Tag: music

History tells us that in 49 B.C., Julius Caesar and his troops broke the Roman Law forbidding any general to cross the Rubicon River. It left no one in the Roman Republic with any question as to Caesar’s intention.

He had a goal.

He had a mission.

There was no turning back now.

Caesar said, “The die is cast, the game is on.”

At some point it’s wise to accept or create a “Rubicon Challenge” for yourself. It’s a way to stretch your talents, exceed your potential, dare something worthy, and achieve what others might call impossible. The line or “river” you cross is the self-imposed limitation of your own potential.

I just did that by declaring I will sing, play guitar, write songs, and record my own audio CD in 2011.

I’ve already been taking guitar lessons with Guitar Monk Mathew Dixon. And I’ve been taking singing lessons with vocal wizard Guy Monroe. I’ve seen progress and I’m having a blast.

But it’s time to go to the next level.

It’s time to cross the river of limitation.

And here’s where my own Rubicon Challenge appeared.

Back in 2006 I held a publicity stunt in Austin, Texas called The Canine Concert. It was the first ever concert for dogs, played at a sound level only canines could hear. The band that donated their time and talents was Porter Davis. It was a hot summer day but people turned out, including the media, and we all had fun. This youtube video gives you a feel for the event:

That was years ago. I hadn’t seen or heard from the band since. Recently the lead singer, Daniel Barrett, emailed me and asked to have lunch. Of course, I agreed.

Over Tex-Mex food and sharing, Dan (pictured with me above) told me about his new service. He offers 100 hours of personal coaching in singing, songwriting and guitar playing, ending in the studio recording five songs.  He called it a boot camp for musicians. While he wasn’t trying to sell me (as he had no idea I was already taking singing and guitar playing lessons), I began to feel that our meeting was more than a coincidence.

After lunch, I couldn’t stop thinking of Dan’s service, which he called Rubicon Artist Development. We met again a week later, shared several emails, and discussed my taking on his challenge.

I wanted to.

But I admit I was full of massive doubt.

Could I do this?

Could I write songs?

Could I play and sing well enough to be recorded?

Could I find the time to practice as well as keep up my lessons with Mathew and Guy?

I spent a lot of time thinking, dreaming, worrying and more. I’m surrounded by great musicians in my personal life, from Sarah Marie and Michelle Malone to Pat O’Bryan and of course Mathew Dixon. (Mathew and Michelle pictured below.)

But knowing they can play great music didn’t make my decision any either.

I was still nervous about taking the challenge.

Until I realized that if I had this much excitement as well as apprehension, then I had to do the challenge.

As I wrote in my book The Attractor Factor, my rule of thumb is to follow goals that scare you a little and excite you a lot. If I’m giving that advice to others, then I need to take it myself.

I accepted Dan’s Rubicon Challenge.

Why am I telling you all this?

Because in 2011 I’m going to announce a movie project and a challenge for you revolving around Miracles Coaching. You’ll hear about it and it will interest you. But most likely you’ll have questions, concerns, fears and doubts.

Accept them, investigate them, and release them.

You grow stronger and wiser when you accept the challenge you know you want.

I’ve accepted another one.

What will yours be?

Ao Akua,

Joe

PS – Dan’s Rubicon Challenge site is right here.

Vocal wizard Guy Monroe told me about working with a singing student and urging her to just break all the rules and experiment with her voice. He suggested she do things faster than normal as a way to break limitations.

Guy said, “The faster you go, intelligences appear. This is trust technology. You can out run your brain.”

Why would you want to out run your own mind?

Your mind tries to keep you safe. That in itself isn’t bad. You want to be safe. You want to survive. But the mind can protect you from learning, stretching, growing, and transcending, too. You want to by-pass the mind to learn new skills and stretch into a new you.

The singer did that by leaping off the edge of the known, in terms of her singing skills, and letting trust guide her into developing new skills as she flew.

“Sounds like The Need Zone,” I told Guy.

“The Need Zone? I love it!” he said. “Explain it to me.”

I went on to say you get what you need. For example, I remember almost being in a plane crash. We were flying into Los Angles and apparently hit an air pocket right over the runway, made by the previous jet. Our plane shook and fell, and all time slowed. But I felt as if I were being protected. It seemed similar to the stories of people in crashes who are saved by an unseen hand. There’s at least one book about this (The Third Man Factor).

By extending the logic that you often get unseen help when you need it, you can also get seen help — what Guy called intelligences — when you stretch yourself into needing it.

In the first scenario a possible accident, or an actual one, triggers help; in the second one, your desire for more skill calls help to your side.

This reminded me of what Bobby Birdsall, one of my first prosperity teachers (who I dedicated Attract Money Now to) told me decades ago. He said, “You always get what you need. One way to attract more money is to up your need for it.”

That didn’t make sense at the time. I was already broke. Struggling. I had debt and had filed for bankruptcy. I had need. Create more need? No way.

Today I know that we don’t allow ourselves to have what we want due to deservingness issues. But we usually allow what we need. When you need more, you attract more.

This is a touchy balancing act. Need is an emotion of desperation for most people. So needing anything often just attracts more need.

But there’s a way to transcend need.

You can go a level or two higher by consciously needing more as a choice. In other words, the singer who steps out of her comfort zone now needs new skills. She calls them forth by the “need” for them. As Guy explained, the faster you go, the more you attract those higher or expanded intelligences. It’s not a survival need but it is a perceived “need”.

I know when I considered going to my first coach, I resisted it. It wasn’t until I put my foot down and said “I’M GOING NO MATTER WHAT!” that the chosen need attracted the means to fulfill it.

