“Couldn’t you just buy it off the shelf?”
I was trying to tell a friend about a cholesterol lowering natural health product I had invested in, called Ideal Cardio Formula. I explained that I spent $12,000 on it so I could personally have it to use myself.
He didn’t understand.
“Couldn’t you just buy the key ingredients of the formula in separate bottles and then take that?” he asked. “It would have cost you far less.”
He was thinking like most people think. He was trying to save a buck and take care of himself. In his mind, the “buy the basic ingredients” approach was smart thinking. It was efficient and frugal. From that limited perspective, he was right.
But he was missing a secret few people know.
I figured he could make $100,000 or more if he knew this secret, so I proceeded to explain it to him.
“Look, when my doctor said I had high cholesterol,” I began, “I wanted a solution without taking his prescribed drug, which I knew had potential dangerous side effects. So I went to a friend of mine who is also a medical doctor, but with an interest in handling health problems with herbs first.”
“I understand that,” my friend said.
“Let me continue,” I said. “My herb-loving doctor told me he had a formula that he developed himself that was a blend of twelve ingredients that he guaranteed would lower cholesterol in thirty days. I naturally wanted it.”
“I would, too,” he said.
“But he said he didn’t have any of the product, and added it would take twelve thousand dollars to make a batch of about two thousand bottles of it as a minimum run from a manufacturer.”
“Two thousand bottles!” my friend exclaimed. “Again, couldn’t you just go to a health store and buy the ingredients and take those?” he asked. “You wouldn’t have to spend twelve grand!”
He was making the mistake most people do. He was thinking of only himself. As long as he did, he wouldn’t have the secret for success.
I saw this moment as a prime chance to transform his life forever – if he’d just listen to me.
“If you don’t mind, let me give you a lesson in prosperity,” I continued. “You’re right. I could buy the ingredients in separate bottles, spend a hundred bucks, and lower my cholesterol. I’d be doing a smart thing. I’d be taking care of myself. But the smarter approach would be to take care of others and myself.”
He still didn’t get it.
So I made another attempt to explain my thinking.
“By investing twelve grand in 2,000 bottles of the cholesterol lowering material, I’d become an entrepreneur who changes lives. How many people need to lower their cholesterol? Millions? I could sell those extra bottles to those other people. I just went from taking care of just me to taking care of others – and being rewarded with money!”
This is the secret few know.
Most people don’t think beyond themselves. That’s fine for survival. You do need to take care of yourself. But the real secret to success is when you take care of others and yourself.
I’m talking about a shift in perception. You might think that this is a mental operation that you’ll never be able to do. It might seem like a foreign way of perceiving the world around you.
I used to believe I couldn’t think like this, too. I remember thirty years ago listening to marketing genius Jay Abraham say he‘d walk into a gym and see a hundred ways they could make more money. He’d then rattle them off. I’d listen to him and say to myself, “How do you think like that?”
But there have been clues along the way.
When I was conducting research for my book on P.T. Barnum, the great circus promoter who I later wrote about in There’s A Customer Born Every Minute, I was baffled to learn that he could see what others could not.
For example, when he heard of a little boy who would never grow over three feet tall, people told Barnum it was sad. But when Barnum met the little boy, his eyes saw “Super Star!”
Barnum transformed that little boy into the man the entire world loved and paid to see: General Tom Thumb.
Both Barnum and Thumb became multimillionaires.
I marveled that Barnum had the ability to see gold in what others saw as nothing special.
But today I do think like that.
How did I go from poverty thinker to million dollar thinker?
By reading books, listening to audios, going to events, getting coaching, and retraining my brain.
Now I can’t turn it off.
Now my brain looks around and sees opportunities everywhere.
I talk to people and can hear their “hidden wealth” within minutes.
In my book, Attract Money Now, I say one of the seven steps to financial freedom is to think like an entrepreneur.
How do you think like an entrepreneur?
By hearing your doctor say you need to lower your cholesterol, and then realizing others might need to do so, too. As you discover your own solution, you turn that solution into a product others will buy.
Win- win.
Here’s another example to help you integrate this new way of thinking:
A decade or so ago, a young woman wrote to me, asking questions about making money online. I met with her and listened to her story.
She talked about her life, her interests, her hobbies and so forth. She actually didn’t believe people could really make money online, and certainly doubted her own ability to do so.
But as I listened, I heard an opportunity.
She mentioned she had taught herself how to play the guitar in a weekend.
“A weekend?” I asked, a little in disbelief myself. At the time, I was an aspiring musician. (Today I have six albums out.) I wanted to know more.
“I created a basic method that let me play popular songs without much effort,” she said, completely clueless to the goldmine she was sitting on.
“Can you teach others to play guitar in a weekend?” I asked.
