I’ve been struggling for months with writing this post about Napoleon Hill and his disturbing book about the devil, forbidden to be published by Hill or his family for generations.
It’s been years since I read a book that made me as uncomfortable as Outwitting the Devil by Napoleon Hill. I thought it was just me until I talked to a friend who said she was having trouble completing the book. It was stirring up too much energy within her. We both agreed to finish reading it to find out what secret it held for us.
Napoleon Hill wrote Outwitting the Devil in 1938, just after publication of his all-time bestseller, Think and Grow Rich. This powerful tale has never been published before, considered too controversial by his family and friends. I can see why.
The book is Hill’s interview with the devil. And the devil admits to controlling people through everything from culture and education to religion.
The devil comes across as the most powerful persuasion expert of all time. He/she/it is working within the very medium that we’ve grown to respect as good. As a result, the devil programs us to believe in lack, limitation, scarcity and victimhood. Since we don’t see the devil’s hand at work in these mediums, we rarely question what we’re taught.
I found the book unnerving. The devil is working within religion to keep us controlled? I suspect it made all my childhood programming about the “bogeyman of spirituality” come to life.
It’s unsettling to realize people are programmed to feel they are victims by the culture itself, yet the culture is being programmed to think it’s in charge by this force Hill calls the devil. It’s an entire cycle of vicious victimhood programming. And I didn’t like it.
I still haven’t finished the book. It would be a disservice to you not to tell you about it, though. When so many people are struggling, and don’t know why, considering the limiting programming coming from the very culture we live in can help us break free.
Whether that programming is actually from a “devil” or not is something I’m not going to debate. But I do strongly believe that we are being brainwashed to think negative and expect the worst by a system that is already entranced in that mindset.
In Zero Limits terms, you can call the devil a “program.” A program is a kind of virus of the mind; a limiting belief that attracts matches to the program.
Devil or not, program or not, it’s not helping you.
It’s time to awaken and break free.
Ao Akua,
PS – Read Outwitting the Devil for the challenge, but balance it by reading The Attractor Factor, Zero Limits and of course Attract Money Now. And be sure to soothe your body and mind during or after reading those books with some healing music over at Blue Healer. For my next CD, called Strut!, I wrote a song about choice. You always have it. You can listen to the “devil” or you can listen to Spirit. Choose wisely.
When I went into the recording studio on October 6th to record my first songs — original songs I wrote and was going to sing and play guitar to for the first time ever — I was nervous.
I was about to perform with two music legends: Glenn Fukunaga on bass (who just came off tour with Robert Plant) and the other Joe Vitale on drums (who’s played with virtually every rock star since Neil Young). I didn’t need any coffee that morning. I was already buzzing.
Neither Glenn or Joe had heard my music before. They didn’t know me, my songs, my style, my voice, my playing, or anything else. Joe met me the night before. Glenn met me at the studio. They loved the idea of creating music with positive messages. But we were all new to each other.
And this was my first time to sing and play with anyone.
The night before, I told the other Joe Vitale that I was nervous. He said, “Nervous? That’s perfect! You don’t want to go in there feeling dead. You can use that energy.”
I realized he was right. My nervousness was excitement. I also knew I needed all the help I could get. So I asked drummer Joe for advice. Since he has five decades worth of experience in the studio and on stage, I knew he’d offer something useful. He did.
“I don’t know your songs, but you wrote them for a reason,” Joe began. “They stand for something you believe in. I say go in there and TESTIFY, man. There are popular singers who can’t sing, but we love their energy. I say let it rip and TESTIFY.”
That word “testify” stayed with me.
It meant passion and purpose and commitment and energy and a lot more. According to Merriam-Webster, “testify” means —
a : to make a statement based on personal knowledge or belief : bear witness
b : to serve as evidence or proof to express a personal conviction.
I was going to bear witness that my songs are evidence of my personal conviction about life, choice, risk, Law of Attraction, and more.
I wrote the word “testify” down on a green index card and took it with me into the studio. I placed it on my music stand, right beside my sheet music and a photo of Johnny Cash, so I could see it. It became my code word for greatness.
What happened?
When we recorded the first tune, a song called Three Months, I ended it spontaneously singing out one of the longest sung single words. I wanted to sing the word, “Strut,” but I belted it out with full energy, raw power, and long distance breath control that even surprised me. The entire word lasted a roaring 15 seconds. That may be nothing for Stephen Tyler, but we’re talking about me.
I testified.
Daniel Barrett, who is producing my CD, later said that one word primal singing was a defining moment.
“When you hung on that word and let it rip, everyone knew you were committed to the project,” Daniel explained. “It was spine tingling. You communicated that you were going for it.”
I hadn’t thought about that moment as the defining moment, but I can see it now. I declared, with my action, that I was going to succeed.
So here’s what you might think about:
Are you giving it your all in whatever your project happens to be right now?
I mean, look at this with ruthless honestly.
Decades ago in Houston, when I taught writing and publishing classes, I used to tell the story of Henry Kissinger and an aide he assigned the task of writing a special report.
He wrote the report and placed it on Kissinger’s desk.
But the next morning the report was back on the aide’s desk with a note saying, “You can do better.”
The aide rewrote the report, and turned it in again.
But the next morning the report was back on his desk with yet another note from Kissinger saying, “You can do better.”