Another way to explain this is to simply challenge yourself by doing what you feel is impossible or at least a real stretch. As you do, you call forth or attract new resources to you because of this “need zone.”

My singing with Guy is always a high energy adventure. I’m using my voice in new ways. As I stretch to sing songs that seem beyond my reach, I acquire and attract the skills necessary to make it happen.

But this only happens because I have backed myself into a skills corner and “need” to attract new skills to accomplish my new intention.

This works with big dreams, too.

When I decided to end homelessness with Operation YES, I had no idea where to begin. But my new “need” acted as a powerful new attractor.

Within days I ran into Scott Miller and his movement, already working, to end poverty.

Then I ran into a CNN reporter who wants to film me and my work in this area.

Then I attracted more resources, from Mindy Audlin and her “What if UP?” process to the legal staff I needed to become a non-profit.

I also attracted Morty Lefkoe, the man who co-authored, with est founder Werner Erhard, the original proposal to end hunger with the famous Hunger Project.

All of this from entering The Need Zone.

One more example:

Last week in Chicago I recorded my latest audio program for Nightingale-Conant. I went into the studio with no script or book to read from. Because of my “need” to complete a new program that is the most experiential and spiritual of my career, I had to attract the information to record. I did, too, and it may be the most inspired audio set I’ve ever created, but only because I “needed” it.

Maybe ask yourself, “What would you love to do but are afraid to do or have no idea how to do?”

Begin it.

Start someplace.

And do it without over thinking and over planning.

Just jump.

By taking action in the direction of that goal, you’ll attract the people, skills and means — the “intelligences” — from The Need Zone to make it a reality.

In other words, your stepping into discomfort will attract what you need to find comfort again.

Isn’t that comforting?

Ao Akua,

Joe

PS — One action step you can take right now is to claim your free 30 minute Miracles Coaching call. Just click on the banner at the top of this page or click right here.

One of my all time favorite singer songwriters is Michelle Malone.  She’s played private house concerts in my home four times over as many years. I love her power and passion. She gave a rocking performance again just last night. Here are some photos to share the moment with you:

This is Michelle after the show playing my second Saddle Pal guitar, created by luthier Chris Jenkins:

Here’s Michelle before the show playing my first Saddle Pal, a guitar with explosive and surprising volume, also made by Chris Jenkins:

Here’s Michelle with my guitar teacher Mathew Dixon:

And here’s Michelle (playing my Robert Taylor all Koa wood amazing guitar) and her band rocking my house and my world:

I had a blast with Michelle. She’s light, fun, funny, and smart. I also showed her and her band my Alien Guitar. They’ll never forget it. I’ll share that clip with you later.

Nerissa filmed the show last night. Until it’s ready to share with you, here’s an excerpt of Michelle Malone’s 2007 concert in my home with me playing harmonica with her:

Yes, I own the world’s only Alien Guitar. I attracted it via Ireland and outer space. I don’t know how to describe it. But I’ve been letting some people see it. Mathew Dixon got to meet it yesterday. His expression was priceless. Watch it by clicking on the below image:

Mathew wasn’t the only person to meet the Alien Guitar.  Recently Sarah Marie dropped by and was also introduced to it.  I’ll tell you about that, if you’re interested, soon.

Ao Akua,

Joe

PS — While you’re scratching your head about the Alien Guitar, be sure to read my latest book for free by clicking the banner below:

On November 20 I held an autograph party for the release of my latest book, Attract Money Now. Despite the bad weather, some people drove hundreds of miles to the Vitale Cigar Room to meet me, talk, and get their beautiful hardcover book signed. It was a wonderful evening.

One of the people who came was a young woman from my local area who I didn’t know. She had some questions. As she asked them, I kept thinking someone should film this, as her questions were sincere and perceptive. For example, she asked –

“What’s the one thing you had to change to keep stretching and succeeding?”

It was an easy answer. In my book, Attract Money Now, I say that your wealth is hiding under the very thing you are afraid to do. Face your fears and you can stretch and succeed.

Another question she asked was –

“As you grow, do your friends fall away?”

I told her yes, they often (but not always) do, but it’s a natural process. People who were best friends of mine at one level of growth just floated out of my life as I changed and evolved. There was no animosity. It just happened as an organic growth process.

She also asked –

“Do you have to learn stocks and bonds, trading, banking and real estate to attract big money?”

I told her no. I don’t know anything about trading or real estate and don’t want to. As I explain in my new book, you can attract more money by doing what you love. It helps to think like an entrepreneur but the key is in following your own passion.

She and I talked for a little longer and then, as more people came to greet me, she wandered off.

But a little later in the evening she returned with an acoustic guitar in hand. I love guitars and had to know what she was doing with one.

“I want to face my fears,” she told me. “I was wondering if I could play a song for you.”

I of course said yes.

My friend Pat O’Bryan was there.  I quickly asked him if he would film the performance. He agreed.

I guess I was expecting her to play something soft, easy, and sweet. But this woman fried the room, brought everyone to a stand still, and melted my heart as she sang an incredible aria from an Italian opera.

Her voice was stunning. I got goose bumps as she played. It was heavenly and unforgettable.  See for yourself by clicking on the below image:

Her name is Sarah Marie. You can find her music on www.cdbaby.com. She has a myspace page at www.myspace.com/sarahmariesedona

Sarah got past her fear.

All it took was a deep breath and a step forward.

What have you done to face your fears today?

Ao Akua,

Joe

PS — If you want help in getting past your fears, consider Dr. Joe Vitale’s Miracles Coaching.