She said she could.
I then encouraged her to write an eBook on her method. That came as a surprise to her. She never thought of it before. She didn’t know how to write an eBook, but I told her lots of how-to manuals are available, including the one I coauthored with Jim Edwards, How to Write and Publish Your Own EBook – in only 7 days!
She went on to write her eBook, put up a site, and start selling it. To her amazement – as she didn’t think the idea would actually work – she started making sales.
But the story gets even better.
She was a struggling college student. She was borrowing money from her parents. With the eBook selling, she had cash coming in. A little at first. But then more. One of the people who bought her product, and loved it, offered to buy the rights to her eBook – for ten thousand dollars!
For this broke college student, it was like winning the lottery.
But it wasn’t from the lotto.
It was from thinking beyond herself.
It was from thinking about all the other people who want to play the guitar, too.
In short, money isn’t really hiding from you. It’s simply waiting for you to serve people other then yourself.
Said another way, money likes it when you serve yourself and other people.
Think about it.
Ao Akua,
joe
PS – Have you ever wondered why I always end my blog posts (and emails) with a PS?
A fellow on a recent flight showed me his business card. It was humorous and inspired me to make one of my own. The irony is, I rarely give out cards anymore. For fun, here’s the back of mine:
PS – I’m not sure where to post this but I have to share it with someone: I’m number 96 on the ReverbNation Singer Songwriter charts for the entire US. (!) http://t.co/I5Ux2pB0EA
A friend said he was considering making a large purchase but was worried about spending the money.
“Do you have the money?” I asked.
“Yes,” he said, “but it’ll be close. We don’t have a surplus.”
“Do you want the item you are thinking about buying?”
“Absolutely!” he exclaimed.
“Then you must buy it,” I declared.
“I must?”
“What will you be telling yourself if you don’t buy it?” I asked. “Won’t you be affirming lack and limitation? Won’t you be saying you don’t deserve what you want? Won’t you be declaring you don’t have faith in yourself, your future, or your ability to attract more money?”
“I never thought of it that way.”
“And what will you be declaring if you do buy the thing you want, when you have the money to buy it?” I continued. “Won’t you be declaring that you deserve it? That you live in an abundant universe? That you believe in yourself, your future, and your ability to attract even more?”
I was basically giving my friend a lesson in Prosperous Purchasing, which I explain in my free e-book, Attract Money Now.
In short, if you have the money, and you have the desire, then you must make the purchase.
I remind myself of this lesson all the time.
Recently I saw an antique cane sword. It’s a walking cane from the 1800s, with two hidden swords in it. I have no use for it, but I felt it was cool. I also knew it was “expensive,” as most antiques can be. I resisted buying it because of the amount and the non utilitarian nature of it.
After all, I don’t need a walking cane.
And I don’t need a walking cane with two swords in it.
So why buy it?
But then I remembered Prosperous Purchasing.
Buying the sword cane would open a portal in me to further prosperity.
It wasn’t about the antique; it was about my mindset.
As with my friend, I had to step in the direction of abundance, not scarcity.
I had to coach myself into understanding that buying the cane — which I really wanted and have the money for — would be an affirmation of prosperity; it would in fact help cut through any internal blocks to attracting even more prosperity.
So yes, of course, I bought it.
And yes, my friend went ahead with his purchase, too.
And we both elevated our vibration — which means our energy level and happiness shot upwards. That feeling alone was worth the purchasing. That feeling would help attract even more prosperity.
Let’s go a little deeper with all this…
There are at least three things you need to do with money to help yourself attract even more of it:
1. Give it.
Some call it tithing. I can’t find any exceptions to this universal truth: the more money you give away, the more money you will attract. You have to be comfortable with money, of course, else you could block your receiving of it. And you have to give where you receive spiritual or inspirational nourishment. But you have to give. It’s a law. If you’re struggling with money right now, ask yourself when was the last time you gave some away to a source that nourished you?
2. Invest it.
You can save money for something that delights you and/or you can invest it in ways that make you feel prosperous now and in the future. Some people buy stocks; I buy collectible guitars. Some people buy land; I bought an antique sword cane. (And, as mentioned under the album cover above, an antique sorcerer’s cane.) Help money help you by saving it and investing it. It’s a way to respect money. Again, if you’re struggling with money, ask yourself if you are joyfully investing and/or saving the money you already receive.
3. Spend it.
Money needs to circulate in the world to do the most good for the most number of people. Spend money that you have at hand (don’t go into debt) on what you truly want, and do it with a feeling of appreciation. Arnold Patent said, “The sole purpose of money is to express appreciation.” I totally agree. When you pay a bill or order a product or service, feel authentic gratitude for the ability to do so. This feeling of gratitude will help you attract even more to be grateful for. If you’re having an issue with money right now, ask yourself how you feel when you spend what you have on your bills or on yourself.