The aide at that point pulled out all the stops. He rewrote the report, added to it, polished it, and perfected it. He then hand delivered it to Kissinger and said, “Sir, this is the best I can do.”
Kissinger replied, “In that case, I’ll read it.”
Kissinger hadn’t read the earlier drafts because he knew most of us won’t do our best. We’ll do just enough to “get by.” Well, that’s not good enough. You need commitment to succeed.
When I went into the studio and — with no warm up or rehearsal or warning — belted out, “STRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUT!”, I showed my commitment to my album.
Are you fully committed to your success?
Are you ready to testify for what you believe in?
Ao Akua,
PS — I know you’re curious. You can hear my 15 second unedited primal testify at http://www.youtube.com/joemrfire or by clicking on the below image:
Following up on my last post about using the Law of Attraction to attract legendary rock and roll drummer Joe Vitale, I just completed the basic recording for my first singer-songwriter CD, Strut!, where I debut as the world’s first self-help singer-songwriter.
Strut! features the other Joe Vitale, the world famous drummer who’s played with Joe Walsh, Dan Fogelberg, Neil Young, Linda Ronstadt, Stephen Stills, John Fogerty, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Peter Frampton, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Beach Boys, Eagles, Ted Nugent, Peter Frampton, and more! For the first time ever, Joe Vitale meets Joe Vitale!
Strut! also features Glenn Fukunaga on bass. Glenn just completed a tour with legendary singer Robert Plant of Band of Joy and Led Zeppelin.
Strut! is being produced by Rubicon Artist Development, owned and operated by Daniel Barrett, lead singer of the award-winning band, Porterdavis.
Talk about doing what you love and having a blast!
Talk about Instant Manifestation!
When I needed a drummer, I instantly took a long shot and asked the other Joe Vitale. My recording dates just “happened” to be the ones he was available, as he was going on tour the very next day!
Having a clear intention, taking inspired action, and having support, will lead to the fulfillment of your dreams.
What are your dreams?
Ao Akua,
PS — My first music CD, Blue Healer, is described right here.
At Pat O’Bryan’s Unseminar #9, I not only revealed my seven-step secret system for using Hypnotic Marketing and Law of Attraction principles to attract dramatic success, but I gave everyone in the room a free copy of my latest book, Instant Manifestation.
But here’s the juicy part:
The book was published by Pat O’Bryan.
Now, I’ve been published in every way you can imagine, from self-published to print-on-demand to traditional publishing to e-books to, well, you name it. Several of my books are bestsellers. Many are translated into languages I didn’t know existed. There are publishers and agents knocking at my door, wanting my next book.
But I let my next book go to Pat.
When I first met Pat in 2003, he knew nothing about marketing, publishing, the Internet or much else in the business world. He was a successful but broke blues musician.
Pat is sharp. He learned fast, came out with his own products fast, built his own list fast, started his own brand fast, created his own seminars fast, and now started his own publishing company.
If you were wondering if people can actually learn the secrets of marketing and the Law of Attraction and apply them for real world results, Pat is living proof of it.
I’m proud of my latest book. But more than that, I’m a mentor who groomed a student, and that student transformed into my publisher. I’m proud of Pat.
Is life a grand adventure or what?
What are you doing with what you learn?
The “secret formula” I taught Pat is revealed at http://www.onlinewealthsecretcode.com
Ao Akua,
PS – My new book, Instant Manifestation, will be released October 11. I’ll be hosting a free teleseminar that night to answer your questions. Find out more at http://www.instantmanifestationbook.com
If you want money for something you believe in, I may have a way for you to get it.
This is not my service and I don’t make a dime if you use it or not. They don’t even know I’m writing this. I just feel this is too good not to share.
I’ve seen bands, artists, authors, photographers, film makers, and new businesses get the money they want this way.
I first heard about this service when a start-up company needed fifty grand to create their product. They used the service and raised 350 grand — six times more than what they asked for.
And I just saw a band I know raise over ten grand for their new recording.
I’m talking about http://www.kickstarter.com
You can list your project there, describe it with an engaging short video and a written overview, and offer incentives for people to invest in you. It’s a win win. I love it.
I’ve not listed any of my own projects on Kickstarter, but I’ve helped fund several people that I found there and wanted to see their ideas come into reality. All did.
I can’t guarantee your project will get funded. Not all do. But everyone I know who used Kickstarter achieved their financial goals. It’s certainly worth a look. And it’s free to list your project.
One thing to remember: You still have to tell people about your project being listed on Kickstarter. In other words, don’t list your project and sit back and wait for people to find you. You have to go tell everyone.
One band I know (Patton Sparks), successfully raised what they wanted on Kickstarter. When I asked where the traffic came from to their listing on Kickstarter’s site, they said as far as they could guess it came from them telling their family, friends, fans, Facebook, etc. Almost no one poking around Kickstarter’s site actually funded their project. As always, spreading the word about what you are doing is essential.
Again, I’m not affiliated with Kickstarter. I love their noble service and urge you to check into them. I believe they take 5% of what you raise as their payment, which means just ask for 5% more than what you need for your project. If you don’t raise your capital, you don’t pay anything.
It’s a glorious time we live in when services like this one help make dreams come true.
Go see — http://www.kickstarter.com
Ao Akua,
PS – If you want encouragement and coaching to go along with making your dream come true, also look into http://www.miraclescoaching.com and of course be sure to read my free book, Attract Money Now.