Dr. Joe Vitale’s Blog

I haven’t jogged in more than twenty years but I’m ready to put on barefoot running shoes and hit the hills.

Why? What’s got into me? Why am I now “born to run”? And why barefoot??

I’ve been reading the most riveting, stimulating, adventurous, outrageous, mind altering, fun, shocking and simply unbelievable book of 2009. I’m talking about Born to Run by Christoper McDougall.

The thing is, well, hypnotic.

It’s the true story of the Tarahumara, a peace-loving small group of mega-distance running people who live hidden in Mexico’s Copper Canyon. The author heard of them and went on a quest to find them. What a quest it was.

He didn’t just dodge drug dealers and dangerous mountains, but he climbed, walked, ran, and struggled though a maze of twists and turns that make this book the healthiest detective story of the year.

Only it’s all true.

Part of the secret to the Tarahumara’s ability to run forever — literally — is the fact that they don’t wear shoes. No Nikes. No New Balances. No spring-loaded computerized made-only-for-your-feet shoes.

If anything, they wear what some would call Jesus or gladiator sandals: just a slab of thin leather under the sole with a leather thong tied around the foot and ankle. That’s it.

Of course, these running savants love to run. They smile as they run. They are like kids at play — kids who smoke black tobacco and drink corn beer — but kids in spirit, even when they’re senior citizens dashing over mountain tops.

Go figure.

You’ve got to read the book. It’s a masterpiece. Read it for the writing style. Read it for the adventure story. Read it for the amazing characters. Read it for the inspiration. Read it to be shocked. But read it.

Off with the shoes and out the door to freedom I go.

Or not.

I’ve yet to get my head around running virtually barefoot over roads and rough terrain.

I think I’ll finish Born to Run first and then decide.

Ao Akua,

Joe
Dr. Joe Vitale

PS – Here are some resources for you:

Info on Tarahumara
http://www.mexonline.com/raramuri.htm

“White Horse” leads trips into Mexico’s Copper Canyon
http:/www.caballoblanco.com/

Details on Barefoot Running
http://barefootted.com/labels/tarahumara.html

Book site for Born to Run
http://www.borntorun.org/

Vibram Five Fingers are “shoes” that look like slippers a frog would wear. Yet people run in these “barefoot running shoes.”
http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/

Note: Remember to read Joe Vitale’s new book Attract Money Now FREE by clicking right here.

Optimism? How can anyone be an optimist during these times? What grounds are there for being optimistic, anyway? Is it at all realistic?

A few weeks ago a friend asked me how I learned to see the good in life and the good in people. The question stopped me. I had to think. It’s true I look for the good in people and in life. It’s true I learned to do it.

But how? When? Why?

I remember being very unhappy in college. One time I sat on the steps of the house I had a room in (back at Kent State University), feeling sad. A couple walking by looked at me. The woman said, “You look really unhappy.”

A close friend of mine in college even went as far as to say I was “naturally pessimistic.”

Decades ago, on the streets of Dallas, jobless and sleepless with worry, I stood at a bus stop. A man crossing the street looked at me and said, “You look terrible.”

That doesn’t happen today.

No one says I am pessimistic today.

Why not?

Why am I smiling in this recent photo of Lynne McTaggart (author of The Intention Experiment and The Field)?

Why do I smile more often than not these days?

Why am I now “naturally optimistic”?

What happened to the natural pessimist?

Here’s the secret: I’ve spent a fortune to work on myself over the last few decades – meaning I read books, listened to audios,  attended events, and got coaches.

All of this personal development helped me erase the beliefs causing my feelings and behavior.

All of this led to a transformation that today is so dramatically different than what I once was, I’m only the same person by name.

The point is this: Anything can be learned. Anyone can change.

The new science of neuro-plasticity is proving it. So is the new science of positive psychology. We live in an exciting world where even science is starting to point to the miraculous.

But back to me seeing the good in people and in life.

I learned from legendary psychologist William James that whatever I focus on will expand. It’s basic Law of Attraction but without the woo-woo. It’s fundamental psychology.

If you look for bad things, you’ll tend to find them, focus on them, and then see more of them. Your focus will “expand” them into your life.

Change your focus and you change your life.

This is why the work of Will Bowen (author of A Complaint-Free World) and his complaint-free world movement is so important. I’m on his board of directors because I know the power of not complaining but instead stating what you want.

In Law of Attraction terms (as explained in my book The Attractor Factor) it simply means don’t state what you don’t want (the complaint) but instead declare what you do want (your intention).

When it comes to other people, Goethe had something to say about this, too:

“Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you help them to become what they are capable of being.”

I’ve also learned that when you find the good in people and situations, you feel better. You’re happier, healthier, and ultimately wealthier.

People around you feel better, too. They don’t have to defend themselves from your complaining about them or trying to change them.

You love them and they feel it.

This is the core of the Zero Limits ho’oponopono process, as well. You don’t try to change anyone. After all, they are mirror images of you, anyway. Whatever you don’t like in them is something you don’t like inside you.

Might as well love what you see.

It’s you.

In short, reality is what you see, and what you see is what you choose.

Whether the glass is half empty or half full is a choice of perception.

It may not feel like a choice when you start practicing this way of living, but only because of habit. As you continue to pause, decide on what you want to see in any moment, and choose the positive view, you soon learn that being an optimist is a very realistic thing to do. It will become your new nature.