And here’s the punchline to the above story:
A day after I bought the double sword cane, I received a partial advance for a book deal that more than covered the purchase of the antique.
Did my purchase attract the income?
Yes, I believe so.
What seems to happen is this: When you practice taking care of yourself, the Universe will in turn take care of you.
Since we are all one, and the “You-niverse” is really you, you are ultimately always taking care of yourself.
Think about it.
Ao Akua,
Joe
PS — I am astonished by the kinds of unusual canes people created and carried over the centuries. I thought they were just used for walking. Wrong. From 1550 to 1930, everyone carried one. The most fascinating of antique canes is the “systems” cane. These are early gadgets in walking sticks. In the United States alone, there were over 1,500 patents for functional or secret canes. These might hide weapons, like a sword or a gun, but could also be designed for a surgeon (with knives and medicinal instruments in the handle) or a gambler (with dice inside the shaft) or drinkers (with flasks in the handle). Canes could conceal cigarettes, a pipe, smelling salts, opium, cash, coins, telescopes, microscopes, lighters, watches, barometers, fishing poles, swords, guns, or makeup. There are hundreds of examples. My sorcerer or hypnotist’s cane has a pendulum and candle inside, and a crystal ball on top. The Phrenology cane above was a cheat-cheat for reading the bumps on your head. Some antique canes were even musical instruments – with a flute, or a mandolin, or even a violin inside. I love creative thinking like this! Talk about prosperity! Anything truly is possible!
Bonus: Learn a little about antique canes by watching this short video:
I don’t know much more than you about Henry Ford, the industrial giant and tycoon who brought affordable cars to the masses in the early 1900s, but I spotted this revealing quote in his 1922 autobiography, My Life and Work:
“The natural thing to do is to work — to recognize that prosperity and happiness can be obtained only through honest effort. Human ills flow largely from attempting to escape from this natural course.”
What an obvious yet startling statement.
It seems to me that most people want to avoid work. They are seeking magic powers or special other worldly favors in order to do just that.
Whenever I offer a Law of Attraction oriented product, the public loves it. Yet whenever I offer a productivity product, they shun it.
After seeing this result over and over again for years, I realized that people want fairy dust and magic wands. They prefer to sit and visualize rather than get up and create something.
Obviously, I’m not against mind power, visualization, Law of Attraction, or most of the other tools and toys we have. They all have their place. They all assist you in achieving and attracting your desires.
But you have to do something in this world.
As Ford noted, we have to work.
“Work,” to me, is following your passion in a way that serves others.
One reason I’ve authored so many books, audios, DVDs, courses and more is I’m not afraid to work.
Yet too many self-helpers say “I attracted my result and didn’t DO anything!”
Come on. You always do something. It may not have been “work” in the sense of extreme activity, or in the traditional sense of expending energy, but you did something to bring about the result. You had to. Life is a co-creation.
I remember the creator of the hit movie The Secret bragging that her movie became a success without her “doing” anything to make it happen.
I found it hard to imagine that she overlooked all the things she did to make the movie get noticed, right down to hand picking 24 guests (including me) to be in the movie — nearly all having a list of fans and followers. They promoted the movie for her, but she did the work of putting them into the movie. She took action.
She continues to take action today, by mailing her list of Secret fans to keep the relationship with them going. That comes in handy when she promotes her next book.
Again, work — or better stated, action — is virtually always needed.
I learned how to work as a laborer on the railroad, starting at the age of five years old. (No lie.)
When I moved to Houston in the late 1970s, I managed to get day jobs as a laborer for temp agencies.
Today I still work, but it isn’t with my back. It’s with my mind.
Because I love what I do, and feel it is my life calling, it never feels like “work.”
It’s far wiser to reflect on what you want to do, and then add the magic amulets, spells and potions to that desire. But to do just the latter, you’ll most likely struggle.
I have no idea if Henry Ford was metaphysical or even psychological. I doubt it. I know he had his own quirky ideas about society, but I’m only interested in his ideas about attracting money.
He sure knew the value of work. He preaches it over and over again in his 1922 autobiography, stating that work is the secret to success.
Businesses today need to become acquainted with Henry Ford’s advice for making money.
I was impressed to see that Ford wanted to build a car that would never break down. (!) He felt true serving was helping a family by building a car they could depend on. He felt one car, that lasted a lifetime, would be the best. No need for planned obsolescence or yearly model upgrades. (Tell Apple that. Or most any other modern business.)
And Ford felt if his car ever broke down and needed service, the manufacturer should take care of the problem, not the owner.
I like this guy.
