A Secret to Self-Help

What’s a key to self-help, self-improvement or self-development?

Meet Ace Pepper.

Ace is the most upbeat, revved up and amped up guy I know. He absolutely loves making amplifiers for musicians.

I’ve seen people in love with their work before – from plumbers to postal workers to electrical repair people — but Ace Pepper takes the passion award.

The man is plugged in. He lives to make amps and does for famous musicians. I met him at a guitar show I attended with Pat O’Bryan. I liked Ace’s energy and was curious to what made him so contagiously happy.

I didn’t see Ace for almost a year, though. When one of my amps started to whistle when it was supposed to hum, I thought of Ace. Pat and I went to see him, my old amp in tow.

Ace gave me an hour lesson in how amps are built.

It was exciting.

It was in-depth.

It was intense.

I didn’t understand any of it.

But the guy’s boyish enthusiasm for his work was riveting.

I ended up hiring Ace to make me the amp of all amps.

I told Ace I wanted something so astonishing that Bruce Springsteen would hear the legend of it and contact me, wanting to buy it.

Now here’s where this gets interesting.

I don’t know how to use a professional amp.  Oh, I know how to plug a guitar cable into it and turn it on. But Ace’s amps have a dozen dials, multiple plug-in holes, and wires coming out of the back of it. He makes amps that would challenge Tesla. Having him build me a professional custom-made amp was asking him to build me a car I couldn’t drive.

Yet.

And that’s a secret to self improvement.

I told Ace I wanted him to build me an amp that I would “grow into.”

What I meant is this: I’ll learn how to use the amp once I have it. I’ll experiment, ask questions, make mistakes and grow. I’ll stretch myself into a comfortable fit.

This is true of virtually anything you want to learn.

Set an intention and then start working/playing/learning to grow into it.

Same with singing.

I don’t sing.  Never used to, anyway. But I decided to do something huge and daring – not knowing exactly how I would accomplish it – and announced one day I would put on a one-man theatrical show called “Mr. Fire’s Wonder Show: An Evening of Magic, Music and Miracles.”

Talk about establishing a goal I’d need to grow into!

Singing?

Magic?

Miracles?

Well, the Law of Attraction kicked in and I started to attract the people and coaches I need to make that goal come true.

I stumbled into a vocal coach by the name of Guy Monroe. The guy is a-maz-ing. He’s also amped up about his work.

He took me under his wing, coached me with his vocal and verbal methods, and terrific upbeat energy, and I’m now singing Neil Young, Neil Diamond, Harry Chapin and more.

Recently I startled myself by singing Glen Hansard’s wonderful song, Falling Slowly, from the movie Once. I didn’t think I had a shot at getting close to the song, as it has such vocal extremes in it, from soft to shrill.

But Guy coached me, encouraged me, and I went for it.

I not only sang it, but I sang it pretty darn good.

Of course, I’m no Glen Hansard, but I’m an excellent Joe Vitale.

I’m proud of myself for daring something worthy and learning how to sing, accelerating my guitar playing, and getting an amp I have no idea how to use — yet.

Again, if you want to know a secret to self-help and self-improvement, re-read this post.

And then set a big, bold, daring goal for yourself, based on your passion.

It will help you “amp it up”.

Expect Miracles.

Ao Akua,

Joe

PS – You’ll notice that a key to growing fast and achieving your dreams with the Law of Attraction and more, is to have a coach. Listen to my interview with the Miracles Coach of 2009 by clicking right here. It’s another secret to self-improvement and self-help. Go for it!