I love that more and people are learning to be optimistic about life. There are a long line of books and people teaching us you have a choice about how you can view life. Whether actor Michael J. Fox (author, Always Looking Up) or Joe Vitale (author, Attract Money Now), the lesson is the same: focus on what you want and you’ll tend to bring it about.

Where is your focus?

Ao Akua,

Joe
Dr. Joe Vitale

PS — Nothing works faster to transform you than having your own coach. Please check out my famous Miracles Coaching program. If you want to be optimistic no matter what, and live the life of an optimist breathing optimism, coaching can be your ticket to freedom. Forget reality. It’s only what you perceive, and your perception is under your control.

When it comes to “the secret” to success — especially in manifesting money or using the law of attraction to attract money — few know what I do is the very thing I teach: I get clear, connect with the Divine, and act on what I receive.

Let me explain…

A few months ago I received a divinely inspired idea, complete with marketing plan. It was so sudden and so complete that I stopped everything and wrote it down. I’ve been acting on every step in it since that day.  Some of my own staff think I’m nuts to implement the idea, but virtually everyone else thinks it’s pure genius.

Here’s the idea in a nutshell:

The first leg of the plan was to write another book. I wasn’t keen on that. I’ve already written maybe thirty books, including The Attractor Factor. But I’ve learned not to argue with the Divine. So I’ve written a new law of attraction book, called Attract Money Now. The seven step formula in it was mentioned in my Nightingale-Conant audio program, The Secret to Attracting Money. But it was only mentioned. I suspected it could be turned into a whole book. So I took that tiny section and expanded it, explained it, and made it my new book, called Attract Money Now.

I then decided I would give away the book. Yes, for free. This is where some on my own staff thought I was losing focus. They feared “You won’t make any money.” I knew in my heart this was the way to go. There are numerous stories of authors who gave away the digital version of their book, who saw the hardcover version of the same book skyrocket in sales. Not enough people give away their goods due to fear. Well, I’m not afraid. Plus, Chris Anderson’s new book, FREE, proves giving is a terrific way to make money. Besides, I truly want to help people. By giving away the book, I give people access to the very formula they need to attract money now.

Then, I shot a television show about the book. I’ve been involved in numerous infomercials over the last twenty years. I could have made one for the book. Instead, I wanted to create a TV show where I gave away the ideas in the book, had some testimonials from people who have used my ideas, and then urged the viewer to go read the book, gratis, at my website. Obviously, I am paying for the air time, paying to create the show, and not making a dime from either. Still, I am following the Divine plan.

This is a real secret to success: when the ideas come, act.

Will this plan work?

Of course!

I’m honoring my heart, my passion, and the Divinely inspired marketing idea. It can’t help but work.

This is how you truly attract success:

You get out of your ego and its petty desires and instead allow the Divine to direct your way.

This is why I say I gave up intentions and now follow inspirations.

Big difference in results.

It will be two weeks before the TV show is edited into something worth airing. When it’s done, I’ll post it online so you can go watch it.

Meanwhile, go register to be notified when the book is ready (any day now) by clicking right here.

Ao Akua,

Joe
Dr. Joe Vitale

PS – Above photos were snapped on the set of my TV show for my next book, Attract Money Now. You can see Pat O’Bryan at top, Victoria Belue Schaefer in middle, and then Scott York (looking at his iphone). The cover of Austin All Natural magazine with me on it is evidence people want to hear more about how to use the law of attraction to manifest money or attract wealth. Is this exciting or what?

There are inspiring people everywhere. Johnny Barnes is in Bermuda. He stands in traffic and blows kisses as he smiles and loves each and every driver. He’s been doing it for at least 15 years. I saw him in person and was moved to smile and feel happy. His love is contagious. See for yourself by going here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nveq-kwVu3g or clicking on the below:

My father just sent me this High School graduation picture of myself. This was Joe Vitale in 1972 in Ohio:

And here is Joe Vitale aka Mr Fire last week in Bermuda with Jack Canfield:

And here’s another recent photo of Joe Vitale:

What the – ?

That kid in 1972 had no idea of the roller-coaster he was about to step on as he left High School: homelessness and poverty, confusion and desperation, anger and hurt, yet on to the nickname “Mr Fire!” and world-wide success, happiness, wealth, and fame, with thirty books (such as The Attractor Factor),  eleven movies (such as The Secret), and his own Miracles Coaching program helping thousands worldwide.

You explain it.

When people ask me how I went from nothing to something, they are looking for the magic pill answer. They want me to name the one book, or one event, or one person, or one action, that changed it all forever.

Well, I did do one thing.

And it may surprise you.

The one thing I did to transform my life was this: everything.

I read all the books, attended all the events, struggled and squirmed, panted and prayed, worked on myself, took odd jobs (some I hated) and more — all as I pursued my passion: to write bestselling books that inspire people.

Today I do that for a living. My next book will be available any day now. It reveals my original seven step formula to help anyone attract money now.

It’s called Attract Money Now.

And I’m giving it away, free.

Register to get it by clicking right here.

And then go look at your High School picture.

Ao Akua,

Joe
Dr. Joe Vitale

PS – Where did Joe Vitale get the name “Mr Fire!”, anyway? Back in the early 1990s I met a woman who began calling me that whenever we met. When I asked her why, she said, “You set a fire under the butt of everyone you meet. You’re always inspiring people. You’re Mistah Fire!” The name stuck, though the woman moved on. And onwards we go.