from dinner.

Here’s some promotional info on this unique car:

“The Spyker C8 Laviolette is an exotic high-performance Dutch super car named after an early 20th-century Spyker engineer, Belgian race car builder, Joseph Laviolette. This is an all aluminum, hand built, mid-engined sports car, with aerodynamic ground effects, side air ducts, and electrically operated single hinge tilting doors that is definitely a showstopper.

The C8 Laviolette seats two in its luxurious quilted Connolly leather interior and features a unique glass canopy reminiscent of a fighter planes cockpit. Two separate compartments keep the driver and passenger slightly apart, delineated by a chrome bar that bisects the unique chrome gearshift lever. The C8 Laviolette’s 4.2-liter V-8 engine from Audi produces 400-horsepower and 354 foot pounds of torque, goes 187 mph, and can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in just under 4.5 seconds with a six-speed manual transmission.

In 1914 Spyker merged with the Dutch Aircraft Factory N.V., and from that moment on their design has been heavily influenced by airplanes and aerodynamics, as seen in the Spyker logo consisting of an aircraft propeller and a wire wheel.  Spykers are the ultimate statement of individuality; a creation of timeless beauty in the form of a state of the art technology package with spectacular performance. Every Spyker is as much an individual as its discerning buyer, hence Spyker’s slogan, ‘Crafted For Individuals’. “

If you’re interested in a Mastermind evening with me in my Spyker — or in my roomier Rolls-Royce Phantom – just notify my office and we’ll set a date for your experience.

In fact, I have several cars, and you can choose the vehicle you’d like to experience for your very own mastermind evening.

You might like to ride in the ’76 Jag formerly owned by famous bodybuilder and movie star Steve Reeves, or the ’97 Panoz Roadster formerly owned by rock star Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, or maybe the ’02 Panoz Esperante formerly owned by movie and TV star Patrick Dempsey of Grey’s Anatomy. See a few pictures of my cars by clicking right here.

Again, just contact my office right here or see this site about the Mastermind evening.

You can get a feel for the Spyker I attracted with this short video:

Meanwhile, Expect Miracles.

Ao Akua,

Joe

PS – You can learn how to use the Law of Attraction to attract a new car over at http://www.attractanewcar.com

PPS — Be sure to claim your free thirty minute Miracles Coaching experience. Just go right here.

Last weekend I went to Dallas to relive my homeless days while a TV crew filmed it all.

It sucked.

I didn’t like going there.

I didn’t like being there.

But I’m glad I went through it.

I was finally able to break through the black cloud I’ve unconsciously carried from three decades ago.

When people ask me how I went from homeless to bestselling author, all I can tell them is I never let go of my dream, and I persistently and relentlessly worked toward making it a reality.

I worked at my dream while I was homeless, in poverty, struggling with no job at all or jobs I hated so bad I cried driving to and from them.

But I never gave up.

I kept going to the library, kept reading self-help and self-improvement books, and kept applying what I read.

It all helped me.

But it wasn’t enough.

I needed something more.

The giant breakthrough came when I got a personal coach.

I wrote about this in my book, The Attractor Factor, and I’ve told the story many times.

While you’ll grow with books and audios — and you should keep reading them as nourishment for your mind and soul — the dramatic leaps to new levels will come more easily and quickly with a coach.

That’s why I started Miracles Coaching more than four years ago.

It’s to help you dissolve your hidden limitations and blast up the ladder of success.

It’s to help you attract miracles.

To help you taste what I’m talking about, you can have a 30 minute free session of Miracles Coaching.

No charge.

No obligation.

Just go to —

http://www.miraclescoaching.com

Again, it’s free.

It’s a gift to you, to help you move forward.

And all you have to do is request it.

It’ll help you have a better day, too.

Isn’t it time?

Ao Akua,

Joe

PS — I know you may be nervous about talking to a Miracles Coach or signing up for that free session. The first time I went to see a personal coach, I could hardly breathe. And my car stalled on the way there. I knew this was my inner resistance to leaving my comfort zone. But I also knew I had to do something to change. So I told myself and my car, “I’m going to that session no matter what!” As a direct result, I left the old unhappy and unsuccessful me and became a new man with amazing levels of new success I only dreamed of before. You can have this, too — or something even better. Go see — http://www.miraclescoaching.com

PPS – You can also listen to an interview with one of my Miracles Coaches (pictured above with me), and watch a short video about Miracles Coaching, at the site. Again, it’s at — http://www.miraclescoaching.com

Note: The caricature of me is by Jamie Linfoot of New Zealand. He created it and gave it to me as a gift, after reading my books, including Attract Money Now.

Now that I have an ipad, I’m enjoying poking around the Apple apps store and playing with the freebies. One of them takes dictation. It’s called Dragon Dictation. You speak, it records, and then transcribes what you said.  It sounded cool. I downloaded it and tried it.

I spoke, “I hope this cool new software allows me to speak my emails and is accurate.”

It translated my speech as, “I hope this college software allows the court to be fed net.”

Hmmm. I was pretty sure my diction was good, so I tried again.

I spoke, “My cat has a loud meow when hungry.”

It translated that as, “My cat has a loud pillow on Tuesday.”

If nothing else, the app is highly entertaining.

While there are 1,500 apps for the ipad, apparently they don’t all work as billed. Whenever I’m tempted to download an app, I read the reviews first. So far ninety percent of the time the reviews talk me out of it. Since the ipad is so new, the apps appear to be untested. No problem. I’ll just come back later.

Meanwhile, apps that work on the ipad include Pandora Radio and Pages.

Dragon Dictation translated the above line as, “Have to work with Dragon Dictation included Pandora Radio and Pages.”

A list of popular free apps (not tested or endorsed by me) are right here or at http://www.apple.com/itunes/charts/free-apps/

Ao Akua,

Joe

PS – Which is better: Apple ipad or Amazon Kindle? I’ve been using my Kindle since it arrived last Christmas. I love it. But I left it after only a few minutes with the ipad. I could probably run my entire business from my ipad. (In fact, this morning I wrote and sent an email to my entire database right from my ipad.) Sorry, Amazon. I still love you, though.