He also tried electric cars in the early 1900s, but shunned them for the same reason they aren’t ideal today: too heavy and not enough power. (Remember, both Nerissa and I drive electric cars, so I know of what Ford speaks.)
Henry Ford basically felt that if you served people, the money would follow.
His big motivating “why” — the ideal that drove him — was to create a system that kept people employed making cars that the masses would love.
As I am reading his autobiography, a few insightful quotes jump out:
“I refuse to recognize that there are impossibilities. I cannot discover that any one knows enough about anything on this earth definitely to say what is and what is not possible.”
“Everything can always be done better than it is being done.”
“Money is only a tool in business. It is just a part of the machinery.”
“Money, after all, is extremely simple. It is a part of our transportation system. It is a simple and direct method of conveying goods from one person to another. Money is in itself most admirable. It is essential. It is not intrinsically evil. It is one of the most useful devices in social life. And when it does what it was intended to do, it is all help and no hindrance.”
Don’t be afraid to work.
Remember, following your passion isn’t “work” if it’s your passion.
Add visualization and other Law of Attraction mind technologies to the passionate serving of others, and you have a formula for modern day success.
In short, action is the alchemy that transmutes ideas into reality.
I’ll repeat that —
Action is the alchemy that transmutes ideas into reality.
Finally, here is Henry Ford’s creed:
(1) An absence of fear of the future or of veneration for the past. One who fears the future, who fears failure, limits his activities. Failure is only the opportunity more intelligently to begin again. There is no disgrace in honest failure; there is disgrace in fearing to fail. What is past is useful only as it suggests ways and means for progress. (2) A disregard of competition. Whoever does a thing best ought to be the one to do it. It is criminal to try to get business away from another man--criminal because one is then trying to lower for personal gain the condition of one's fellow-men, to rule by force instead of by intelligence. (3) The putting of service before profit. Without a profit, business cannot extend. There is nothing inherently wrong about making a profit. Well-conducted business enterprises cannot fail to return a profit but profit must and inevitably will come as a reward for good service. It cannot be the basis--it must be the result of service. (4) Manufacturing is not buying low and selling high. It is the process of buying materials fairly and, with the smallest possible addition of cost, transforming those materials into a consumable product and distributing it to the consumer. Gambling, speculating, and sharp dealing tend only to clog this progression.
Now get to work.
Ao Akua,
joe
PS — Remember: Forget money and focus on service. Henry Ford knew this. So did Nick D’Aloisio, 17, who reportedly received close to $30 million for a news-reading iPhone app named Summly that he developed and then sold to Yahoo. D’Aloisio says money was not his motivation when developing Summly. How many more clues do we need that money comes from passion and serving, not greed and manipulation?
As I’m writing this to you, I’m listening to the long awaited sequel to the bestselling music album, Aligning to Zero. This one is called AT Zero. If I say so myself, it’s so beautiful, so soothing, so Divine, that words almost fail to describe the majestic healing vibe of this music.
But I’ll try anyway.
Months ago Guitar Monk Mathew Dixon and I went back into the studio to create a follow-up to our bestseller. The first one came to us through inspiration. We played our guitars as if guided by unseen hands.
How would we ever top that?
So we sat in the studio and made ourselves available to inspiration once again.
We knew each track would be in a certain musical key. Each key corresponded to an energy center, or chakra, we wanted to touch, sooth and activate. We had that much to start with.
But what would come from there?
We didn’t know. We would talk, kick around ideas, try a few things, and then just magically feel the essence of the new music. From there, it came through.
We received the music, played it, loved it and got so into it that we almost didn’t stop playing it to turn off the recorder.
Mathew and I were in awe.
The seven new tracks we created our stunning.
It took months to create this sequel, primarily because of interruptions from travels, illness, and “life.” But we stayed true to our vision. We wanted a second album in the bestselling “zero” series and we would work with the Universe’s schedule to allow it to happen.
And happen it did.
I’m excited to announce that the new album is not only done, but ready for you as a CD or as an instant download right now over at http://www.AtZeroMusic.com
And yes, you can listen to samples of the music there, too.
As before, At Zero is designed to help you feel the essence of life. In fact, it’s designed to help you with a long list of benefits, all listed on the album’s website.
It was inspired by Dr. Hew Len, ho’oponopono, Zero Limits, and the power of healing music.
I hope you see the lessons here:
Having an inspired intention, taking action while allowing for inner guidance, leads to a Divine result.
I’m listening to “At Zero” right now…and smiling.
Check it out at http://www.AtZeroMusic.com
Ahhhhhhhhhh………
Ao Akua
Joe
PS – Other Healing Music albums by Mathew or myself are –
http://www.GetUpandStrut.com | |
http://www.HealingMojoMusic.com | |
http://www.AligningtoZero.info |