Tag: art

Now that my breathtaking new office is done, with wall to wall and floor to ceiling bookcases, I’m trying to decide what should be the first book I bring into the new sacred space.

Should it be one of my own books?

One of my friends?

Or one of the many rare, even autographed books by authors I love, such as Neville Goddard, P.T. Barnum, Claude Bristol, Joseph Murphy, Edward Bernays, Jack London, Mark Twain, William Saroyan, Shirley Jackson, Robert Collier, Napoleon Hill or – ?

I have a huge collection of books on marketing, copywriting, publicity, metaphysics, spirituality, fitness, muscle building, magic, hypnosis and more.

But of all these books, which one deserves to be the very first to gain entrance into my new office?

I went out to dinner with friends and told them of my challenge. One of them was an author and of course wanted his book to be the first in my office. Another friend suggested I have a contest and let people vote on the book that should be first.

None of it felt exactly right. We left dinner and went walking. We stumbled across a new art gallery. Inside was the artist showing his work.

It was called “Art that makes you laugh.”

I asked the artist why it was called that.

“Follow me and I’ll show you,” he said.

He brought me to a painting of two sharks swimming, headed to a judge’s bench in a courtroom.

I didn’t see anything funny about that.

“Read the caption,” the artist said.

I looked and read, “Counsel approaching the bench.”

I laughed.

Turns out the artist has been drawing humorous pictures like that one for decades. He’s known for his unique art. He’s a former advertising guy turned artist. Apparently he’s doing just fine.

I bought three of his paintings for my new office.

And a copy of his book.

His book is a collection of his funny art, titled, Are You Laughing At My Art?

I took it home and put it in my office.

Before I knew it, I realized I had finally brought a book into my new space.

But it didn’t feel like the right first book, as I had no previous relationship with it, so I didn’t put it on a shelf.

Instead, I grabbed my signed copy of Napoleon Hill’s famous book, Think and Grow Rich, and a first edition of Hill’s book, How to Sell Your Way Through Life.

Those two books are classics of success literature. They look wonderful on my shelf, too.

Now, what will be the third book I put on the shelf?

Ao Akua,

Joe

PS — The artist is Jeff Leedy. That’s him in the photo with me. Funny guy. His site is right here. Top photo is of my new office with Food Powers Queen Nerissa Oden posing in it.

I love asking people in the countries I visit about their customs. One of my favorite questions is, “What secrets do you have for attracting money or anything else?”

In Russia I learned about Hochun, the Siberian “wish maker.” I love him as a tool for focusing on intentions. Pat O’Bryan and I released our own version of him at The Secret Russian Wish Maker.

In Poland I learned that you can attract money if you hang a painting of a Jewish man counting gold coins in your home or office.

My friend Andrzej Batko said he bought such a painting, placed it in his office, and it worked. I of course wanted one, too.

We found one in Krackow. I loved it, bought it, and am having it framed right now. When my new office is completed, I’ll hang it where I can see it.

Actually, it’s now framed…

This raises the question: Do these items actually work?

I don’t know. But my theory is this: if it doesn’t hurt you to hang a painting or look at an image, then why not do it? When something is fun, adds to the positive energy for your desire, it has to be good.

Here’s something even more fascinating:

I met famed Polish photographer Grzegorz Syllain in Warsaw. He followed me around one day and took pictures of me shopping for cigars and clothes. His teenage daughter followed and helped.

When we stopped to have coffee, I asked his daughter what she enjoyed doing. She said painting. I then told them what I leaned about the Polish custom of having the money attractor painting. They both knew the power of the painting.

But they didn’t see what was coming next.

“When I go back to Texas and write about my painting, people will want one for their home or office, too. The thing is, I won’t have anywhere to send them to buy a painting. If you would set up a website, and your daughter would paint the art, I could direct them to you.”

His daughter loved the idea.

He loved the idea.

“If you do this, you could attract enough money for school or anything else you want.”

They nodded with excitement.

I then challenged them.

“I want you to start painting and to get the site up by the time I return to the States in three days. If you do, I’ll tell my readers about it.”

Grzegorz quickly agreed.

So did his daughter. “I don’t want a penny for this,” I explained. “I want to see you act on this idea. This is the secret to attracting success in life; when the idea is there, honor it and act on it.”

Sure enough, they honored their word.

Their site is now up at Polish Money Attractor Painting.

If I were you, I’d do two things right now:

1. Write down an idea you’ve had and haven’t acted on yet.

2. Act on it.

Oh.

And go get your own original Polish Money Attractor Painting.

What if it works?

Ao Akua,

Joe

PS -The above photo of Nerissa and I was taken by Grzegorz in Warsaw, Poland. His site is at www.fotani.com The painting is by Grzegorz’s wife and daughter. Order it at http://www.gobeliny.com